Definition:
An Accreditation Body (AB) is an independent organization recognized to formally assess and authorize other entities, such as Certification Bodies and testing laboratories, ensuring they meet the applicable standards. For example, IEC 61508 for functional safety and ISO 17025 for calibration labs. Accreditation Bodies are mostly regional. Meaning there are ones used and recognized in certain countries/areas and less used in others. This could be marketing, tradition, or laws.
There is, confusingly, one level above accreditation body throughout the world. They are linked worldwide through mutual recognition arrangements run by the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated or Global ACI (some refer to it as GAC). This was formed in 2026 by merging two prior organizations (IAF and ILAC).
Becoming an accrediting body is its own process. ABs around the world are linked under the International Accreditation Forum Multilateral Recognition Agreement. ABs are themselves guided by ISO 17011.
In North America
- ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) is the largest for the US area. They accredited Exida and TUV to be CBs.
- SCC – Standards Council of Canada – accredited TUV
In Europe
- DAkkS – Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle – in Europe – accredited TUV. This is the largest AB in Europe.
- UKAS – United Kingdom
- INAB – Irish National Accreditation Board
- COFRAC – France
- ENAC – Spain
- SWEDAC – Sweden
- DANAK – Danish
In the Middle East
- They do not have any specific ones. They generally use both US and European ABs.
Key Points:
- Accreditation Bodies do not certify products directly; they certify the certifiers.
- Accreditation Bodies are regional, there are dominant ones in different areas of the world
Example:
Siemens makes a safety PLC, and their certification body is TUV. To become a certification body, TUV must go through a process with an accreditation body. ANAB is an example.
See Also: Certification Body, NoBo, authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), ANAB, SCC, DAkkS, INAB, COFRAC, ENAC, SWEDAC, IAF MCA, DANAK, Global ACI, conformity assessment
Cited Source:
- ISO/IEC 17011:2017
- Global ACI.
Deep dive: For a much more in-depth treatment, see Who Certifies Functional Safety Equipment, and Who Accepts It.