Things to look for when choosing a certification body
8 things to look for when choosing a certification body.
We get it – choosing a certification body can be hard and time consuming… and if you get it wrong, costly. That’s why we have pulled together this handy guide to help you choose wisely.
We set up Simply Certification to create a customer-first certification body. We knew from experience that not all certification bodies were created equal and as such the industry was getting a bad rep!
But they are not all bad, so hopefully this guide will help you to choose the certification body that’s right for you.
A quick explanation of how certification bodies are required to operate
Certification bodies can appear to be unhelpful. This is largely due to the fact they have to be impartial, especially if they are a UKAS accredited certification body.
Certification bodies are not consultants, they are required to assess you against a standard and as such they need to remain impartial. You should only approach a certification body when you are ‘assessment ready’. Certification bodies are not allowed to influence or support customers either during the assessment process or when addressing non-conformances, basically they are not allowed to give you a ‘helping hand’.
That said, it doesn’t mean that a certification body can’t provide a smooth onboarding process, great customer service or provide you with helpful information to support you on your journey.
Simply Certification set out to break the mould of how certification bodies are perceived. Whilst retaining impartiality, our assessors and HQ team work hard to provide the best possible experience. We offer lots of tools and resources that clients can tap into, handy things like checklists and a partnership network of helpful and expert consultants.
Here are 8 things you should consider when choosing a certification body:
#1 Cost- Beware the stack ‘em high, sell ‘em cheap approach
Cheapest is not always best. In fact, it almost never is. There are lots of benefits to certification but getting a piece of paper that isn’t recognised or isn’t good quality is not one of them.
Look for a certification body that is going to do a thorough assessment of your business. If you are not challenged what is the point? A certification body should be seen as your critical friend – this provides a much higher value than just ticking a box.
A certification body that is delivering under a UKAS scheme is always the best choice.
Why?
UKAS accredited certifications are highly regarded as the gold standard. The certification body has had to undergo rigorous audit to ensure they are able to deliver an impartial and robust assessment – meaning the certificate you have has a much higher value.
What to expect
For a good certification body to assess your company thoroughly, they will apply enough time to carry out a thorough assessment. Each standard and scheme is different. If we take ISO 9001 (quality) as an example, an assessment for initial certification shouldn’t be less than two days.
A reputable certification body will only provide a quotation for certification once an application has been received and a technical review has been carried out. The application collects various pieces of information about your company. Using this information, a technical review is then carried out to determine the right number of days that need to be allocated for an assessment.
The market is littered with quick and cheap fixes to gain certification but they miss the point- you are not just doing this only to gain certification, you are doing this to ensure that your business operates in an efficient, safe, productive and, ultimately, profitable way.
While cost shouldn’t be the sole determining factor, it’s important to ensure that the fees are reasonable and transparent.
#2 Credentials
Look for certification bodies that are accredited by internationally recognised accreditation bodies. Accreditation ensures that the certification body operates according to established standards and practices, giving credibility to the certifications they issue.
United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole national accreditation body recognised by the UK government to assess organisations that provide certification services against internationally recognised standards.
By choosing a certification body that operates under a UKAS-accredited scheme you can relax, knowing that it has undergone rigorous assessment to ensure it operates to internationally or nationally recognised standards for competence, impartiality, and reliability.
What this means in more detail
UKAS accredited certification bodies are required to adhere to specific standards and guidelines for certification processes.
Accredited certification bodies must conduct assessments and audits without bias or conflicts of interest, ensuring fair and reliable certification outcomes.
UKAS regularly monitors and reviews accredited certification bodies to ensure ongoing compliance with accreditation requirements and standards to maintain the quality and integrity of the certification process over time.
In some cases, UKAS accreditation may be a legal requirement for certain types of certifications or for certifications to be recognised by government agencies and supply chains in the UK or internationally. If you want to compete at the highest levels, choose a UKAS- accredited certification body.
#3 Reputation and Track Record
Research the reputation and track record of the certification body. Look for reviews, testimonials, and case studies from organisations or individuals who have been certified by them. A good reputation indicates reliability and trustworthiness.
Google Reviews is a great place to start to give you a flavour of how a certification body or any other business is performing.
A company’s LinkedIn page is also a great resource. You can get a feel for how people interact with them, their general communication style and personality.
#4 Expertise and Experience
Consider the expertise and experience of the certification body in your industry or specific area of interest. A certification body with deep industry knowledge and experience is better equipped to understand your needs and provide relevant certification services.
Simply Certification are experts across the built environment, meaning we are set up to support organisations that operate in every facet of the built environment lifecycle. From design through to construction through to facilities management and demolition, our standards support quality, environmental, health and safety and retrofit of energy efficiency and renewable measures.
#5 Quality of Auditors and Assessors
A certification body will have to have ‘competent’ assessors that allows them to deliver audits against a specific standard. Competent proof is provided via qualifications, CPD and experience within sectors.
What isn’t easily measured, however, is the quality of an assessor’s working practice and communication skills. The last thing you need is an overzealous auditor who is looking for problems and policing you.
It’s important to find a certification body that recruits assessors that have a track record of being able to put their clients at ease.
Simply’s resource base is made up of assessors who do just that. Our recruitment process enables us to identify if an assessor works within our core values which include being supportive, responsive and collaborative.
# 6 Customer Support and Service
One of the key areas that many certification bodies fall down on is the fundamentals of great customer service. Impartiality can often be misinterpreted as being unhelpful by poorly trained employees.
A culture of unhelpfulness has dogged some certification bodies giving them poor reputations and the industry a bad rep in places.
The reason we set up Simply Certification was to break this mould. Our team are all extremely well trained, knowledgeable and great communicators. This enables us to support our clients properly and ensure they have covered all of the bases in the run up to assessment.
Responsive and helpful customer support can make the certification process smoother and more efficient, especially if you encounter any issues or have questions along the way.
# 7 Range of Services
Evaluate the range of certification services offered by the certification body.
There are some standards that can be assessed together to provide a much more effective way to gain multiple certificates.
Some certification bodies may offer additional services such as training which can add value to your certification journey.
Simply Certification has a training arm called Simply Learning, which offers a wide range of training courses and qualifications. These courses are designed to support our customers to upskill their employees and ensure they have the right competencies to fulfil their roles. For more information, please visit www.simply-learning.co.uk
If you operate internationally or intend to do so in the future, consider the global recognition of the certifications offered by the certification body to enhance your credibility.
# 8 Transparency and Integrity
Choose a certification body that demonstrates transparency and integrity in its operations.
There are certification bodies that have hidden management fees, enforce ten year contracts or sell their own products over the best solution for their customers.
Simply Certification doesn’t charge management or membership fees, or tie our customers into contracts. Nor would we ‘trap’ our clients into purchasing additional services.
Clear communication about certification requirements, processes, and outcomes, as well as ethical conduct in all aspects of our business is what Simply Certification is about!
Simply Certification offers a range of certifications such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 19650. We also offer retrofit and renewable standards such as PAS 2030, MCS and Flexi-Orb, as well as government-backed schemes which include TrustMark registration.
For more information about getting certified, please contact our friendly and experienced team.
