Key Concepts: Accreditation

What is “accreditable”?

Bodies (or organizations) that:

  • Make professional judgement in processes of education and certification.
  • Implement processes that require highly professional skills crucial for making critical decisions (for example, policy making trade, medical treatment, environmental treatment, etc).
  • Assign values to products upon which results are being based (Reference Materials, Calibration, Proficiency Testing) and which involves human judgement and skill.
  • Evaluate processes crucial for customers and stakeholders who do not have the professional knowledge to evaluate them (for example, in the fields of medical testing, public health, public safety, environmental control, safety assessments, etc)
  • Implement processes driven by heavy competition that a government or clients (as a protector of the people) would like to formally oversee to ensure a ‘level playing field’.