ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015—Requirements for Certification Bodies

Any organization that has pursued management systems certification (to a standard such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 27001) has interacted with the results of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015—Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 1: Requirements: the international standard that establishes the principles and requirements that certification bodies must follow when auditing and certifying management systems. ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 assures that the bodies auditing and certifying organizations are competent to do so.

Why Was ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 Developed?

Before the publication of ISO/IEC 17021-1 in 2006, there were multiple accreditation requirement documents to support industry, such as ISO Guide 62 for quality management systems (QMS) and ISO/IEC Guide 66 for environmental management systems (EMS). Competence requirements were largely based on industry-specific qualifications, resulting in varying expectations across sectors and regions. This fragmented approach created inconsistencies in how auditor and certification body (CB) competence was defined, evaluated, and recognized.

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 Competence Requirements

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 introduced a unified, competence-based framework that helped harmonize accreditation requirements globally, improving consistency, credibility, and confidence in management system certification across industries. The competence requirements detailed in ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 are centered in Clause 7.1, Competence of personnel, and Annex A, Required knowledge and skills.

The standard places significant emphasis on the qualifications and capabilities of personnel (auditors, audit team leaders, technical experts, application reviewers, report reviewers, etc.) involved in certification activities. These individuals must demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and experience necessary to perform their assigned certification functions effectively, including expertise relevant to the industries, technologies, and management systems being audited.

Importance of Certification Body (CB) Competence

Without a globally recognized framework governing certification body’s (CBs) competence, organizations could receive vastly different audit outcomes depending on who conducts the audits. Certifications could become inconsistent, unreliable, and difficult for customers, regulators, and stakeholders to trust. ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 was therefore developed to focus on competence of a CB and to address these concerns.

What Is ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015?

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is the foundation behind the credibility of management systems certification. It specifies requirements for bodies that provide third-party audits and certification of management systems. These certification bodies (CBs) evaluate whether organizations conform to management system standards such as:

ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems
ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems
ISO/IEC 27001 Information Security Management Systems
ISO/IEC 42001 Artificial Intelligence Management Systems
Other management system standards

It is important to note that CBs operating under ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 are not required to offer certification services for every type of management system. Instead, they may specialize in specific sectors or management system disciplines while still conforming with the standard’s overarching requirements. This flexibility allows bodies to build genuine expertise in specific domain, as they wish.

Essentially, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is designed to assure confidence in certifications by establishing requirements for competence, impartiality, consistency, confidentiality, and effective management of the certification process.

What Does Third-Party Conformity Assessment Activity Mean?

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 classifies management system certification as a third-party conformity assessment activity. First-party is when an organization evaluates itself (internal audit); second-party is when a customer or partner evaluates a supplier; and third-party is when an independent body—with no stake in the outcome—performs an audit.

Third-party certification carries the most credibility precisely because of that independence. ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is the framework that makes that independence real and verifiable, rather than just assumed.

Independent certification body audit process illustrating trust, competence, and accreditation under ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015.

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 and ANAB ISO/IEC 17021-1 Accreditation

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 serves as the foundation for accreditation programs that evaluate management systems certification bodies (CBs). Accreditation bodies, such as the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), assess CBs against the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 to verify their competence, consistency, and impartiality when conducting management system audits and issuing management systems certifications.

Through its management systems accreditation programs, ANAB evaluates CBs to assure they operate in accordance with ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 and any applicable sector-specific requirements. This assessment process helps provide confidence that accredited CBs can deliver reliable and internationally recognized certifications.

The relationship creates a chain of trust throughout the conformity assessment ecosystem:

ANAB (Accreditation Body)
Evaluates CBs against ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 and other sector-specific requirements

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Accredited Certification Body
Audits and certifies organizations to management system standards

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Certified Organization
Receives a credible, internationally recognized accredited certification

ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 helps assure that certifications issued by accredited CBs are based on competent audits, impartial decisions, and consistent processes. For organizations seeking certification to management system standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 27001, or ISO/IEC 42001, choosing a CB accredited by ANAB or another recognized member of the Global Accreditation Cooperation (Global ACI) provides additional assurance that the accredited certification will be respected by customers, regulators, and stakeholders worldwide.

ANAB ISO/IEC 17021-1 Training

For certification body personnel including auditors, accreditation assessors, and other stakeholders, understanding the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is essential for supporting credible certification activities.

ANAB offers ISO/IEC 17021-1 training designed to help participants understand the standard’s requirements, including auditor competence, impartiality, audit processes, certification decision-making, and management system certification program management. This training can help professionals build the knowledge needed to support consistent, reliable, and internationally recognized certification and accreditation activities.