Iso/iec Standard To Increase Confidence In Mgmt. Systems Certification
ISO/IEC 17021:2006, Conformity assessment - Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, places rigorous requirements for competence and impartiality on the bodies that offer audit and certification to standards like ISO 9001:2000 (quality management) and ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management).
The new standard has a huge potential impact since according to the latest figures, some 888 000 organizations in 161 countries are independently certified to ISO 9001:2000 and/or ISO 14001:2004.
ISO/IEC 17021:2006 is compatible with a further expansion of management system certification. It has been designed as the single source of internationally harmonized requirements for certification bodies and their activities not only in relation to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004, but also to new management standards for food safety (ISO 22000), information security (ISO/IEC 27001:2005) and supply chain security (ISO/PAS 28000:2005), as well as to any others that may be developed.
The full press release published on the ISO website can be found below:
http://iso.nocrew.or...06/Ref1028.html
expect this standard to have a massive impact on the auditing of Quality Management. all CB's will be required to conduct a 2 stage audit (like ISO22000) for any QMS clients (or justify why they are not doing so).
This is going to drive up the price of certification and likley increase the number of unaccredited certifications.
There are lots of other requirements, like requiring all CB auditors to be validated before approval.
does anyone else have any info on this?
james
Requirements for impartiality include the following: demonstration by the top management of certification bodies of the need to avoid conflicts of interest between certification and consultancy, training and internal auditing services; the marketing of certification services, and the subcontracting of audits.
The certification body is required to set up a committee for safeguarding impartiality. The standard envisages that such a committee could include representatives of clients of the certification body, customers of these clients, trade associations, regulatory bodies, governmental and nongovernmental organizations, and consumer associations.
Additionally, the certification body is required to implement a management system to ensure its conformity to ISO/IEC17021:2006.
I pulled the above from the ISO press release.
I find the committee idea interesting and welcome such transparency. If ISO/IEC 17021:2006 actually works to improve the efficacy of accredited certification I'm sure customers would accept some additional cost for a'premium certificate'; coz the inconsitent situation that currently prevails across all management system standards really pisses off the people who play fair.
Regards,
Simon
I pulled the above from the ISO press release.
I find the committee idea interesting and welcome such transparency. If ISO/IEC 17021:2006 actually works to improve the efficacy of accredited certification I'm sure customers would accept some additional cost for a'premium certificate'; coz the inconsitent situation that currently prevails across all management system standards really pisses off the people who play fair.
Regards,
Simon
Simon,
There has always been a requirement for a committee, the problem being that finding people who are willing to sit on this committee is difficult as to remain impartial a CB should only cover expenses.
In reality this committee tends to meet once per year, is given limited data regarding the day to day running of the CB and has little or no impact on the quality of the certification. - How can a committee of retired UK residents establish if there is a potential impartiality conflict in Korea?
Like many ideas, nice in theory but it depends how much information is actually provided.
**I'd like to be clear before I ask the question that I'm not saying BSI do have any problems with impartiality**
How many companies do you think BSI certify worldwide in a year, or even a month? (perhaps Joy could give us a ballpark figure?) - At AJA it is between 3,500-4,500 per year
How would you sitting on a Governing Committee at BSI safeguard impartiality?
Something to think about over the weekend
james
Do current committee's include clients and clients customers? Would be interesting with someone like Caz round the table:There has always been a requirement for a committee, the problem being that finding people who are willing to sit on this committee is difficult as to remain impartial a CB should only cover expenses.
http://www.saferpak....howtopic=5378#7
How many companies do you think BSI certify worldwide in a year, or even a month? (perhaps Joy could give us a ballpark figure?) - At AJA it is between 3,500-4,500 per year
Wow that's big; when we're talking about these numbers it's very difficult to assure parity in all world regions. All the more reason for trying.
Maybe some other CB reps can comment on what they think about ISO/IEC 17021:2006 and how they are preparing for it.
Regards,
Simon