Not all ISO certificates are equal. A valid and internationally recognised ISO certification should be issued under a credible accreditation framework.
The most widely accepted global framework is the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
What makes a certificate valid?
For an ISO certification to be considered credible, it should meet the following:
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Issued by a Certification Body (CB) that is accredited
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The Certification Body must be accredited by an Accreditation Body (AB) that is a member of the IAF
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The Accreditation Body must be a signatory to the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA)
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The certificate should include:
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Name of the certified company
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Scope of certification
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Applicable ISO standard (e.g. ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001)
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Certificate number
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Issue and expiry dates
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Name and logo of the Certification Body
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Why IAF recognition matters
The IAF MLA ensures that certifications are globally recognised and trusted. This means:
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Your certification is accepted in tenders and contracts
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It demonstrates independent verification
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It reduces the need for multiple audits across different countries
Important Note
Certificates issued outside the IAF framework (for example, by non-accredited bodies) may still exist, but they may not be accepted by regulators, government tenders, or large organisations.