Accreditation means the assessment and confirmation of the competence of an organization for performance of a specific activity, which in this case is the certification of management systems according to relevant standards or normative documents. Certification of a management system by the accredited certification body guarantees that an organization showing this certificate has established an effective management system in accordance with the requirements stated in prescribed standard, which enables it to deliver products or services which meet the needs and expectations of the customer and which comply with relevant requirements of legal requirements.
Within the CAI’s accreditation system, this area includes the certification of quality systems (QMS), environmental management system (EMS), HACCP, food safety management systems FSMS/FSSC, OH&S management systems, information safety management systems (ISMS), sustainable forest management systems, business continuity management (BCMS), energy management system (EnMS), medical device quality management systems (MDMS) and activities of environmental verifiers of EMAS.
What is the accreditation based on?
- ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1 Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 1: Requirements
- MPA 50-01-.. Methodological instructions for the application of ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2016 Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 1: Requirements in the accreditation system of the Czech Republic.
Other documents related to the accreditation process
All documents are available on the web site of the Czech Accreditation Institute, public service company (CAI).
Time scale and cost of assessment
The cost of the assessment is paid by the applicant. The rules are set out in the documents
- MPA 00-01-.. General Rules of Accreditation Process
- MPA 50-01-.. Methodological instructions for the application of ČSN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1:2016 Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 1: Requirements in the accreditation system of the Czech Republic.
What are the other requirements for the accreditation of certification bodies?
Witness audits, which mean the observation of the certification body in performing certification services at the certified organization, are integral part of the assessment of applicants.
Selection of witness audits must be representative enough, and their minimum number must follow the scope of the required accreditation (see MPA 50-01-..).
Is the accreditation of the certification bodies recognized abroad?
CAI is a full-fledged member of international organizations involved in the accreditation of certification bodies:
- European Co-operation for Accreditation – EA
- International Accreditation Forum – IAF
Within these international organizations, national accreditation bodies conclude multilateral agreements on mutual recognition of the results of the accreditation bodies’ activities; quality management system (QMS), environmental management (EMS), food safety management systems FSMS, information safety management systems (ISMS), energy management system (EnMS), OH&S management systems and medical device quality management systems (MDMS) certification is covered by:
- EA MLA (Multilateral Agreement)
- IAF MLA (Multilateral Agreement)
CAI is the signatory of these agreements, in their full scope.
Results of accreditation are recognized within EU member states based on Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council No 765/2008/EC.
To whom can you turn with a request for further information?
Julie Kovalčuková +420-272 096 210 +420-606 078 923 kovalcukovaj@cai.cz
FOR THE LIST OF ALL VALID GUIDELINES (MPA), CAI SERVICES PRICE LIST, LIST OF ALL ACCREDITED ENTITIES AND OTHER INFORMATION, SEE www.cai.cz.
