ANAB’S ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditation Program Recognized Under the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) MLA Arrangement

The ANSI National Accreditation Board’s (ANAB) personnel certification accreditation program has earned recognition by the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) as a signatory to the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA) for Persons. With this move, ANAB’s ISO/IEC 17024 program has become the first and only personnel certification program recognized by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC), and the IAAC.

The IAAC is a regional association of accreditation bodies in the Americas. The IAAC MLA is an agreement among accreditation bodies by which they recognize accreditations issued by each other. In order to become an MLA signatory, an accreditation body member must undergo a rigorous peer assessment by the other signatories, which ensures fulfillment of the criteria in ISO/IEC 17011, Conformity assessment – General requirements for accreditation bodies accrediting conformity assessment bodies.

 “The IAAC MLA is a significant milestone to promote recognition of personnel certification bodies in the Americas,” said Dr. Vijay Krishna, ANAB vice president, credentialing. “This recognition represents the dedicated efforts of our staff to evidence ANAB’s competence by successfully completing a rigorous assessment from our peers.”

ANAB’s personnel certification accreditation program is based on the International Standard, ISO/IEC 17024, Conformity assessment — General requirements for bodies operating certification of persons. Since the program’s launch in 2003, ANAB has accredited more than 225 personnel certification programs offered by 78 personnel certification bodies. More than 5.2 million people worldwide have earned a certification from an ANAB-accredited organization, bolstering the quality, credibility, and mobility of the workforce.

 ANAB’s personnel credentialing accreditation services also encompass accreditation of certificate programs based on ANSI/ASTM E2659-18, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs; cannabis training certificates under ASTM D8403-21, Standard Practice for Certificate Programs within the Cannabis and Hemp Industries; a Conference for Food Protection (CFP) program; and the Industry-Recognized Apprenticeship Program.

For more information on ANAB’s personnel credentialing programs, visit ANAB Personnel Credentialing.