Under an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security, ANAB has developed a program to oversee the certification process, manage accreditation, and accredit qualified third parties to carry out certifications of private sector entities for disaster preparedness, emergency management, and business continuity. CBs can be accredited for any or all of the designated PS-Prep standards: ISO 22301, ASIS SPC.1, and NFPA 1600.
Please note that although you may hear or see them used interchangeably, the terms "accreditation" and "certification" have distinct meanings. ANAB is an accreditation body and provides oversight of accredited certification bodies (CBs, also known as registrars). ANAB accreditation provides assurance to a CB's customers that the CB is competent to do its work. The CBs (not ANAB) conduct audits and issue certificates to organizations seeking certification
If you're visiting this site to find out how your organization can become PS-Prep certified, please be aware that the requirements, fees, and much of the information on this site apply to CBs seeking ANAB accreditation rather than organizations seeking certification
For specific information on requirements to become certified, contact an ANAB-accredited CB that is specifically qualified for PS-Prep (see below or search the ANAB directory)
The requirements listed below are for CBs seeking ANAB accreditation but the standards are also used by organizations seeking certification
Accreditation Requirements for Management Systems CB
ANAB Accreditation Rule 51 for ISO 22301
ANAB Accreditation Rule 52 for ASIS SPC.1
ANAB Accreditation Rule 53 for NFPA 1600
ISO/IEC TS 17021-6:2014, Conformity assessment Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems – Part 6: Competence requirements for auditing and certification of business continuity management systems (available from ANSI with member discount)
ISO 22301:2019, Security and resilience - Business continuity management systems - Requirements (available from ANSI with member discount)
ISO 22301:2012, Societal security – Business continuity management systems – Requirements (available from ANSI with member discount)
ANSI/ASIS SPC.2-2014, Auditing Management Systems: Risk, Resilience, Security, and Continuity - Guidance for Application - Annex A, Required knowledge and skills of resilience auditors
NFPA 1600:2013, Standard on Disaster/Emergency Management and Business Continuity Programs
For more information, contact anab@anab.org.
CBs seeking accreditation can view the preparedness/PS-Prep application in .pdf format to understand specific requirements but the application process must be completed online via ANAB's EQM database; first-time EQM users must register to create an account. (Note: Organizations seeking PS-Prep certification must obtain an application from an ANAB-accredited certification body.
Preparedness/PS-Prep is a base standard program in ANAB's fee schedule for CBs seeking ANAB accreditation.
Please refer to the information about the accreditation process at How to Become an ANAB-Accredited Certification Body. (Note: Organizations seeking PS-Prep certification can read about the certification process but should contact an ANAB-accredited certification body for more specific information.
This CB is accredited to offer certification for PS-Prep standards
For direct links to this CB, see our complete list of accredited CBs.
A public listing of private sector entities that have been certified as being in conformance with the program (provided the entities consent to such a listing) will be maintained by ANAB.
You can find more information about private sector preparedness at the PS-Prep site.
You can listen to a free educational webinar on Career Options and the PS-Prep Program sponsored by two non-profit organizations. (Note: Registration is required to access audio).
Organizations in the process of implementing ISO 22301 but not yet ready for accredited certification may wish to gain recognition of these efforts by participating in the International Consortium for Organizational Resilience (ICOR) process for verification of self-declaration of conformity to ISO 22301. For more information, visit here and here. The ICOR Process is for organizations of all sizes.
