ANAB and Scheme Owners

ANAB and Scheme Owners

Our Role with Scheme Owners and Benchmarking Organizations

ANAB partners with Scheme Owners’ (SO) and Benchmarking Organizations (BOs) to uphold international standards, ensure technical excellence, and enhance market trust. These partnerships are foundational to conformity assessment across diverse sectors.

ANAB works with Scheme Owners (SOs) and Benchmarking Organizations (BOs) across multiple accreditation programs, including:

  • ISO/IEC 17021-1 for Management Systems Certification
  • ISO/IEC 17065 for Product, Process, and Services Certification
  • ISO/IEC 17020 for Inspection Bodies
  • ISO/IEC 17025 for Testing and Calibration Laboratories,
  • ISO/IEC 17024 for Personnel Certifiers
  • ISO/IEC 17029 for Validation & Verification Bodies

Scheme / Program / Protocol Owner – A person or organization responsible for developing and maintaining a specific conformity assessment scheme/protocol/program.
Scheme / Program / Protocol – A conformity assessment system related to products, processes, services, management systems, inspection, testing, and for measuring, managing, and reporting greenhouse gas emissions, to which the same specific requirements, specific rules, and procedures apply.

A Partnership of Mutual Importance

Scheme Owners define industry-specific certification criteria, drive innovation in conformity assessment, and translate standards into market-relevant requirements that support third-party conformity assessment. ANAB provides internationally recognized accreditation that ensures scheme credibility and alignment with ISO/IEC 17011, while evaluating both scheme suitability and implementation.

How ANAB Supports Scheme Owners

Our support begins with early-stage consultation and technical guidance. We formalize partnerships through Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) and conduct comprehensive scheme suitability assessments in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011:6.4.3 and IAF MD-25. We host annual Scheme Owner Meetings and provide ongoing feedback to ensure continued alignment with global best practices.

Scheme Suitability Requirements

For a program to be suitable, Scheme Owners must demonstrate conformance with IAF MD-25: Certification Scheme Evaluation and applicable ISO/IEC Standards (17024, 17065, 17020, 17025, 17021-1, 17029, and ISO 14065). ANAB evaluates conformance to benchmarking requirements, assesses integrity programs, validates appeals and complaints processes, and evaluates the competence and impartiality of SO staff. We ensure credibility through stakeholder-supported scheme development, implementation by accredited bodies, and alignment with ISO/IEC 17011.

Scheme Suitability Review

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Enter a statement that briefly explains the scheme you would like ANAB to review for suitability. Include applicable standards, certification process & governance, and stakeholder engagement.
Upload relevant documents such as, objective and scope, certification/validation/verification requirements, surveillance mechanisms, appeals & complaints processes, stakeholders’ involvement, and validation of the program.
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Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, Max. file size: 100 MB, Max. files: 5.