ISO/IEC 17024 Accreditations

ISO/IEC 17024:2012 has been developed with the objective of achieving and promoting a globally accepted benchmark for organizations operating certification of persons. Certification for persons is one means of providing assurance that the certified person meets the requirements of the certification scheme. Confidence in the respective certification schemes for persons is achieved by means of a globally accepted process of assessment and periodic re-assessments of the competence of certified persons.

However, it is necessary to distinguish between situations where certification schemes for persons are justified and situations where other forms of qualification are more appropriate. The development of certification schemes for persons, in response to the ever increasing velocity of technological innovation and growing specialization of personnel, can compensate for variations in education and training and thus facilitate the global job market. Alternatives to certification can still be necessary in positions where public services, official or governmental operations are concerned.