Below are some quick facts about certification. This page is intended for a RFTC certification, although much of the content may also be applicable to many other countries throughout the world.

Certification: Certification refers to the issuing of a written assurance (the Certificate) by an independent External Body (Certification Body) that has audited your management system and verified that it conforms to the requirements specified by the standard.

Accreditation:  is the formal recognition by a specialist Accreditation Body that a Certification Body is competent to carry out ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 Certification in specified business sectors.

When is Certification Required?: There is never any formal obligation for a company to obtain ISO 9001 certification, although if a company claims to have gained certification then evidence must be available to substantiate that claim.

Benefits of Certification: Certification ensures that appropriate systems are in place to ensure that the ISO 9001 standard is met, and thus that consistent standards are achieved. Consequentially, an ISO 9001 certified company may have a competitive advantage over a non-certified competitor. It is also true to say that certain contracts may only be open to companies holding ISO 9001 certification due simply to policy decisions within the company that is seeking tenders.

Government: Whilst the government endorses ISO 9001 as a useful business tool, it does not force its own suppliers to be ISO 9001 certified.