Changes in new ISO/IEC

17024:2012

ISO/IEC 17024:2012
was published in July
2012

ISO/IEC 17024:2012
will be used for:
->
regulated/mandatory
-> non-regulated
certification schemes.

ISO/IEC 17024:2012
took over the
structure of
ISO/IEC 17021:2011

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

Intention of the Revision:
1.Include Development and maintenance of a
scheme from informative annex into the standard
2.Include IAF GD24:2009
3.Take over the Structure of ISO 17000-series
(e.g. 17021)
4.Consider ISO/PAS 170015 that contains
principles and requirements for the elements of
impartiality, confidentiality, complaints and
appeals, disclosure of information and use of
management system as it relates to standards for
conformity assessment.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

???
more documentation, security, data safety
more clear requirements on scheme design
more systematic approach on impartiality

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.1 certification Process: evaluation was changed to

assessment
3.2 certification scheme competence: -> see 3.6
3.3 certification requirements: -/3.4 scheme owner: -> can be the certification body itself
3.5 certificate: -/3.6 competence: ability to apply knowledge and skills to
achieve intended results (Same as ISO 17021:2011
definition)
3.7 qualification: demonstrated education, training and
work experience, where applicable ( personal attributes)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.8 assessment: this process includes now the

evaluation
3.9 examination: -/3.10 examiner: person competent to conduct and score
an examination (3.9), where the examination requires
professional judgment
3.11 invigilator: person authorized by the certification
body who administers or supervises an examination (3.9),
but does not evaluate the competence (3.6) of the
candidate
3.12 personnel: including internal, external persons as
well as committee members.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.13 applicant: must be a natural person not a legal

entity/person
3.14 candidate applicant: who has fulfilled specified
prerequisites and has been admitted to the certification
process (-> e.g. the application has been accepted)
3.15 impartiality: presence of objectivity (-> Conflicts of
interest do not exist or are resolved)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.16 fairness: equal opportunity for success provided to

each candidate in the certification process (this has been
taken from IAF GD24)
3.17 validity: evidence that the assessment measures
what it is intended to measure, as defined by the
certification scheme (this has been taken from the IAF
GD24)
3.18 reliability: indicator of the extend to which
examination scores are consistent across different
examinations forms and different examiners (this has
been taken from the IAF GD24) => calibration of
examinations / examiners

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.19 appeal: request by applicant, candidate or certified

person for reconsideration of any decision made by
certification body related to her/his desired certification
status (=> the request can only be issued by the
applicant, candidate or certified person!)
3.20 complaint: expression of dissatisfaction other than
appeal by an individual or organisation to a certification
body relating to the activities of that body or a certified
person, where response is expected (-> has been taken
from ISO/IEC 17000:2000)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.19 appeal: request by applicant, candidate or certified

person for reconsideration of any decision made by
certification body related to her/his desired certification
status (=> the request can only be issued by the
applicant, candidate or certified person!)
3.20 complaint: expression of dissatisfaction other than
appeal by an individual or organisation to a certification
body relating to the activities of that body or a certified
person, where response is expected (-> has been taken
from ISO/IEC 17000:2000)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

3. Terms and Definitions

3.21 interested party: individual, group or organisation

affected by the performance of a certified person or the
certification body (-> user of the services, consumer,
government authority)
3.22 surveillance: period monitoring, during the period
of certification, of a certified persons performance to
ensure continued compliance with the certification scheme
(=> not an obligatory requirement of a scheme)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

Principles - Annex A (informative)
Principles:
Principles support the credibility of certification.
The principles are included in the Annex A (informative).
Principles are not requirements .

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

Principles - Annex A (informative)

Certification of persons is:
1. to recognize an individuals competence
2. that only those who demonstrated competence
are awarded certification

3. a valid assessment, by a third party, reconfirmed

at defined intervals
4. to provide confidence to interested parties in its
competence, impartiality and integrity

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

Principles - Annex A (informative)

1. Impartiality -> not influenced by other interest or

other parties
2. Competence -> competence of the personnel of CB
3. Confidentiality and openness -> balance between
conf. & openness
4. Responsiveness to complaints and appeals ->
effective resolution of complaints / appeals to protect the
CB
5. Responsibility -> CB is responsible to obtain
sufficient objective evidence upon which to base a
certification decision

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

4. General Requirements

4.1 Legal Matters: -> CB shall be a legal entity that it

can be held legally responsible
4.2 Responsibility for decision on certification: ->
no delegation outside the defined certification body (e.g.
by external technical reviewer)
4. 3 Management of impartiality:
1. documented organisational structure
2. risk analysis on conflicts of interests
3. top management commitment (GM /
Head CB)
4. impartiality statement (publicly accessible
without
request (e.g. website),

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

4. General Requirements

4. 3 Management of impartiality
4.3.1 top management commitment - statement publicly
accessible
4.3.2 -/4.3.3 -/4.3.4 no discrimination of applicants and candidates
4.3.5 -/4.3.6 CB shall identify threats to its impartiality on an
ongoing basis.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

4. General Requirements
4. 3 Management of impartiality
4.3.8 A balanced involvement of interested parties
(certified person, user of the services of certified person,
employer of certified person, consumer, governmental
authority)
REMARK: a conflicts of interests exists, when the design
of a complete package including training, examination and
certification has been made by a training institute.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

4. General Requirements
4. 4 Finance and liability
Remark: financial planning shall consider at least on
certification cycle including recertification.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

5. Structural Requirements

5.1 Management and organization structure - key

responsibilities:
a. policies and procedures relating for operation
b. implementation of policies and procedures
c. finance
d. resources
e. development and maintenance of the schemes
f. assessments
g. decisions on certification
h. contractual arrangements.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

5. Structural Requirements

5.2 Structure of the certification body in relation to

training
(this has mostly been taken from IAF GD24)
5.2.1 A certain training can be a prerequisite of a
certification scheme
5.2.2 Maintain impartiality meads not promoting specific
training services
5.2.3 Providing training and certification from the same
legal entity requires monitoring and firewalls to
safeguard impartiality examiners cannot assess a
candidate they have trained within the last two years.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

6. Resource requirements

6.1.1 -/6.1.2 -/6.1.3 CB shall define competence requirements for

personnel involved in the certification process ->
application, examination, certification, recertification
6.1.4 -/6.1.5 Personal records shall include known conflicts of
interest.
6.1.6 -/ 6. 1.7 -/6.1.8 -/ 6.2.1 Declaration of conflict of interests from all CB
personnel -> to consider conflicts as well between
candidates and certifier (no requirements on how to
handle conflicts)

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

6. Resource requirements

6.2 Personnel involved in the certification activities

6.2.1 Declaration of conflict of interests from all CB
personnel -> to consider conflicts as well between
candidates and independent certifier
(requirements on how to handle conflicts)
6.2.2 Requirements for examiners:
a) understand the relevant certification scheme
b) are able to apply the examination procedures and
documents
c) have competence in the fields to be examined
d) are fluent, both in writing and orally, in the language of
examination
e) have identified any known conflicts of interest

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

6. Resource requirements

6.2.2.2 Monitor the performance of the examiners and the

reliability of the examiners judgements: those objectives
can only by reached by on-site observation
6.2.3.2 Conflicts of interest by other personnel involved
in the assessment have to be handled and recorded.
6.3
Outsourcing (-> Subcontracting): the responsibility
for certification remains at the certification body and
cannot outsourced
(see clause 4.2) .

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

6. Resource requirements

6.4
Other resources: the CB has to use adequate
premises, including examination sites, equipment and
resources for carrying out its certification activities
see also:
->
7.4.2 Security policies / procedures on examination
materials
->
9.3.4 Technical equipment verified and calibrated

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

7. Records and information
requirements

7.1.3 The certified person has to inform the certification

body of matters that can affect the capability of the
certified person to perform the job (physical or mental
capability) this duty of the certified person shall be part
of enforceable arrangements.
7.2
Information upon request: if an individual holds a
current, valid certificate / scope of certification (depending
on legal restrictions)
Information publicly available without request: scope of
certification and general description, list of all prerequisites of the scheme.
The certification scheme itself must not be made

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

7. Records and information
requirements

7.3
Confidentiality: activities of related bodies (e.g.
training center) have to be included in the management of
confidentiality.
7.4

Security; more focus now on:

a. the security of the examination process
b. prevention of fraudulent examination practices

Candidates have to sign an agreement indicating their

commitment not to release confidential examination
materials or participate in fraudulent test-taking practices.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.1 There shall be certification scheme for each category

of certification
Category of certification (see also ISO 17011 clause 7.9.5
a) example:
-> welders, NDT persons, nurses, construction
inspectors.,
The category of persons shall be identified in the scope of
accreditation.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.2 Elements of certification scheme:

a. scope of certification
b. job and task description (job profile)
c. required competence
d. abilities (when applicable)
e. prerequisites (when applicable)
f. code of conduct (when applicable)
Abilities: physical capabilities such as vision, hearing and
mobility
Code of conduct: ethical or personal behavior required by the
scheme

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.3 Requirements for certification process:

a. criteria for initial certification and recertification
b. assessment methods for initial certification and
recertification;
c. surveillance methods and criteria (if applicable);
d. criteria for suspending and withdrawing certification;
e. criteria for changing the scope or level of certification (if
applicable).

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.4 Development and review of Certification

Scheme
(from the Annex A of ISO/IEC 17024:2003)
a) involvement of appropriate experts
b) use of an appropriate structure that fairly represents
the interests of all parties significantly concerned, without
any interest predominating
(Note: the previous format based on a scheme
committee is not a requirement)
c) the identification and alignment of prerequisites, if
applicable, with the competence requirements
d) the identification and alignment of the assessment
mechanisms with the competence requirements

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.4 Development and review of Certification

Scheme
Job or practice analysis:
-> identify the tasks
-> identify the required competence for each task
-> identify prerequisites
-> confirm the assessment mechanisms,
examination content
-> identify the recertification requirements and
interval.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

8. Certification Schemes

8.6 When the certification body is not the scheme owner

of a certification scheme it implements, the certification
body shall ensure that the requirements on Certification
Schemes are met.
-> contractual agreement with scheme owner
-> CB participate in scheme committee

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.1 Application process: signed application where

applicant confirms scope and compliance with:

-> certification requirements
-> scheme prerequisites

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.2. Assessment process: CB has to

verify the methods

for assessing candidates to ensure fair and valid
assessment.
The assessment process can be subcontracted to another
body.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.3 Examination process requirements on the design
of examinations:
a. results of each single
examination
comparability of:

b. in content and difficulty

c. validity of fail / pass decisions

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.3 Examination process:
Technical equipment shall be verified or calibrated
where appropriate.
Statistical data has to be collected from each
examination and analysed in defined intervals.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.4 Decision on certification:
Decision based on sufficient information sufficient for
traceablity in the event of appeals or complaints.
Decision on certification can not be outsourced.
For decision knowledge of and experience with the
certification process is required.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.4 Certificates shall contain following information:
a. name of certified person
b. unique identification
c. the name of the certification body
d. reference to the certification scheme, standard incl.
issue date
e. scope of the certification
f. the effective date of certification and date of expiry.
Designed to reduce the risk of counterfeiting.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.5 Suspending, withdrawing or reducing the scope
of certification:
The acceptable intervall for suspension has to be defined
by the CB.
CB shall have enforceable arrangements with any certified
person to stop the use of all references to a certifies status
in case of withdrawal.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.6 Recertification process: the CB shall ensure that
recertification process confirms continued competence of
the certified person and ongoing compliance with current
scheme requirements by the certified person.

Recertification period:

regulatory requirements
changes to normative documents
changes in scheme requirements
situation of industry / service

field
risks resulting from incompetent
person
development in technology
interested parties
surveillance methods if relevant

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.6 Recertification process: The selected
recertification activity /activities shall be adequate to
ensure that there is impartial assessment to confirm the
continuing competence of the certified person.

Recertification shall
consider at least:

On-site assessment
professional development
structured interviews
confirmation cont. work

experience
examination
checks on physical capability in
relation to the competence
concerned

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.7 Use of certificates, logos and marks: The CB shall
require that a certified persons signs an agreement for the
following reasons:
a. -/ b. to make claims regarding certification only with
respect to the scope for which certification has been
granted
c. -/d. to discontinue the use of all claims to certification that
contain any reference to the certification body or
certification upon suspension or withdrawal of
certification, and to return any certificates issued by the
certification body.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.8 Appeals against decisions on certifications:
A description of the appeals-handling process shall be
publicly accessible without request.
The CB shall provide the appellant with progress reports
and the outcome.
The CB shall give formal notice to the appellant of the end
of the appeals handling process.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

9. Certification process requirements

9.8 Complaints:
A description of the complaints-handling process shall be
accessible without request.
The CB shall confirm wether the complaint relates to
certification activities for which it is responsible.
Any substantiated complaint about a certified person shall
also be referred by the certification body to the certified
person in question at an appropriate time.

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

10. Management system
requirements

10.1 General: the CB has to implement a management

system:
Option A: management system with specific elements
according 10.2
Option B: management system based on ISO 9001 incl.
10.2

What is new in ISO/IEC 170242012?

10. Management system
requirements

Specific elements of management system according

to 10.2:
Management system documentation
Controls of documents
Controls of records
Management review (incl. input / output specification)
Internal Audits (every 12 month or longer when proven
stability)
Corrective actions (incl. determining causes of
nonconformity)
Preventive actions (incl. reviewing effectiveness of action
taken)