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The
International Accreditation Forum,
Inc. (IAF) is the world association
of Conformity Assessment Accreditation
Bodies and other bodies interested
in conformity assessment in the
fields of management systems, products,
services, personnel and other similar
programmes of conformity assessment.
Its primary function is to develop
a single worldwide program of conformity
assessment which reduces risk for
business and its customers by assuring
them that accredited certificates
may be relied upon. Accreditation
assures users of the competence
and impartiality of the body accredited.
IAF members accredit certification
or registration bodies that issue
certificates attesting that an organisation's
management, products or personnel
comply with a specified standard
(called conformity assessment).
The primary purpose
of IAF is two-fold. Firstly, to
ensure that its accreditation body
members only accredit bodies that
are competent to do the work they
undertake and are not subject to
conflicts of interest. The second
purpose of the IAF is to establish
mutual recognition arrangements,
known as Multilateral Recognition
Arrangements(MLA), between its
accreditation body members which
reduces risk to business and its
customers by ensuring that an accredited
certificate may be relied upon anywhere
in the world. The MLA contributes
to the freedom of world trade by
eliminating technical barriers to
trade. IAF works to find the most
effective way of achieving a single
system that will allow companies
with an accredited conformity assessment
certificate in one part of the world,
to have that certificate recognised
else where in the world. The objective
of the MLA is that it will cover
all accreditation bodies in all
countries in the world, thus eliminating
the need for suppliers of products
or services to be certified in each
country where they sell their products
or services. Certified once - accepted
everywhere.
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