ISO/IEC 17024

This International Standard 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.

In contrast to other types of conformity assessment bodies, such as management system certification bodies, one of the characteristic functions of the certification body for persons is to conduct an examination, which uses objective criteria to measure competence and scoring. While it is recognized that such an examination, if well planned and structured by the certification body for persons, can substantially serve to ensure impartiality of operations and reduce the risk of a conflict of interest, additional requirements have been included in this International Standard.

In either case, this International Standard can serve as the basis for the recognition of the certification bodies for persons and the certification schemes under which persons are certified, in order to facilitate their acceptance at the national and international levels. Only the harmonization of the system for developing and maintaining certification schemes for persons can establish the environment for mutual recognition and the global exchange of personnel.

This International Standard specifies requirements which ensure that certification bodies for persons operating certification schemes for persons operate in a consistent, comparable and reliable manner. The requirements in this International Standard are considered to be general requirements for bodies providing certification of persons. Certification of persons can only occur when there is a certification scheme. The certification scheme is designed to supplement the requirements included in this International Standard and include those requirements that the market needs or desires, or that are required by governments.

This International Standard can be used as a criteria document for accreditation or peer evaluation or designation by governmental authorities, scheme owners and others.