IAR operates a third-party assessment and accreditation program geared towards organizations that certify personnel.

The set of criteria employed by IAR for accreditation is contained within ISO/IEC 17024 - which is a conformity assessment standard that specifies requirements for organizations that certify individuals against specific requirements, including the development and maintenance of a certification scheme for personnel.

Organizations that pursue ISO/IEC 17024 accreditation are usually:

Membership Organizations / Associations

Professional Certification Boards

		Auditor / Assessor Certification Bodies

Trainer / Instructor Certification Bodies

Technical Expert Certification Bodies

For each Certification Program to be considered in the Scope of

Accreditation, organizations would define:

The Body of Knowledge,

Competence Criteria,

Competence Evaluation and Certification Procedure(s)

These elements would normally be described in a Quality Manual or other policy or operational document that describes how the organization meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17024. 

The organization’s Certification Program practices and related documentation would be reviewed by IAR Assessors in order to determine conformity to ISO/IEC 17024.  See a general description of IAR’s Accreditation Procedure.