Certification Body Approval Process

EDGE Certified Foundation approves appropriately qualified independent, third party certification bodies to perform audits and certify companies against the EDGE Standard.

To become an approved provider of certification services against the EDGE Certification requirements, a certification body must:

• Be accredited by an accreditation body that is either a proven member of the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) or a full ISEAL Alliance member that conducts its accreditation activities in accordance with ISO/IEC/ 17011:2004
• Be accredited to audit and certify management systems under ISO/IEC 17021:2011
• Submit organization charts demonstrating internal structures, divisions and certification decision-making entities
• Provide a list of countries and detailed contact information where EDGE Certification will be offered
• Ensure all auditors meet fundamental auditing competencies criteria in accordance with the provisions of ISO/IEC 17021:2011
• Ensure all auditors who will be conducting EDGE Certification activities attend and successfully complete prescribe EDGE Certified Training.
• Pay all EDGE prescribed approval and training fees
• Appoint a scheme manager to oversee and administer EDGE related activities performed by the certification body and to comply with the EDGE Certification Requirements. If not already an EDGE-trained auditor, the scheme manager shall also attend and successfully complete EDGE Certified training.

Certification bodies must apply for approval using the EDGE Certification Body Approval Application Form that is only available on request from the EDGE Certified Foundation. All supporting information must be submitted with the application form and relevant fees must be paid in order to complete the approval process.

After the process is complete, the approved certification body, and EDGE Certified Foundation enter into a signed Agreement of Cooperation, EDGE Certified issues a written approval statement to the certification body, and finally, lists the organisations as approved on the EDGE Certified website.

To ensure the highest quality and consistent outcomes, the EDGE Certified Foundation monitors the performance of approved certification bodies, their auditors and any sub-contractors in relation to their work under the EDGE Certification Scheme. This might involve site visits, shadowing auditors, and verifying or crosschecking of evidence.

EDGE Certified Foundation is not currently accepting new applications for certification bodies.