Charter

• The International Accreditation Forum, Inc. (IAF) is an international association of organizations that have agreed to work together on a worldwide basis to achieve common trade facilitation objectives. We are a major worldwide forum for developing principles and practices for the conduct of conformity assessment that will deliver the confidence needed for market acceptance. We act through the accreditation of those bodies that conduct certification of management systems, products, processes, services and personnel, and validation and verification.
• We promote worldwide acceptance of certificates of conformity and validation and verification statements issued by certification and validation/verification bodies accredited by Accreditation Body Members of IAF, and seek to add value for all stakeholders through what we do and through our programs.
• We bring together, on a worldwide basis, partner accreditation bodies and representatives of stakeholder groups that seek to facilitate global trade through the acceptance of accredited certificates of conformity and validation and verification statements.
• We develop and/or recognize appropriate processes and practices for the conduct of conformity assessment worldwide and ensure their universal application by IAF Accreditation Body Members and their accredited certification and validation/verification bodies.
• We consult widely with stakeholders in developing our programs and we work to deliver the best possible standard of conformity assessment in order to provide our stakeholders with a value-added outcome.
• We influence world trade through linking and working with other key international organizations and industry groups.
   
  Original approved by members of IAF November 2000.