Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated operates according to principles embedded in its founding documents, including its Constitution and General Rules. These principles reflect international best practices and the organisation’s long-term vision. They include: 

• Transparency and impartiality, as required in the organisation’s procedures and oversight mechanisms; 
• Balanced participation, ensuring meaningful involvement of accreditation bodies, stakeholders, and regional cooperation entities; 
• Recognition through peer evaluation, grounded in globally accepted standards such as ISO/IEC 17011; 
• Promotion of confidence in conformity assessment outcomes, as a foundation for international trust and cooperation; and 
• Compliance with applicable laws, including New Zealand’s legal framework for incorporated societies and international obligations. 
• These principles shape the organisation’s structure, membership, and operations, and are consistently applied across all recognition and governance activities. 

Last Update: September 15, 2025.