Presently, those seeking to validate an accredited certification are limited with validation solutions. There is no central location where all accredited certifications can be validated. This allows for misuse where organizations claim they have an accredited certification when in fact they don’t. Whilst some industry groups are fully supportive of accredited certification and mandate accredited certification they find it extremely difficult to implement this stance as it is very difficult to validate accredited certifications across the globe.
 
Whilst industry and government are aware of standards and, in general, certification, a significant proportion are not aware of accredited certification and its benefits, nor are they aware of the difference between accredited certification and non-accredited certification. If organization trade with companies who have fraudulently claimed accredited certification or trades with companies who have a non-accredited certification who don’t meet the standard, this indirectly damages the reputation of accredited certification particularly if the industry users are not fully aware of the difference between accredited and non-accredited certification. 
 
These validation and awareness challenges enables organizations to misuse the brand of accredited certification, for example:
 

• – Organizations who have held an accredited certification in the past continue to claim they hold an accredited certification despite it expiring. If this is possible, there can be little motivation to renew certifications. So IAF Certsearch allows users to set up ‘watch lists’ and ‘real-time-alerts’ on their suppliers. 
• – Some organizations fraudulently claim to hold an accredited certification when in fact they don’t.
• – Organizations who hold a non-accredited certification but claim to their customers it is the same as an accredited certification.
• – Organizations who claim they meet the standard but don’t have an accredited certification to support it.

 
As a result of these challenges, all levels of the accredited network are impacted, affecting the intended value of accredited certifications. Creating a clear digital distinction on what is accredited certification and how it can be validated will go a long way to motivating companies to obtain a legitimate accredited certification.