How to Choose an Accredited ISO 55001 Certification Body: Buyer's Guide

Why Your Choice of Certification Body Matters

Selecting a certification body for ISO 55001 is one of the most consequential decisions in your certification journey. The right CB will provide a rigorous, value-adding audit experience with auditors who understand your industry and challenge you constructively. The wrong CB may issue a certificate that lacks credibility, provide auditors without asset management expertise, or create an adversarial experience that undermines your team's confidence in the standard.

Unlike consultants who help you build your system, a certification body independently assesses it. This relationship will last for at least three years (the initial certification cycle) and potentially decades if you remain certified. It is worth investing time in making the right choice.

The Consequences of a Poor Choice

• Certificate not recognised: If the CB is not properly accredited, your certificate may be rejected by clients, regulators, or procurement processes
• Shallow audits that add no value: Auditors who lack asset management expertise may conduct superficial audits that miss real improvement opportunities
• Excessive audit burden: A poorly organised CB may require more audit days than necessary, or schedule audits that disrupt operations
• Switching costs: Transferring certification to a different CB mid-cycle is possible but involves administrative burden, additional audit time, and potential gaps in certification status

What is Accreditation?

Accreditation is the process by which an independent accreditation body evaluates a certification body to confirm that it operates in accordance with international standards — specifically ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 (Conformity assessment — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems).

An accredited CB has been independently verified to meet stringent requirements including:

• Impartiality: The CB does not provide consulting services that could compromise its objectivity
• Competence: The CB employs or contracts auditors with demonstrated competence in the specific standard and relevant industry sectors
• Consistency: The CB applies audit criteria consistently across all clients
• Quality management: The CB operates its own quality management system with internal audits and management review
• Confidentiality: Client information is protected

Accreditation Bodies to Look For

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) is the global association of accreditation bodies. IAF members operate under the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MLA), which ensures that certificates issued by CBs accredited by any IAF MLA signatory are recognised worldwide.

Key accreditation bodies that are IAF MLA signatories include:

You can verify any CB's accreditation status by searching the relevant accreditation body's online directory. Most provide searchable databases where you can confirm the CB's name, accreditation number, and the specific standards they are accredited to certify.

Red Flags to Avoid

The ISO 55001 certification market, while smaller than ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, is not immune to questionable practices. Watch for these warning signs when evaluating certification bodies.

1. No Verifiable Accreditation

If the CB cannot provide their accreditation certificate number, or if you cannot verify their accreditation on the accreditation body's public directory, do not proceed. Some organisations display logos or claims of accreditation that are not genuine or are from non-IAF-recognised bodies.

2. Combined Consulting and Certification

ISO/IEC 17021-1 explicitly prohibits certification bodies from providing management system consulting services to the same client. If a CB offers to help you build your asset management system and then certify it, this is a serious conflict of interest and a violation of accreditation requirements. The CB should assess your system independently — not build it for you.

3. Unusually Low Pricing

If one quote is significantly lower than others (more than 30-40% below the average), investigate why. Common reasons for unrealistically low pricing include: fewer audit days than the standard requires, unqualified auditors, no accreditation, or hidden costs for surveillance and recertification. ISO/IEC 17021-1 sets minimum audit duration requirements based on organisation size — CBs cannot reduce this arbitrarily.

4. Guaranteed Outcomes

No legitimate certification body can or will guarantee that you will achieve certification. The audit outcome depends on the evidence found during the audit. A CB that promises certification before conducting the audit is not operating impartially.

5. Reluctance to Share Auditor Credentials

You have the right to know who will audit your organisation. If a CB is unwilling to provide the lead auditor's qualifications, sector experience, and ISO 55001 audit experience, this is a concern. Competent CBs are proud of their auditor capabilities.

6. No Sector-Specific Experience

ISO 55001 applies across many sectors, but effective auditing requires understanding of sector-specific asset management challenges. A CB that has only audited, say, manufacturing quality systems but has no experience in utilities, transport, or infrastructure asset management may not have the depth to conduct a meaningful ISO 55001 audit.

Key Selection Criteria

When evaluating certification bodies, assess each against the following criteria.

Accreditation Status

Verify that the CB holds current, valid accreditation for ISO 55001 from an IAF MLA signatory. Check the accreditation body's public directory — do not rely solely on the CB's claims.

Sector Experience

Ask how many ISO 55001 certifications the CB has issued in your industry sector. Request case studies or references. Asset management auditing in a water utility is fundamentally different from auditing a transport operator or a mining company — sector knowledge matters.

Auditor Competence

Request the proposed lead auditor's CV, including:

• ISO 55001 lead auditor qualification
• Number of ISO 55001 audits conducted
• Sector experience relevant to your organisation
• Professional background in asset management (not just auditing)
• Continuing professional development

Geographic Coverage

If your organisation has multiple sites or operates internationally, the CB must be able to audit all locations. Ask about their local auditor availability, travel policies, and experience with multi-site sampling methodologies.

Pricing Transparency

A reputable CB will provide a clear, itemised quote covering the full 3-year certification cycle:

• Stage 1 audit (documentation review)
• Stage 2 audit (implementation audit)
• Year 1 surveillance audit
• Year 2 surveillance audit
• Travel and accommodation (if applicable)
• Certificate issuance and annual administration fees

Post-Certification Support

Understand what support the CB provides between audits. This should not include consulting (which would compromise impartiality) but may include: access to technical guidance, clarification of standard requirements, updates on standard revisions, and transfer-in support for organisations switching from another CB.

Questions to Ask Potential Certification Bodies

When engaging with prospective CBs, ask these specific questions to assess their suitability.

About Accreditation

• Which accreditation body are you accredited by for ISO 55001?
• What is your accreditation certificate number?
• Can I verify your accreditation on the accreditation body's public directory?
• Is your accreditation body a signatory to the IAF MLA?

About Experience

• How many ISO 55001 certifications have you issued?
• How many of those are in my industry sector?
• Can you provide references from similar organisations?
• How long have you been offering ISO 55001 certification?

About the Audit Team

• Who will be the lead auditor for my audit?
• What is their ISO 55001 audit experience?
• What is their professional background in asset management?
• Can I see the lead auditor's CV?
• Can I request a different auditor if there is a conflict of interest?

About the Process

• How many audit days are included in the quote?
• How is the audit day calculation determined?
• What is the timeline from engagement to certificate?
• What happens if we receive a major nonconformity?
• What is the follow-up audit process and cost for resolving nonconformities?

Comparing Quotes Effectively

When you have received quotes from multiple CBs, use this framework to compare them on a like-for-like basis.

Integrated Audit Capability

If your organisation holds or plans to hold certifications to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, or other management system standards alongside ISO 55001, integrated audit capability is a significant selection factor.

Benefits of Integrated Auditing

• Reduced audit days: 20-30% fewer total audit days compared to separate audits
• Lower total cost: Fewer days plus shared travel costs
• Less operational disruption: One audit visit instead of multiple
• Holistic assessment: The auditor evaluates the management system as an integrated whole, identifying cross-system opportunities
• Coordinated scheduling: All certifications renewed on aligned cycles

What to Verify

• The CB holds accreditation for all standards you need (not just ISO 55001)
• The CB has experience conducting integrated audits (not just separate audits for each standard)
• The audit team has multi-standard competence — ideally a single lead auditor competent across all standards, supplemented by technical experts where needed
• The CB can align your certification cycles so that all standards are audited and renewed together

Multi-Standard Accreditation Checklist

Ask the CB to confirm their accreditation status for each standard you need:

• ISO 55001 — Asset Management
• ISO 9001 — Quality Management
• ISO 14001 — Environmental Management
• ISO 45001 — Occupational Health & Safety
• Any other standards relevant to your organisation

Making Your Decision

After gathering information from multiple CBs, use a structured evaluation framework to make your final selection.

Weighted Evaluation Criteria

Assign weights to each criterion based on your organisation's priorities:

• Accreditation status (mandatory — pass/fail, not weighted)
• Sector experience (high weight — typically 25-30%)
• Auditor competence (high weight — typically 25-30%)
• Total 3-year cost (medium weight — typically 15-20%)
• Integrated audit capability (medium weight if applicable — typically 10-15%)
• Geographic coverage (variable weight based on your footprint — typically 5-10%)
• Responsiveness and professionalism (low weight — typically 5-10%)

Final Verification Steps

• Verify accreditation on the accreditation body's public directory (not just the CB's website)
• Request and check references from similar organisations
• Confirm the proposed lead auditor's availability for your preferred dates
• Review the CB's terms and conditions — particularly cancellation, rescheduling, and certificate transfer policies
• Confirm the CB's complaint and appeal process

Your certification body is not just a vendor — they are your long-term governance partner. Choose a CB that will challenge you to improve your asset management system, not one that will simply rubber-stamp it. The best audit experiences are those where both parties learn something and the organisation emerges with a stronger, more effective asset management system.

Frequently Asked Questions