ISO launches free online tutorial on new ISO/IEC 17021 – the benchmark for management system certification

A free tutorial on the improved second edition of ISO/IEC 17021, the International Standard that sets new requirements for the auditing of management systems and for auditor competence is now available on the ISO Website at www.iso.org/tutorial17021

The purpose of ISO/IEC 17021:2011 is to increase the value of management system certification to public and private sector organizations worldwide. The online tutorial on the standard has been made available by the ISO Committee on conformity assessment, (ISO/CASCO). It was developed by Randy Dougherty and Alister Dalrymple, two leaders of the working group responsible for the standard.

The tutorial (available in English only), consists of three PowerPoint presentations, including notes:

* An overview (27 slides)
* Audit process (62 slides)
* Auditor competence (19 slides).

The tutorial explains the differences to the first edition, published in 2006, and the new requirements.

Published on 1 February, ISO/IEC 17021:2011, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, is intended to increase trust in certificates issued attesting conformity to management system standards (MSS) such as ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 22000 (food safety management). Certificates to these and other MSS are widely used in global markets to establish confidence between business partners and between organizations and their customers, to qualify suppliers in supply chains, and as a requirement to tender for procurement contracts.

Observance of the standard’s requirements is intended to ensure that certification bodies operate competently, consistently and impartially, so facilitating the recognition of such bodies and the acceptance of their certifications both nationally and internationally. ISO/IEC 17021 will therefore serve as a foundation for facilitating the recognition of management system certification in the interests of international trade.

The requirements of the 2006 edition have not been changed except where they contradict those of the 2011 edition. ISO/IEC 17021 is also being published in an unofficial marked-up edition highlighting the new and deleted text. The new edition is to be reviewed one year after it has been in use to decide whether any first edition requirements need modifying to align them further with the new requirements.

ISO/IEC 17021:2011, Conformity assessment – Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems, was developed by the ISO Committee on conformity assessment (ISO/CASCO) and is available from ISO national member institutes (see the complete list with contact details). It may also be obtained directly from the ISO Central Secretariat, price 142 Swiss francs for the clean, official edition and 208 Swiss francs for the clean edition plus the unofficial marked-up edition, through the ISO Store or by contacting the Marketing, Communication & Information department (see right-hand column).