What is product certification?
ISO defines certification as written assurance from an independent body that a product, service or system meets specific requirements. In product certification the subject is the product itself – or a process or service. The requirements come from a product or service standard, a technical specification or a certification scheme that sets out what is assessed, how often and by which methods.
This distinguishes product certification from management system certification. An ISO 9001 certificate says that an organisation controls and improves its processes. A product certificate says that a particular product or service meets the defined requirements – and, through surveillance, that this continues to hold for ongoing production or service delivery.
Two examples: a component manufacturer wants to show that its product range complies with a product standard that a major customer requires. A service provider wants to show that its service meets a service standard – covering processes, staff qualifications or complaint handling. In both cases certification makes visible a level of quality that the customer can hardly check alone.
What can be certified: products, services, industry solutions
CERTUNION International offers certification in three areas. Which requirements apply to your product or service is something we clarify in the analysis before you receive a quote.
- Technical products: parts, components, devices or product ranges that are to meet the requirements of a product standard or technical specification.
- Services: services whose quality is described in a service standard – with requirements on processes, staff, communication and service characteristics, for example.
- Industry-specific solutions: requirements that a sector or a client sets for products and services, brought together in a certification scheme.
Is CE marking a certification? How the two differ
CE marking is not a voluntary product certification but a declaration under EU law. The manufacturer is responsible for ensuring that the product meets all applicable EU requirements and affixes the marking. Where the legislation allows self-assessment, the manufacturer evaluates the product without a conformity assessment body; where it requires third-party testing, a notified body must be involved. There is no central EU body that issues a certificate for using the CE marking.
Voluntary product certification does not replace these obligations and is not a “CE certificate”. The EU expressly points out that voluntary certificates are not valid for CE marking. Voluntary certification is useful where it goes beyond the legal minimum: for requirements from standards, customer specifications or sector schemes that no law demands but that your customers expect.
The product certification process: select, assess, decide, monitor
ISO/IEC 17067 describes the fundamentals of product certification and gives guidelines for certification schemes. Every product certification follows the same functions, which a scheme then shapes in its own way:
- Selection: what is assessed – samples, type specimens, technical documentation or the description of a service?
- Determination: testing, inspection, design assessment or an audit of service delivery to establish whether the requirements are met.
- Review and decision: all results are reviewed together, then a decision on certification is taken.
- Attestation: issue of the certificate for the defined product or service.
- Surveillance: depending on the scheme, samples from production or the market, assessment of the production process or audits of the management system – so that the certificate also covers products made later.
ISO/IEC 17065 as the professional framework
ISO/IEC 17065 sets out requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services – covering competence, consistency and impartiality. The current edition dates from 2012; a revised version already exists as a final draft. The standard is addressed to the certification body, not to manufacturers or service providers.
For you, it is mainly useful as a yardstick: are the requirements stated openly? Are assessment and decision kept apart? Is it clear how surveillance works and what happens when the product changes? If a client or a regulation asks for a particular kind of certificate, make sure you know the exact requirement in advance – in our analysis we discuss with you whether our certification fits your purpose.
Certification requirements for products: documents and timing
Only what is defined can be certified: the product should exist in the version that will be manufactured and sold, and the service should be described as it is actually delivered. The more complete your documentation – product description with variants, drawings or specifications, materials, existing test reports, a description of production, quality checks and traceability, or for services the service description, processes and staff qualifications – the faster and easier the assessment.
Duration varies with scope and complexity; the process typically takes 4–8 weeks. For products, the number of variants, the tests required and whether usable test reports already exist set the timetable; for services, the number of sites and the maturity of the documented processes. Costs follow from the same scope, so product certification is not part of the annual packages for management systems – you receive an individual quote after we have analysed your requirements.
Benefits of product certification
A product certificate turns quality into evidence that third parties can verify. Buyers and clients do not have to assess every product themselves, tenders and supplier qualification become easier, and in a competitive market a promise becomes a demonstrable feature. For services, whose quality is hard to judge before purchase, this advantage in trust is particularly large.
Certification also works internally: requirements are defined unambiguously, checks are documented systematically and changes are managed deliberately. Thanks to regular surveillance, the certificate is not a one-off snapshot but accompanies the product or service throughout the certification period. Many organisations combine product certification with a certified management system and certified personnel – three types of certification that answer different questions and complement each other.
The Certification Process
Enquiry
Describe your product or service, target market and the requirements you want to demonstrate, and mention any existing test reports – without obligation.
Analysis and quote
We clarify the basis of requirements, the scope of assessment and surveillance, and prepare an individual quote.
Preparation (optional)
If you wish, a preliminary review of your documents shows where evidence is still missing or requirements are not clearly met.
Assessment and audit
Documents, test results and, depending on the scheme, samples are assessed; production or service delivery is audited on site or remotely.
Certificate
Once the assessment has been passed, we issue the certificate for the defined product or service.
Surveillance
Annual surveillance maintains the certificate and makes sure that products made and services delivered later also meet the requirements.
Frequently asked questions
What is product certification?
Product certification is confirmation by an independent body that a product, process or service meets defined requirements. The basis is a standard, a specification or a certification scheme. Surveillance ensures that the statement continues to apply to ongoing production or service delivery, not just to a single sample.
Is CE marking a certification?
No. With CE marking, the manufacturer declares that the product meets the applicable EU requirements. Depending on the legislation, the manufacturer assesses the product alone or involves a notified body. There is no central EU body that issues a CE certificate.
Does voluntary product certification replace legal obligations?
No. Voluntary product certification replaces neither CE marking nor any third-party assessment by a notified body that the law requires. It demonstrates additional requirements from standards, customer specifications or sector schemes that your customers expect, even where no law demands them.
What is the difference between product certification and management system certification?
Management system certification assesses how an organisation manages its processes, for example to ISO 9001. Product certification assesses a specific product or service against defined requirements. The two complement each other, and many organisations combine them to cover both their processes and their products.
What are examples of product certification?
Typical examples are a component manufacturer proving that a product range meets a product standard required by a customer, or a service provider showing that its service meets a service standard covering processes, staff qualifications and complaint handling. Industry schemes that bundle sector requirements are another example.
How does the product certification process work?
After your enquiry, we analyse the requirements and send a quote. Documents, test results and, where the scheme requires, samples are then assessed, and production or service delivery is audited. Once the assessment has been passed the certificate is issued, followed by annual surveillance.
How much does product certification cost?
Cost depends on scope: the number of products and variants, the tests required, existing test reports, sites and the type of surveillance. That is why it is not part of the annual packages for management systems. After analysing your requirements we send you an individual quote without obligation.
Can services be certified as well?
Yes. The basis is then a service standard or a scheme with requirements on processes, staff qualifications, customer communication and complaint handling, for example. What is assessed is how the service is actually delivered – usually through audits and samples taken from ongoing work.
What is ISO/IEC 17065?
ISO/IEC 17065 sets out requirements for bodies certifying products, processes and services, covering competence, consistency and impartiality. The current edition dates from 2012, and a revised version already exists as a final draft. The standard is addressed to certification bodies, not to manufacturers.
What happens if I change a certified product?
The certificate applies to the defined product in the version that was assessed. If you significantly change design, materials, production or the scope of a service, it must be checked whether the certification still covers the change. Report such changes in advance so that the certificate remains valid.