ISO Certificates should be proof that you have developed and implemented an ISO Management System to meet the requirements of the applicable reference standards. This might include one of the following ISO standards:

• ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems
• ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety
• ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems
• ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
• ISO 55001 Asset Management Systems
• ISO 17025 Testing & Calibration for Laboratories
• ISO 27001 Information Security
• ISO 22000 HACCP Food Safety

But how do you check if the certificate that has been provided is legitimate? There are plenty of shadowy operators in the certification industry so it is important to ensure the Certification Body that you engage to complete the independent, third-party certification audit of your management system is Accredited and your ISO certificate is genuine.

Are there really fake ISO Certificates?

Most definitely yes. A recent report into Fake ISO Certification indicated China leads the world in fake certificates. The report is titled Faking ISO 9001 in China: An exploratory study, and a copy is available by clicking HERE. The report concluded that there were four types of fake certifications as follows:

1. Counterfeit ISO Certificates – where the organisation uses photoshop or other image editing software to create a completely fake certificate.
2. Unaccredited ISO Certificates – where an unaccredited third party completes an audit and provides a certificate (this is the most common type of fake certificate in Australia – see HERE for more information).
3. Paperworked ISO – where a company has used another organisations management system to achieve certification.
4. Implemented but not in use ISO system – where an organisation has developed an ISO system but it has not been implemented so has no bearing on the business operations.

How to check if your ISO Certificate is Legitimate

In the past, you would need to check the accreditation body or certification body register to see whether the ISO certificate was legitimate. This was often impossible as the accreditation bodies and certification bodies didn’t always publish a register.

In order to try and stem the proliferation of fake certificates, the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) has now published a global database for accredited management system certifications called CERT Search.

To use the search function simply CLICK HERE and then enter the “Company Name” or “Certificate Number” and the results will allow you to verify the status of a certificate.

Government Funding Grants for ISO 9001 Certification

Did you know that many Australian businesses are actually eligible for help with ISO 9001 Certification through a government-funded Business Growth Grant? Click HERE for more information.

What to do if you find you have a fake ISO Certificate

If your search indicates that you or one of your suppliers have a fake certificate then you need to establish:

1. Was anyone aware that the certificate/system was fake?
2. What needs to be done to transfer your certification to an Accredited Certification Body?
3. Does the management system conform with the requirements of the QMS standard?

If you were not aware that the certificate was a fake then contact the company that issued the certificate. Confirm the situation and then attempt to come to some resolution. We have heard of many situations whereby the threat of legal action achieves a refund however the majority of times it simply comes down to a costly lesson learned.

You can also contact ISO directly and report the sitaution. ISO takes very seriously any complaint related to the misuse of the ISO logo or false certification to ISO management system standards.

If you wish to report an organization that is falsely claiming to be certified to an ISO management system standard, you can send an email [email protected] with full details of the issue.

According to the ISO website, they will contact you within 14 days. Note that ISO cannot guarantee a resolution or assume any liability, but they can help to facilitate dialogue between the parties involved and work towards a positive outcome.

In order to transfer certification to an accredited Certification Body then I recommend you contact one of the certification bodies listed on this page HERE. Explain the situation and they will need to obtain a copy of your latest audit report (if the dodgy company provided you with one). Keep in mind that if you had a fake certificate then it is likely your management system has significant deficiencies; in which case you may need to engage an ISO Consultant to help close the gaps.

How Streamline ISO Consultants can help

Streamline ISO 9001 Consultants can design, develop and implement a certification-ready Quality Management System from the ground up to meet ISO 9001 requirements. If you already have an existing management system in place we will help you integrate ISO 9001:2015 into your current management system (eg ISO 45001 Safety or ISO 14001 Environmental) to form an Integrated Management System (IMS).

Our trained and experienced ISO Certification Consultants have a 100% track record achieving certification for our clients and we guarantee your ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System will get certified by a JAS-ANZ accredited Certification Body.

Streamline ISO Certification Consultants can also help develop, implement and internally audit other ISO Management Systems such as:

• ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety
• ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems
• ISO 50001 Energy Management Systems
• ISO 55001 Asset Management Systems
• ISO 17025 Testing & Calibration for Laboratories
• ISO 27001 Information Security
• ISO 22000 HACCP Food Safety

Contact Us Today

Please use the form to the right and one of our ISO Consultants will contact you within one business day. Alternatively, you are welcome to contact us directly by emailing [email protected] or by calling:

• Brisbane ISO Consultants 07 3667 8280
• Sydney ISO Consultants 02 8315 7780
• Melbourne ISO Consultants 03 9034 3990