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What is non-accredited certification and why don’t HPA recommend it? When a company gets certified to an ISO standard (like ISO 9001 for quality management), they usually go through a certification body that audits them. Now, that certification body can itself be audited and approved by an official accreditation body—like UKAS in the UK. So: Accredited ISO certification me ...

Yes, in many cases, you can get grant funding in the UK to help cover the cost of ISO certification — especially if it’s linked to growth, innovation, exports, or improving business processes. But it depends on a few key factors. What kinds of grants are available? Local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) LEPs and regional growth hubs often offer SME support grants which c ...

Great question! Achieving ISO certification isn’t overly complicated, but it does take a bit of planning and commitment. Here’s a friendly step-by-step guide to walk you through the process: Choose the right ISO standard Firstly, you need to determine which ISO standard fits your business needs. A few popular ones: ISO 9001 – Quality management ISO 14001 – Environmen ...

Let’s clarify first:Businesses don’t get UKAS accreditation—certification bodies do.As a business, you’re aiming for UKAS-accredited ISO certification, which means you’ll be certified by a body that is accredited by UKAS. Now, if you're a business wanting to get certified to ISO 9001, 14001, 27001, etc. by a UKAS-accredited body, the question becomes: How long does it take to ...

Yes — there’s no rule that says you must use a consultant. You can: Read the ISO standard Build your management system Implement it in your business Prepare for the audit Get certified by a UKAS-accredited body But should you? You might do it yourself if: You’ve got time to dedicate to learning the standard You’re confident with writing policies, setting up proce ...

At first glance, it might seem convenient to have one company help you build your system and certify it. But that actually creates a big conflict of interest. Here's why separating the two is essential: Impartiality and credibility Certification bodies must be independent. If the same company that helped you design your ISO system also audits and certifies it, they’re ba ...

Think of HPA as like your personal guide through the whole journey —especially if you're navigating ISO standards for the first time. Here's how HPA can help: Understanding what you actually need ISO standards like 9001 (quality), 14001 (environmental), or 27001 (information security) can be a bit overwhelming. HPA help you to: Work out which standard(s) apply to your ...

Credibility & trust It’s like the gold standard. A UKAS-accredited certificate proves you’ve been properly assessed by a competent, impartial, and reliable certification body. International recognition UKAS is part of global agreements (like the International Accreditation Forum), so your certification will be accepted worldwide. Perfect if you're working internationally ...