4 Developments around standards

We assess our clients based on European harmonised standards. These standards are developed within ISO (International Organization for Standardization) in consultation with the relevant stakeholders. In 2019, two new standards were published to meet market demand: a standard for the validation and verification of claims, and for biobanking. There were also developments in other domains.

A new standard for the validation and verification of claims (ISO/IEC 17029)

In 2019, a new standard for the validation and verification of claims was published: ISO/IEC 17029. On the basis of information (data), organisations can make a certain statement about their working method, products or services, i.e. a ‘promise’. This occurs in very diverse domains: corporate social responsibility, sustainability, financial management, algorithms, integrity/ethics, etc. To demonstrate the correctness of such a claim, they can have it validated or verified by a competent and impartial body. ISO/IEC 17029 describes the requirements that these bodies must satisfy when they assess claims – and the RvA offers the opportunity to accredit such companies and institutions.

Applying this new accreditation standard requires further investigation into:

• the future transition from accreditations for ISO 14065 (the standard used for claims concerning emission of greenhouse gases) to accreditation based on ISO/IEC 17029;

• the possibility and desirability of conversion from current accreditations for ISO/IEC 17020 or ISO/IEC 17065 for activities in which data verification plays an important role to accreditation based on ISO/IEC 17029;

• the application of the new standard for working spheres that are not currently performed under accreditation, such as claims concerning corporate social responsibility and financial reporting.

We have plotted various transition routes for this.