Accreditation is the independent evaluation of conformity assessment bodies against recognised standards to carry out specific activities to ensure their impartiality and competence. Through the application of national and international standards, government, procurers and consumers can have confidence in the calibration and test results, inspection reports and certifications provided.

ILAC and IAF are the international organisations for accreditation bodies operating in accordance with ISO/IEC 17011 and involved in the accreditation of conformity assessment bodies including :
* ILAC side:
calibration labs (using ISO/IEC 17025), testing labs (ISO/IEC 17025), medical testing laboratories (ISO 15189), inspection bodies (ISO/IEC 17020) and proficiency testing providers (ISO/IEC 17043).
* IAF side:
Management system certification bodies (ISO/IEC 17021-1), product certification (ISO/IEC 17065), personnel certification (ISO/IEC 17024) and validation and verification (ISO/IEC 17029).