Question 1

Does ISO require 'acpo' to be accredited?

Accepted Answer

ACPO" meets the requirements of the international standard "ISO 17021" relating to bodies carrying out the audit and certification of management systems. 
Accreditation by a federal body such as the SAS in Switzerland is not mandatory (ISO). An audit on compliance with the requirements of "17021" by the Institut Entrepreneuriat & Management and then an accreditation audit by an international body such as ISAS (International Standardization & Accreditation Services) is much more efficient and better meets the requirements of companies!

Stop excessive administration and use dematerialization! The interpretation made by certain organizations of the requirements of ISO "17021" leads to a significant administrative surplus and without added value.

We have implemented an optimization of the fully dematerialized certification process that allows all stakeholders to reap the benefits of digital transformation.

Question 2

Is this method recognized by ISO?

Accepted Answer

ISO develops international standards, such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or ISO 45'001, but does not perform certification activities or issue certificates. These services are provided by external certification bodies which must comply with the requirements of the ISO 17’021 standard.

ISO's Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) has produced a number of standards that relate to the certification process, for use by certification bodies.

ACPO" carries out certification activities and issues certificates, in strict compliance with the standards which relate to the certification process, in particular ISO 17021 Conformity assessment -- Requirements for bodies carrying out auditing and certification of management systems.

Question 3

Why are you not accredited by the SAS (Swiss Accreditation Service)?

Accepted Answer

ACPO" is accredited to carry out quality management system audits (ISO 9'001), environment (ISO 14'001), health and safety at work (ISO 45'001) , food safety (ISO 22,000) and sustainable development (Valais Excellence®, Corporate Citizen and ISAS Media standards).

“acpo” is not accredited by SAS but by ISAS (International Standardization & Accreditation Services).

After factual experiences and a SAS approach, the strategic choice to be accredited by ISAS (International Standardization & Accreditation Services) and then audited by an organization like the IEM quickly became obvious. Our key values such as citizenship, agility, efficiency, creativity, responsibility and sustainability are completely shared with ISAS and IEM.

Question 4

What are the sectors (scopes) authorized by our accreditation?

Accepted Answer

ACPO" was set up to offer a high added value service by dematerializing and automating as many aspects as possible with a view to maximizing the added value of its auditors with the audited companies.

“acpo” initially sought out classic accreditation and quickly understood the unsuitable constraints and administrative requirements imposed on certified companies, i.e. our customers.

Convinced of the alternative offer we offer on the market, we turned to a complementary accreditation service that offers specific accreditation in the media sector. The accreditation standard (ISO 17021:2018) which serves to recognize the level of independence and impartiality of the certification process is common to all management systems (eg ISO 9001/14001/45001, … ISAS MEDIA 9001).

One of the fundamental aspects of this standard concerns the qualification of auditors according to the field of activity audited. In other words, the fact of being accredited according to a sectoral reference (media, construction, electricity, charitable associations, etc.) attests to the fact that there is an organization capable of guaranteeing the independence of the certification process and that a process qualification and oversight of auditors is in place.

The use of the same management system for other sectors (scopes) such as services or construction is ultimately only a logical continuation of the requirements verified by ISAS and which our customers can verify by consulting the auditors' CVs.

Question 5

Does my certificate have the same value?

Accepted Answer

Yes, absolutely. Certificates issued by “ACPO” have the same value as certificates issued by other IAF member certification bodies, since the same requirements are implemented and controlled, through the application of ISO 17021 Assessment of compliance -- Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of management systems.

Question 6

How are you different from other certification bodies?

Accepted Answer

acpo" is positioned in a more aggressive price segment, because we have implemented modern and high-performance IT resources, which make it possible to streamline client-certifier-auditor relations. The principles of dematerialization have been applied to all our processes and we can affirm that digital transformation is an integral part of our DNA.

acpo" collaborates with value-added auditors, particularly in terms of business services. Our auditors are strictly selected with regard to their business skills, then trained and monitored with regard to our requirements. Our auditors provide a professional service corresponding to your requests and those of the selected standards.

acpo" only issues "ISO" management system certificates systematically coupled with citizenship and sustainability standards (ISO 9'001 – ISO 14'001 – Citizen Company, Valais Excellence, ISAS Media). We do not issue isolated "ISO" certifications.

acpo" believes that the performance of a region, in terms of sustainable development, is directly linked to the capacity of the companies located in its territory to apply the principles of sustainability and to adopt a civic attitude towards the region . We apply it concretely in our certification audit practices. 
acpo" is able to offer an advanced level of communication between the client, the auditor and the certifier, in particular through the active participation of clients in the certification process. Through self-assessment and the sharing of documents on secure IT platforms, exchanges are fluid and appropriate to the requirements of current management.

A large part of the documentary verification is carried out upstream by the auditor on the files made available by the customers on our IT platform. After the usual checks, the time on site can be devoted to in-depth study of the themes defined by the client and to the search for potential improvements.

Question 7

Why are you based in Geneva?

Accepted Answer

acpo" has its head office in Geneva, an international city, a place for meetings and dialogue between the various actors of international organizations and civil society on various themes such as human rights, trade, the environment. , intellectual property, labor, health to name a few. The concentration of so many organizations and professional skills promotes the exchange of expertise. Geneva corresponds to the values defended by "acpo" and meets the requirements of its development strategy.

Question 8

Who controls “acpo”?

Accepted Answer

acpo" is a public limited company composed of shareholders from parties interested in Certification activities. 
The founding members of "acpo" are the Territorial Labels Interest Group, the founder of the "Attractiveness and New Territorial Marketing" chair at the University of Aix-en-Provence, companies, auditors and certification players, such as consulting firms in management, risk management and territorial labels. 
Through targeted partnerships with the Institut Entrepreneuriat & Management and the "Attractiveness and New Territorial Marketing" chair, "acpo" has established proven and automated control processes, which makes it possible to guarantee quality, impartiality and neutrality of its business certification services. 
The services offered by "acpo" are based on the experience of these interested parties such as auditors, customers and shareholders. The administrative management of services is completely dematerialized.

Question 9

How do “acpo” auditors differ from those of other certification bodies?

Accepted Answer

"acpo" auditors differ from those of other certification bodies by their experience in business management and their sensitivity to sustainable development. The tools developed by “acpo” support auditors in their audit task and raise the level of knowledge of the auditor on the requirements of ISO standards. 
The profile of "acpo" auditors is more oriented towards management skills and the profession of the client company. The normative requirements are assessed in particular during the self-assessment data check 
One of the strengths of "acpo" lies in its ability to qualify its auditors according to ISO 17024 standards (certification of people). “acpo” auditors meet much more demanding selection and accreditation criteria than those of traditional certification bodies. The impartiality of the audits is ensured thanks to the organizational structure put in place.

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