UKAS Accredited and Non-accredited ISO Standards

What is UKAS Accreditation?

Imagine you’re in a busy market. Every stall owner is shouting, “I’ve got the best apples!” How do you know who to trust? The answer is you look for the one with the 5* sourcing certification, issued by trusted food inspectors that have been certified by the authority on apples!

UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service) are like the authority on apples in this scenario. They ensure that the certifying bodies—the folks who hand out the ISO certificates — are competent and impartial. Meaning that the audit of your ISMS was carried out to the highest standards possible… and still passed!

In other words, UKAS accreditation is yours and your customer/partners assurance that in order to achieve that certification, you had to pass an incredibly strict and thorough audit. It’s also worth mentioning that UKAS accreditation doesn’t just apply to one or two ISO standards, it can apply to all of them.

UKAS-Accredited ISMS Certification: The Gold Standard

A UKAS-accredited ISMS certification is like a Michelin-starred restaurant. It’s not just about saying your organisation follows ISO 27001 standards; it’s about proving it to an auditor who’s been vetted to the highest standards. Here are some of the advantages:

1. Credibility You Can Brag About When your certification is UKAS-accredited, it’s recognised internationally as credible and trustworthy. Clients, partners, and regulators are more likely to accept it without batting an eyelid.
2. Rigorous Audits (in a Good Way) Accredited auditors follow strict procedures, ensuring your ISMS truly meets the standard. This isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about real security improvements.
3. Confidence in Compliance If a regulator comes knocking, having a UKAS-accredited certification could save you a lot of headaches. It’s like having the right train ticket ready for the ticket inspector – you’re confident that there won’t be any issues.

Non-UKAS Certification: A different solution

Now, what about those unaccredited certifications? If UKAS exists why is there a need for anything else? Well, there are a few benefits going down this route, let’s take a look:

1. Lower Cost

   Yes, non-accredited certification is typically cheaper. If you’re a small business with limited resources, this might seem like a no-brainer – if you just want chocolate, does it have to be Hotel Chocolat?

2. Quicker in most cases

   Some non-accredited certification bodies offer expedited processes, which can be tempting when you’re up against a deadline.

3. Recognition

   Some providers out there don’t demand the UKAS badge; they just want to see you’ve attacked Information Security, and the unaccredited versions certainly do that.

Pros and Cons: UKAS vs. Non-accredited ISMS Certification

UK(AS) = United Kingdon, does it matter less outside the UK?

The short answer is it can depend on a few factors but considering ISOs are recognised as Global standards, it is always going to matter.

The first thing it depends on is if your target market has its own dominant accreditation system that they would prefer, like in Germany, UKAS’s equivalent is the DAkkS (Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle) and in the US there is ANAB (ANSI National Accreditation Board) – However, both countries still regard UKAS accreditation strongly, so it all depends on your motivations for achieving certification.

Where a UKAS accredited ISO can help outside the UK specifically is when it comes to things like export heavy businesses, as it can help streamline processes and help with regions that have less established accreditation frameworks.

It can also help for industries with stringent quality or safety requirements—like aerospace, pharmaceuticals, or construction—having a UKAS-accredited certification can be a differentiator. It reassures customers, regulators, and partners that your processes meet globally trusted standards.

Accredited or Non-accredited, Which Should You Choose?

If you intend to tackle your organisation’s information security to the best standard, UKAS accreditation should be your goal. It’s not just about impressing clients and regulators—it’s about genuinely improving your processes and protecting your business from risks.

That said, if you’re a small business just starting out, a non-accredited certification might work as a stepping stone until the business gets a little bigger. Just be aware of its limitations and aim to level up to a UKAS-accredited certification as soon as possible.