In bidding, having the correct certificates can mean the difference between a pass and a fail. Equally, the appropriate accreditations can often be the one key factor that lands you that big sale. It’s important therefore, to be aware of the various certifications, memberships, accreditations and compliance standards available and which you should pursue for your business.
In this article we list every certificate, accreditation and membership we can think of across a wide range of industries, providing you with a one-stop-shop for every compliance point you might need.
(This is quite a long list, so rather than scrolling down the entire thing, you may wish to use the shortcuts on the left of this page.)
General Accreditations
While many accreditations are industry-specific, there area a lot of generic ones too. Here are some, if not all of the most common.
British Standards
The BSI Group currently has over 27,000 active standards. Aligning your processes with those which are most relevant to your industry is always recommended.
- British Standards Institution (BSI) Kitemark Certified
- BS OHSAS 18001 (Health and Safety) (Very Common)
ISO Accreditations
ISO (International Organisation for Standardisation) accreditations are the ubiquitous standard for quality across all industries. The below are some of the most common.
- ISO9001 (Quality Management System) (The Most Common ISO Standard)
- ISO14001 (Environment)
- ISO27001 (Information Security)
- ISO45001 (Health and Safety)
For more on the ISO’s vast array of standards and certifications click here.
SSIP
The SSIP was founded to help reduce health and safety assessment costs and bureaucracy in supply chains and procurement. It does this by offering cross-recognition between a number of different member schemes, essentially ensuring that membership with one, means compliance with them all. Below is a list of SSIP members.
SSIP accreditations are most commonly associated with the construction industry, although many are just as relevant in other industries too.
Founder Members
Health & Safety Assessment Schemes
- Acclaim Accreditation
- ACDC
- Achilles
- Altus Safety
- APS (Association for Project Safety)
- Avetta
- CHAS (Very Common)
- CQMS Safety Scheme
- DW Health and Safety
- Eurosafe UK
- Greenlight Safety Assessment Scheme
- HSAS (The Health and Safety Assessment Scheme)
- MSI
- Principal Safety
- PQS (Pre-Qualification Scheme)
- Safe-T-Cert
- SafeContractor (Very Common)
- SafeMark
- SMAS Worksafe
Trade Body Associations
- ARB (Arboricultural Association) Approved Contractor
- BCSA (The British Constructional Steelwork Association)
- FASET (Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training)
- IPAF (International Powered Access Federation)
- NASC (National Access and Scaffolding Confederation)
Certification Bodies
- ACM
- ACS Registrars (Part of the British Assessment Bureau)
- Advanced Certification
- British Assessment Bureau
- BM Trada
- BSI
- Bureau Veritas
- DNV GL
- Intertek
- ISOQAR
- Lloyd’s Register
- NQA
- NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland)
- Ocean Certification
- SCCS (The Steel Construction Certification Scheme)
- SCS (System Certification Services)
- SGS
- TÜV Nord
- URS (United Registrar of Systems)
Other General Accreditations
- CPD Certified
- Cyber Essentials
- DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service)
- ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) (Quite Common)
- IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)
- Living Wage Foundation (Very Common)
- RISQS (Railway Industry Supplier Qualification Scheme)
- SafeContractor (Very Common)
By Industry
Here are a list of Accreditations, Certifications, Memberships, Associations and Trade Bodies organised by industry.
Cleaning
- AHCP (The Association of Healthcare Cleaning Professionals)
- BACHE (British Association for Cleaning in Higher Education)
- BICSc (British Institute of Cleaning Science) (Quite Common in this industry)
- BCC (British Cleaning Council)
- CIEH Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
- CIWM (Chartered Institution of Wastes Management)
- CHSA (Cleaning & Hygiene Suppliers’ Association)
- CSSA (Cleaning and Support Services Association)
- DCA (Domestic Cleaning Alliance)
- ESA (Environmental Services Association)
- FWC (Federation of Window Cleaners)
- ICMMA (Industrial Cleaning Machinery Manufacturers’ Association)
- IWFM (Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management)
- Keep Britain Tidy
- NAWBW (National Association of Wheelie Bin Washers)
- NCCA (National Carpet Cleaners Association)
- UKCPI (UK Cleaning Products Industry Association)
Construction / Engineering
- Achilles Building Confidence
- ARCA (Asbestos Removal Contractors Association)
- British Safety Council
- CITB (Construction Industry Training Board)
- Considerate Constructors (Very Common in this industry)
- ConstructCO2
- CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme)
- Constructionline (Very Common in this industry)
- EPSA European Platform and Stairlift Association
- FIA (Fiberoptic Industry Association)
- Gas Safe Register (Very Common in this industry)
- IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
- LEIA Lift and Escalator Industry Association
- National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting (NICEIC)
- OFTEC (Oil Firing Technical Association)
Fire Safety Systems
- BAFE (British Approvals for Fire Equipment) (Very Common in this industry)
- FIA (Fire Industry Association)
- FPA (Fire Protection Association)
- IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission)
- IFE (Institution of Fire Engineers)
- NSI (National Security Inspectorate) (Very Common)
- SSAIB (Security Systems and Alarms Inspection Board)
- The British Fire Consortium
- The UK Fire Association
Healthcare
- ABHI (Association of British HealthTech Industries)
- ABPI (Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry)
- AHCS (Academy for Healthcare Science)
- BDIA (British Dental Industry Association)
- BHTA (British Healthcare Trades Association)
- CQC Registered / Inspected / Rated (Very Common. Often Mandatory in this industry)
- DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) (Very Common. Often Mandatory in this industry)
- LSI National Credentialing Register
- MIA (Medical Industry Accredited)
IT / Technology
- AWS Parnter
- BCS Chartered Institute for IT
- BSIA (British Security Industry Association)
- CREST (Council of Registered Ethical Security Providers)
- Cyber Essentials (Very Common in this industry)
- Cyber Security Supplier to Government
- Fair Data Accreditation
- Google Partner
- ICO (Information Commissioner’s Office) (Quite Common)
- Microsoft Partner
- NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre)
- NMI
- Payment Card Industry Data Security
- VMware Partner
Media
- Advertising Association
- AIB (Association for International Broadcasting)
- BIMA (British Interactive Media Association)
- IABM (International Association for Broadcast & Media)
- MIA (Media Industry Association)
- MRC (Media Rating Council)
- News Media Association
- The International Moving Image Society
- World Out of Home (Formerly FEPE International)
Recruitment
- APSCo (Association of Professional Staffing Companies) (Very Common in this industry)
- British Institute of Recruiters
- Investors in People (Very Common in this industry)
- IRP (Institute of Recruitment Professionals)
- Standards in Recruitment Accreditation
- REC (Recruitment and Employment Confederation)
Security
- British Safety Council
- BSIA (British Security Industry Association)
- Maybo Training Centre
- NASDU (National Association of Security Dog Users
- NSI (National Security Inspectorate) (Very Common. Often Mandatory in this industry)
- RoSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents)
- Security Institute
- SIA (Security Industry Authority) (Very Common. Often Mandatory in this industry)
- Skills for Security
Other
- AVA (Automatic Vending Association)
- BPA (British Parking Association)
- Ecolabel Licence
- IMRG
- IPC (International Parking Community)
- UKRLP (UK Register of Learning Providers)
- Environment Agency
- Waste Carrier, Broker or Dealer Licence
Have we missed anything? Let us know below and we’ll be sure to update our list!
nb. This is not a definitive list. This web page and its contents should be used for information purposes only and not as any form of legal or professional advice. If you are interested in any of the above mentioned accreditaitons, memberships or certifications, or would like to learn more about professional and/or trade compliance, please consult with your legal representatives and the relevant regulatory bodies.
