ISO, EXPLAINED SIMPLY

Who issues ISO certificates?

Aug 14, 2026 · Management systems

An ISO certificate and a management system are not the same thing. The consultant, auditor and certification body have distinct roles.

Consultant

The consultant advises the organization on building and implementing a management system tailored to its context. The consultant does not make the certification decision.

Auditor

The auditor evaluates evidence against established criteria and reports identified nonconformities. The auditor does not make the certification decision.

Certification body

The independent certification body reviews the audit results and decides whether to issue the certificate.

Three distinct roles. One clear boundary.

  • building the system — the consultant;
  • evaluating the evidence — the auditor;
  • deciding whether to issue the certificate — the independent certification body.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) does not itself issue certificates.

We provide ISO consulting services. We do not issue certificates. The certification decision is made by an independent certification body.

Watch the short video for a clear view of these role boundaries. The video is in Mongolian; this page provides the same key points in English.

Watch the YouTube Short →
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