certification body (CB)

A certification body (CB) is an independent organization that assesses and certifies that a company, process, or management system conforms to a specified standard or scheme. In industrial and regulated manufacturing environments, CBs are central to third-party certification to standards such as AS9100, ISO 9001, or other sector-specific quality and compliance frameworks.

What a certification body does

A CB typically performs the following activities:

• Conducts initial audits to determine whether an organization's management system meets the chosen standard.
• Issues certificates that formally recognize conformity to that standard, with defined scope and validity period.
• Performs surveillance and recertification audits at planned intervals to confirm that the system is maintained.
• Maintains audit records and certification status information in internal systems and sometimes in sector databases (for example, OASIS for AS9100).
• Suspends or withdraws certificates if major nonconformities are not addressed within required time frames.

In aerospace and other regulated sectors, CBs must themselves be accredited by a recognized accreditation body. This accreditation confirms that the CB operates to agreed rules for auditor competence, impartiality, audit methods, and oversight.

Role in manufacturing and supplier management

In manufacturing, CB-issued certificates are commonly used to:

• Demonstrate that an organization's quality management system meets a standard such as AS9100 or ISO 9001.
• Support customer and regulatory requirements for certified suppliers or production sites.
• Provide traceable evidence of audits, findings, and certification status during customer or regulatory reviews.

Buying organizations often verify a supplier's certification status, scope, and the identity of the CB through certificates and sector databases. This verification is usually treated as one input to supplier qualification and ongoing risk management, not a replacement for internal oversight.

What a certification body is not

• It is not the same as an internal audit team or second-party (customer) auditor. CBs are third-party, independent organizations.
• It is not a regulatory authority and generally does not grant legal permissions to operate.
• It does not manage a company's day-to-day quality system or ensure continuous compliance on its behalf.

Common confusion

• Certification body vs. accreditation body: An accreditation body evaluates and approves CBs themselves. A certification body evaluates and certifies manufacturing organizations.
• Certification body vs. standard owner: Standards (for example, AS9100-series) are developed and maintained by standards organizations or industry groups. CBs apply those standards during audits but do not define their content.

Link to OASIS and aerospace context

In the aerospace sector, CBs that certify organizations to the AS9100-series standards are recognized and monitored through industry schemes. They are responsible for entering and maintaining accurate certification and audit data in directories such as the IAQG OASIS database. Manufacturers and customers use this information to verify supplier certification status, scope, and audit history as part of supplier control processes.