Accredited certification
We Turn Standards into Confidence
Independent certification to internationally recognized ISO standards—helping organizations demonstrate conformity, improve performance and strengthen stakeholder trust.
See what we certifyAccreditations
Who we are
Independent, accredited, answerable
Viscount is a third-party certification body. We audit against the standard, and we answer for every certificate we issue.
About
Certifications
Standards we certify
Some of the standards we certify are given below. Each page sets out what the standard requires, who needs it, what drives the fee and how the audit runs.
How certification works
How certification works
Stage 1
Certification
Stage 1 and Stage 2
Stage 2
1st Annual Surveillance
First follow-up audit
Stage 3
2nd Annual Surveillance
Second follow-up audit
Stage 4
Recertification
Renewal audit for the next cycle
What our clients say
We are really proud to say that Viscount is our ISO (IMS) certification body since 2002. I will surely recommend Viscount.
We have been working with Viscount for the last 17 years. The team is always on hand, professional, and very helpful.
We are very satisfied with the services of Viscount Quality Certifications. The remote audit sessions worked out seamlessly.
Viscount is a professional organization with highly qualified and experienced auditors and trainers.
We have been working with Viscount for the last 5 years for our ISO 14001 and 45001 certification. They have been with us since our initial certification.
We are proud to work with Viscount Quality Certifications.
Common questions
What buyers ask us first
Straight answers on accreditation, scope and what certification involves. If your question is not here, ask us.
Is Viscount Quality Certifications an accredited certification body?
Yes. Viscount Quality Certifications is accredited by EIAC, the Emirates International Accreditation Centre, under reference 076-CB-QMS/EMS/SMS since December 2017, and by ANAB, the ANSI National Accreditation Board, since 2018. Both accreditations cover ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, and the certification activity is accredited to ISO/IEC 17021-1.
Which ISO standards can Viscount certify?
Viscount holds accreditation for three standards: ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 45001 for occupational health and safety. Where an enquiry falls outside that accredited scope, Viscount says so at quotation stage rather than taking the work.
How do I check that a certification body is accredited for my standard?
Ask which accreditation body accredits them and for which standard, then look the certification body up in that accreditation body's own published directory and read the scope. A certificate is only accredited if the body's scope covers both your standard and your sector. The phrase "internationally accredited" with no named body tells you nothing.
How long does ISO certification take?
Certification runs as a two-stage audit: a Stage 1 document review and information-gathering visit, then a Stage 2 audit that determines certification. For a single site, eight to fourteen weeks from enquiry to decision is typical, and the main variable is how ready the management system is rather than how quickly the audits can be scheduled.
What happens after the certificate is issued?
Certification runs on a three-year cycle. The certification audit is followed by a surveillance audit in each of the next two years, and then a recertification audit that renews the certificate for a further cycle. Surveillance audits are shorter than the original certification audit and sample the system rather than covering all of it.
Can Viscount help build our management system as well as certify it?
No. ISO/IEC 17021-1 bars a certification body from consulting on a management system it then certifies, so Viscount will not write your procedures, run your internal audits or act as your management representative. It will explain what a standard requires, why a finding was raised and what would resolve it, and it delivers training on the standards themselves.
Who decides whether a certificate is issued?
The certification decision is taken independently of the audit team. An auditor gathers evidence and makes a recommendation; a separate reviewer who did not conduct the audit takes the decision. That separation is a requirement of ISO/IEC 17021-1 and is what makes the certificate mean something to a third party.
Where is Viscount Quality Certifications based?
Viscount Quality Certifications has offices in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and serves the United Arab Emirates, the GCC and the wider MENA region. The practice behind it has been certifying management systems in the region since 1998. Enquiries go to cert@viscount.ae or +971 4 297 5085.
Certifying in the region since 1998
Viscount Quality Certifications emerged from Vincotte International Middle East which had been certifying in the region since 1998.
AboutFind out what certification would involve.
Tell us the standard, your headcount and your sites. We will come back with a scope and a fixed fee within one working day.