ISO certification and ISO accreditation are two terms that are often used interchangeably, but they refer to different things.

ISO certification is a third-party attestation that a product, service, or process meets the requirements of a particular ISO standard. To become ISO certified, an organization must undergo an independent assessment by a certification body or registrar. The assessment includes a review of the organization's quality management system, processes, and procedures to ensure that they meet the requirements of the ISO standard. If the organization meets the requirements, it will receive an ISO certificate, which is valid for a specific period.

ISO accreditation, on the other hand, is the formal recognition by an accreditation body that a certification body is competent to carry out ISO certification assessments. Accreditation bodies are independent organizations that assess certification bodies to ensure that they are impartial and competent to carry out certification assessments. Accreditation ensures that ISO certificates issued by certification bodies are credible and recognized internationally.

In summary, ISO certification is a third-party attestation that an organization meets the requirements of an ISO standard, while ISO accreditation is the formal recognition by an accreditation body that a certification body is competent to carry out ISO certification assessments. Both ISO certification and ISO accreditation are important for ensuring that organizations are meeting international standards and are operating in a credible and competent manner.