1 January 2026 – The international accreditation system just got simpler. ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation) and IAF (International Accreditation Forum) officially merged today into a single entity: Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated.
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If you're a business owner or compliance manager dealing with ISO certifications, here's what you actually need to know.
What Just Happened
The two major international accreditation bodies that have operated separately for decades are now one organisation. ILAC handled testing and calibration labs.
IAF handled certification bodies that audit management systems like ISO 9001, 14001, and 45001. Now there's just Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated, registered as a not-for-profit in New Zealand.
The new body launched with its own Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) that replaces both the ILAC MRA and IAF MLA. One organisation, one recognition framework.
Why This Matters (Actually)
I've spent seven years auditing for certification bodies across Australia and internationally.
The old system worked, but it was clunky.
You had two separate international bodies, two sets of marks, two governance frameworks doing essentially the same job for different parts of the conformity assessment world.
This merger eliminates that duplication.
For businesses seeking ISO certification, the immediate impact is minimal. Your current certificates remain valid. The certification body you're using continues operating normally.
Nothing breaks overnight.
The longer-term benefit is consistency. One global MRA means one set of policies, one harmonised approach to standards application, and theoretically faster resolution when cross-border recognition issues arise.
If you've ever dealt with exporting to markets that question your Australian certification, you know this matters.
What's Changing
Governance structure. Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated brings unified governance where IAF and ILAC operated separately. Same membership scopes, same regional cooperation bodies (APAC for us in Australia/New Zealand), but streamlined decision-making at the international level.
One MRA instead of two. The new MRA covers everything previously split between ILAC and IAF arrangements.
Testing labs, calibration facilities, certification bodies for management systems, product certification, personnel certification – all under one mutual recognition umbrella.
New marks eventually. The IAF MLA and ILAC MRA marks you see on certificates and reports will transition to new Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated marks.
No rush – existing marks remain valid during transition. Certification bodies will phase to the new mark when guidance is issued.
What's NOT Changing
Your current certifications are fine. Any certificate issued under IAF MLA or ILAC MRA recognition continues to be recognised during the transition.
The accreditation backing your ISO 9001 or 14001 certificate doesn't suddenly disappear.
Regional peer evaluation continues. APAC (Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation) still runs the peer evaluation process for accreditation bodies in our region.
JASANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand) remains your local accreditation body. The regional machinery that makes international recognition work hasn't changed.
Certification bodies operate normally. If you're mid-audit cycle or planning certification, nothing disrupts. Your certification body continues under the same accreditation they held before 1 January 2026.
The Technical Detail (For Those Who Care)
Accreditation is what makes ISO certification globally recognised. Without it, an ISO 9001 certificate is just a piece of paper from a consulting firm.
Here's how it works: Certification bodies get accredited by national bodies like JASANZ. JASANZ is evaluated by APAC. APAC participates in the global MRA.
That chain of peer evaluation is what makes an Australian ISO certificate accepted in European or American markets.
Previously, you had two parallel systems. IAF handled management system certification (9001, 14001, 45001, etc.). ILAC handled testing and calibration. Both ran peer evaluations. Both maintained multilateral agreements.
Both had secretariats, technical committees, and governance structures.
Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated consolidates this. Same peer evaluation rigour based on ISO/IEC 17011, but one organisation managing it.
From an auditor's perspective, the benefit is operational. When technical guidance needs updating or when there's confusion about standard interpretation, having one international body instead of two should mean faster, clearer direction to accreditation bodies and down to certification bodies.
What You Should Do
If you hold ISO certification: Nothing required. Your certificate remains valid. When it's time for surveillance or recertification, proceed as normal.
If your certification body updates their accreditation marks on certificates, that's administrative – it doesn't affect your certificate's recognition.
If you're seeking certification: Same process. Request quotes from accredited certification bodies. Verify they're accredited by checking the JASANZ register.
The merger doesn't change how you select a certification body or what you need to demonstrate during audit.
If you export to regulated markets: Watch for updates from regulators who reference IAF MLA or ILAC MRA in their technical requirements.
They'll likely transition to referencing Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated MRA, but existing marks will be recognised during that shift.
For procurement and compliance managers: Update internal procedures and supplier qualification requirements to reference Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated MRA alongside IAF/ILAC marks during the transition period.
Check with your certification body about when they'll adopt new marks.
The Bigger Picture
Accreditation exists to solve a trust problem.
When you tell an overseas customer your Australian manufacturer is ISO 9001 certified, why should they believe that certificate means anything? Because your certification body is accredited.
Because that accreditation is peer-evaluated. Because those peer evaluations feed into a global mutual recognition system that says "if we accept it, you accept it."
That system just got simpler and theoretically stronger.
I've seen firsthand how accreditation failures play out. A certification body loses accreditation because they failed peer evaluation. Suddenly hundreds of their clients' certificates aren't recognised internationally. Product gets held at borders. Contracts get questioned. It's painful.
The stronger and more unified the global accreditation system, the less likely those failures cascade into business disruptions.
Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated is registered as a not-for-profit incorporated society in New Zealand, established 6 December 2024 and operational 1 January 2026. Full branding including acronym and logo launches April 2026.
Resources
The official announcement and detailed FAQs are available at the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated website:
https://globalaccreditationcooperationincorporated.org/
For updates on how this affects Australian and New Zealand businesses, JASANZ will be the primary source: https://jasanz.org/
What This Means for Certification Selection
At CertBetter, we verify ISO consultants and connect businesses with accredited certification bodies through our RFQ platform.
The Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated merger doesn't change our verification process – we still check that certification bodies hold valid JASANZ accreditation – but it does reinforce why accreditation matters when selecting who audits your management system.
Whether you're seeking initial certification or switching providers, requesting quotes from multiple accredited bodies gives you options.
The global recognition of those certificates just got backed by a simpler, more unified system.
Ready to compare ISO quotes from verified, accredited certification bodies? Submit your requirements on CertBetter and get responses from JASANZ accredited providers across Australia and New Zealand.
