ASI

Accreditation Services International (ASI) is one of the world’s leading accreditation bodies for sustainability standards systems. Our business is to assure trust in certification.

ASI assesses organizations that issue certificates for a range of standards, ensuring that audits are conducted with competence and global consistency. As the sole accreditation body for environmental standards systems such as the Forest Stewardship Council, the Marine Stewardship Council and the Aquaculture Stewardship Council, ASI oversees the correct application of a standard’s criteria for certified operations worldwide.

Accreditation to Highest International Standards

Founded in 2006, ASI is a member of the global association for social and environmental standards, the ISEAL Alliance. In 2010, an external audit confirmed that ASI’s procedures conform with the ISO 17011 international requirements for accreditation bodies.

Vision and Mission

ASI’s vision is to be the pre-eminent international accreditation body for certification schemes like the Forest Stewardship Council, the Marine Stewardship Council and other certification schemes worldwide.

ASI’s mission is to:

• provide independent, credible, efficient, effective and equitable accreditation and monitoring services to the FSC Global Network, the MSC and other international certification schemes;
• provide efficient and effective, best practice, equitable and accessible services to certification bodies and market partners, in the North as well as in the South; and
• provide the ‘endorsement link’ between standards, certificate holders, certified products and trademark use for the FSC, the MSC and other international certification schemes.

Governance

ASI is a for profit company, founded by the Forest Stewardship Council. ASI’s Managing Director is responsible for the integrity of ASI’s accreditation programme. He has the authority to make accreditation decisions and review organizational performance. He is supported by two panels of independent experts:

The Advisory Committee provides an external oversight of ASI’s operations to strengthen the competence, independence and impartiality of the organization.

The Accreditation Committee reviews ASI’s assessment reports, ensuring that the assessment process provides enough information for sound accreditation decisions and that the recommendations included are justified.