Abstract

The Registrar Accreditation Board (RAB) accredits third-party registrars or certifiers that audit companies for compliance with the ISO (International Standardization Organization) 9000 standard series. The ASQC (ASQC) founded the RAB in 1989. The RAB consists of a board of directors, accreditation council, operations council, and administrative staff. When a registrar applies for accreditation, the RAB office staff verify that the registrar meets basic accreditation criteria. Then an RAB audit team visits the registrar and observes one of the registrar's audits. The RAB team makes recommendations to the RAB accreditation council, which makes the accreditation decision. Accreditation of a registrar must be reassessed every four years. The RAB's accreditation criteria are based on ISO Guides 40 and 48; European Community standard EN 45012; and ISO standard 10011. Accreditation is important because it lends credibility to the registrars and the registrations they grant. RAB accreditation links the United States with an international standards movement in which 42 countries use ISO 9000 as their national standards.