Glossary
This glossary explains the terms used on the RvA website. For formal definitions of the terms, we refer to ISO/IEC 17000 and the relevant accreditation standards.

A
Term
Description
Term
AccreditationDescription
An independent confirmation of the expertise, impartiality and independence of a conformity assessment body on the basis of international harmonised standardsTerm
Accreditation bodyDescription
The body appointed by the government (based on (EU)765/2008) to issue accreditations in the relevant countryTerm
Accreditation markDescription
Logo that accredited bodies can use on certificates and other communications as proof of accreditationTerm
Accredited organisationDescription
Body in respect of which the accreditation body has established that it meets the requirements of a specific international harmonised standardTerm
AssessmentDescription
Establishing by or on behalf of the RvA that the requirements of accreditation are metTerm
Accreditation CommitteeDescription
Independent committee that advises the Executive board of the RvA about accreditation decisionsC
Term
Description
Term
CalibrationDescription
Establishing whether the value displayed by a measuring device is correct in relation to the international unit of measureTerm
Category A non-conformityDescription
A situation where the RvA assessment team considers the requirements for accreditation are not met, and that can lead or have led to incorrect or unreliable results, unjustified claims to accreditation or a specific threat to health or safety of persons or the environmentTerm
Category B non-conformityDescription
A situation where the RvA assessment team considers the requirements for accreditation are not met, but that does not lead to one of the situations specified under Category ATerm
CCKLDescription
Institute for the promotion of quality in laboratory research and for the accreditation of laboratories in the health care sector, which has been part of the RvA since 2008Term
CCKL Code of PracticeDescription
National standard on the basis of which CCKL accreditations are undertakenTerm
CertificationDescription
Establishing whether products, management systems or persons meet specific requirementsTerm
Conformity assessmentDescription
Establishing whether a product, process, service or person meets specific requirementsTerm
Corrective measureDescription
Improvement action resulting from a non-conformity established during the assessmentD
Term
Description
Term
DisciplineDescription
Area in which the RvA accredits: calibration, testing, medical laboratories, proficiency testing organisers, producers of reference materials, inspection, certification and verificationE
Term
Description
Term
EADescription
Coordinating European accreditation body in which the national accreditation bodies are representedTerm
European co-operation for AccreditationDescription
Coordinating European accreditation body in which the national accreditation bodies are represented (EA)Term
European Regulation 765/2008Description
European Regulation setting out the requirements for accreditation and market surveillance relating to the marketing of productsTerm
Explanatory documentDescription
Document that describes the RvA policy and/or procedure relating to a specific accreditation disciplineG
Term
Description
Term
Greenhouse gas verification bodyDescription
Body that verifies a manufacturer’s stated emissionsH
Term
Description
Term
Harmonised standardDescription
International standard on the basis of which accreditations are issuedI
Term
Description
Term
IAFDescription
World association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation BodiesTerm
ILACDescription
World association for the accreditation of Laboratories and Inspection BodiesTerm
InspectionDescription
Assessment of a design, product, process or installation, to establish is it meets the specific or general requirementsTerm
International Accreditation ForumDescription
World association of Conformity Assessment Accreditation Bodies(IAF)Term
International Laboratory Accreditation CooperationDescription
World association for the accreditation of Laboratories and Inspection Bodies (ILAC)Term
ISO 14065Description
International standard on the basis of which greenhouse gas verification bodies are accreditedTerm
ISO 15189Description
International standard on the basis of which medical laboratories are accreditedTerm
ISO 17034Description
International standard on the basis of which producers of reference materials are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17011Description
International standard on the basis of which accreditation bodies are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17020Description
International standard on the basis of which inspection bodies are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17021Description
International standard on the basis of which management system certification bodies are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17024Description
International standard on the basis of which personal certification bodies are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17025Description
International standard on the basis of which calibration and test laboratories are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17043Description
International standard on the basis of which organisers of proficiency tests are accreditedTerm
ISO/IEC 17065Description
International harmonised standard on the basis of which product certification bodies are accreditedM
Term
Description
Term
Management system certificationDescription
Establishing whether an organisation’s management system meets the requirementsTerm
Medical laboratoryDescription
Laboratory that undertakes medical analysesO
Term
Description
Term
Organiser of proficiency testsDescription
Organisation that supplies an identical sample to different laboratories and compares the results from these laboratories with each otherP
Term
Description
Term
Peer reviewDescription
Four-yearly assessment of accreditation bodies undertaken by assessors from other accreditation bodies on the basis of the ISO/IEC 17011 standardTerm
Personal certificationDescription
Establishing whether a person is competentTerm
Producer of reference materialsDescription
Establishing whether products, services or processes meet the requirementsTerm
Proficiency testDescription
Investigation whereby the test results from different laboratories are compared with each otherR
Term
Description
Term
ReportDescription
Draft or final report resulting from an assessment that has been carried outTerm
ReportDescription
Complaint about an accredited organisationTerm
Reference materialDescription
Reference material Material of known composition, which laboratories use for undertaking checksTerm
Registration numberDescription
Number allocated by the RvA under which an accredited body is registered with the RvAS
Term
Description
Term
Scheme for conformity assessmentsDescription
Document that describes the subject and the requirements of a specific assessmentTerm
Scheme acceptanceDescription
Establishment by the RvA that a scheme meets the specified requirementsTerm
Scheme managerDescription
Organisation that manages one or more schemesTerm
SuspensionDescription
Temporarily withdrawal of a scope of accreditationTerm
ScopeDescription
Activity/work for which an organisation is or will become accreditedTerm
Specific accreditation protocolDescription
Document containing a brief description for a specific accreditation discipline and which serves as a practical supplement to the RvA policy rulesTerm
Stakeholder Advisary PanelDescription
Advisory body of the RvA in which the RvA stakeholders are representedTerm
Statement of conformityDescription
Statement that confirms that a product, process, service, system or person meets specific requirementsT
Term
Description
Term
TestingDescription
Establishing the properties of products or systemsU
Term
Description
Term
User CouncilDescription
Advisory body with representatives of RvA’s clientsV
Term
Description
Term
VerificationDescription
Independent assessment of data as regards reliability and correctnessW
Term
Description
Term
WithdrawalDescription
Accreditation that is stopped voluntarily (by the organisation) or by order (of the RvA)Something missing? Please let us know via our contact form.