International Organic Accreditation Service

What International Organic Accreditation Service does

International Organic Accreditation Service (IOAS) is a US-incorporated 501(c)(6) non-profit founded in 1997 by IFOAM Organics International to provide independent accreditation and assurance services to certification bodies (CBs) operating across the organic and sustainability sectors. The organization monitors over 77 certification bodies in 75+ countries and operates with a globally distributed team of 45 staff based in 25 countries, delivering accreditation against standards including ISO/IEC 17011, ISO/IEC 17065, IFOAM Norms, the Canada Organic Regime (under CFIA oversight), the EU Recognition Scheme under Regulation 2018/848, and a portfolio of voluntary sustainability schemes (GOTS, Textile Exchange, Better Cotton Initiative, COSMOS, NATRUE, GlobalG.A.P., Freshcare).

IOAS generates more than 90% of its income from accreditation and assessment fees structured as a daily rate for assessment/surveillance work plus an annual fee tied to the number of accredited schemes and certificates issued, with adjustments based on World Bank country-income classifications to subsidize certification in developing markets; the remaining income comes from training webinars and capacity-building projects. The organization sells three service lines — Accreditation (formal accreditation and pre-assessment), Assurance (scheme review, advisory, oversight and monitoring), and Capacity Building (training, webinars, document library) — distributed directly to CBs via its website application process, with industry events such as BIOFACH and webinars as additional engagement channels. Its multi-scheme assessment methodology allows CBs to obtain multiple accreditations efficiently through a common application, and IOAS is a signatory to IAF MLA, APAC MRA, and (from January 2026) the newly formed Global ACI MRA, anchoring its accreditations within the international conformity-assessment infrastructure.

Name

International Organic Accreditation Service

Legal name

IOAS Inc

Website

https://ioas.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IOAS is a US-based non-profit accreditation body founded in 1997 that accredits over 77 certification bodies across 75+ countries against organic and sustainability standards, generating more than 90% of its income from accreditation and assessment fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Organic and Sustainability Accreditation Services

NAICS

Testing Laboratories and Services (54138)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734)

akta.pro primary industry

Standards, Metrology & Accreditation Bodies (BPAIAOAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ), Assessment, Certification & Qualifications Frameworks (BPADAKAL)

Keywords

• Organic accreditation services
• Certification body assessment
• Sustainability conformity verification
• ISO 17065 accreditation
• Organic standards oversight

Headquarters

HQ city

Jamestown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Accreditation Fees: Fees from assessment and accreditation services make up more than 90% of IOAS income. Fees are structured with a daily rate for assessment and surveillance work, plus an annual fee based on number of accredited schemes and certificates issued under each scheme.
2. Annual Surveillance Fees: Ongoing annual fees for surveillance activities, adjusted based on World Bank index for countries (high, upper middle, lower middle, low income) to encourage local certification in developing countries.
3. Training and Capacity Building: Training webinars and occasional projects related to their mission make up the remainder of income (less than 10%).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

IOAS is a non-profit international accreditation body that provides independent accreditation, pre-assessment, assurance (scheme review, advisory, oversight and monitoring), and capacity building services to certification bodies worldwide, verifying their competence against internationally recognized organic and sustainability schemes including IFOAM Norms, ISO/IEC 17065, Canada Organic Regime, EU Regulation 2018/848, GlobalG.A.P., GOTS, Textile Exchange, BCI, COSMOS, and NATRUE. Revenue from assessment and accreditation fees constitutes more than 90% of income, with a proprietary multi-scheme assessment model that minimizes extra cost for multiple accreditations.

Product overview

IOAS is a non-profit international accreditation organization providing independent organic and sustainability assurance and accreditation services. The organization offers a comprehensive portfolio organized around three core service lines: (1) Accreditation Services for certification bodies against standards including ISO/IEC 17065, IFOAM, COR, EU 2018/848, GlobalG.A.P., GOTS, Textile Exchange, BCI, COSMOS, and NATRUE; (2) Assurance Services including scheme review, advisory services, and oversight and monitoring; and (3) Capacity Building through training, webinars, events, and document resources. IOAS operates across 13 distinct sectors covering agriculture, animal welfare, aquaculture, chain of custody, cosmetics, fair trade, food safety, natural cleaning products, inputs, recycling, social justice, textiles, and wild harvest. The organization also provides Pre-Assessment Services to prepare certification bodies for successful accreditation outcomes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Accreditation Services Formal accreditation services for certification bodies assessing their competence against internationally recognized standards including ISO/IEC 17065, IFOAM Norms, and scheme-specific requirements. Used by certification bodies worldwide that need third-party recognition to demonstrate credibility to scheme owners, regulators, and buyers.
• Pre-Assessment Services Pre-assessment services preparing certification bodies for scheme readiness and successful accreditation decisions, including full accreditation-level assessment, remote documentation review, or tailored assessments. Used by certification bodies seeking to identify gaps before formal accreditation.
• Assurance Services Independent assurance services including scheme review, advisory services, and oversight and monitoring to enhance the credibility of sustainability initiatives through implementation assessment and on-the-ground oversight. Used by scheme owners and voluntary standard-setters seeking third-party monitoring of their certification systems.
• Capacity Building Training, guidance, webinars, events, and resources to develop knowledge and skills supporting competence and impact across sustainability schemes. Used by certification bodies, auditors, and scheme stakeholders. Constitutes less than 10% of IOAS income.
• IFOAM Accreditation Accreditation program for certification bodies based on IFOAM Norms for Organic Production and Processing, including IFOAM Standards and Accreditation Requirements. Used by certification bodies seeking recognition under the IFOAM organic family of standards.
• ISO/IEC 17065 Accreditation Product certification accreditation for certification bodies demonstrating competence against ISO/IEC 17065 plus sector-specific requirements defined by scheme owners. Used by certification bodies needing baseline ISO/IEC 17065 competence recognition.
• Canada Organic Regime (COR) Accreditation Accreditation as a Conformity Verification Body under the Canada Organic Regime, assessing certification bodies for compliance with Canadian organic standards under CFIA oversight. Used by certification bodies seeking recognition for organic exports to the Canadian market.
• European Recognition Scheme (EU 2018/848) Accreditation Accreditation for certification bodies operating outside the EU seeking recognition under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 for organic production and labelling. Used by certification bodies supporting organic product exports into the European Union.
• GlobalG.A.P. Accreditation Voluntary accreditation program for certification bodies implementing GlobalG.A.P. standards for food safety, sustainable production methods, and worker welfare. Used by certification bodies serving producers and retailers in the GlobalG.A.P. system.
• Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS) Accreditation Accreditation for certification bodies assessing compliance with GOTS criteria for organic textile processing, covering environmental sustainability and social responsibility. Used by textile certification bodies operating in the GOTS system.
• Textile Exchange Accreditation Accreditation for certification bodies implementing Textile Exchange standards including Content Claim Standard, Organic Content Standard, Recycled Content Standard, Global Recycled Standard, Responsible Down Standard, Responsible Wool Standard, Responsible Mohair Standard, and Responsible Alpaca Standard. Used by textile certification bodies serving the Textile Exchange label family.
• Better Cotton Initiative (BCI) Accreditation Accreditation program for certification bodies assessing compliance with BCI's cotton production standards covering quality management, natural resources, crop protection, fibre quality, decent work, and sustainable livelihoods. Used by certification bodies auditing within the BCI system; BCI has engaged over 50 certification bodies under IOAS accreditation.
• COSMOS Accreditation Accreditation for certification bodies implementing the COSMOS-standard for organic and natural cosmetics, guided by principles of organic agriculture, responsible resource use, clean manufacturing, and green chemistry. Used by cosmetics certification bodies worldwide.
• NATRUE Accreditation Accreditation for certification bodies implementing NATRUE requirements for natural and organic cosmetics, ensuring premium raw materials and strict international criteria for the NATRUE Label. Used by cosmetics certification bodies.

Quantifiable outcome

• Monitoring over 77 certification bodies across 75 countries
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Better Cotton Initiative (BCI)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026IOAS has received ISO 17065 compliance recognition from IOAS (as external accreditor) to evaluate and accredit all certification bodies within the BCI system. BCI engaged over 50 certification bodies to conduct audits. This is a significant expansion of IOAS's scope into cotton certification.
• Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI)coreOthersIOAS is a full signatory member of Global ACI (established January 2026 from merger of IAF and ILAC). Existing accreditations continue to be recognized as arrangements transition to Global ACI MRA.
• Asia Pacific Accreditation Cooperation (APAC)coreOthersIOAS is a member of APAC and signatory of the Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Product Certification. Subject to thorough assessments every four years against ISO/IEC 17011 and IAF requirements.
• International Accreditation Forum (IAF)coreOthersIOAS is a signatory of IAF Multi-Lateral Agreement (MLA) for ISO/IEC 17065 scope. Accreditation bodies and Regional Accreditation Group members undergo rigorous evaluation to ensure compliance with international standards.
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOAS is designated as a Conformity Verification Body (CVB) under the Canada Organic Regime. CFIA approves CVBs to assess certification bodies' ability to conduct inspection and certification for organic products sold in Canadian market. CFIA conducts full reassessments of IOAS every five years.
• IFOAM - Organics InternationalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOAS was founded in 1997 by IFOAM - Organics International, a non-profit organization dedicated to advancing organic agriculture globally. IOAS was created to develop the IFOAM accreditation program, fostering trust between certification bodies in organic agriculture.
• European Commission (DG AGRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIOAS is the main oversight body for certification bodies outside the EU seeking recognition under Regulation (EU) 2018/848 for organic product export to European Union. IOAS has a legacy spanning the entire history of EU organic regulations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB): U.S.-based accreditation body that accredits management systems, product, and personnel certification bodies under ISO/IEC 17065 and related standards. Directly comparable to IOAS as a signatory accreditation body serving U.S. and global CBs.
• International Accreditation Service (IAS): U.S.-based non-profit accreditation body that accredits certification, inspection, and testing bodies across multiple industries. Closely comparable to IOAS in mission, geography, and ISO/IEC 17011 compliance.
• A2LA (American Association for Laboratory Accreditation): U.S. non-profit accrediting testing/calibration laboratories and inspection bodies to ISO standards. Operates the same accreditation-body model as IOAS, including peer-review surveillance.
• Perry Johnson Registrars (PJLA): U.S. accreditation body accrediting calibration, testing, and inspection bodies to ISO/IEC 17025 and 17020. Comparable to IOAS as a specialist U.S. accreditation body serving global CBs and inspection bodies.

Broad incumbents

• UK Accreditation Service (UKAS): U.K. government-backed national accreditation body and the largest in the world, accrediting CBs across all sectors. Similar accreditation-body model to IOAS but with much broader scope, national-government mandate, and deeper resource base.
• Deutsche Akkreditierungsstelle (DAkkS): Germany's national accreditation body, accrediting CBs across all major sectors. Comparable operating model to IOAS as an accreditation body but with broader sector mandate and government backing.
• COFRAC (Comité Français d'Accréditation): France's national accreditation body accrediting certification, testing, and inspection bodies. Same IAF MLA-signatory operating model as IOAS, with a broader sector remit.
• Standards Council of Canada / Accreditation Canada: Canada's national accreditation body overseeing CBs across industries, including CFIA-recognized accreditation. Directly comparable in role to IOAS within Canada, especially for organic/food regulatory oversight.

Regional players

• National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies (NABCB, India): India's accreditation body for certification bodies under the Quality Council of India. Operates the same IAF-aligned accreditation model as IOAS but serves a regional market.
• CNAS (China National Accreditation Service for Conformity Assessment): China's national accreditation body for certification, inspection, and testing bodies. Comparable accreditation-body operating model to IOAS, but serves a single national jurisdiction at very large scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ioas-inc
• Xx.com/ioas_org

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Organic Accreditation Service