AB Certification
AB Certification is a Paris-headquartered independent French certification body accredited by COFRAC, offering ISO and sector-specific certification, inspection, and audit services to 3,500+ organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, training, recycling, and social/medico-social sectors via a network of 250 auditors operating in France and internationally.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What AB Certification does
AB Certification is a France-based independent certification body founded in 1995 (per company history) / 1997 (per firmographics) and headquartered in Paris (17 rue de Châteaudun, 75009). It operates as a mission-driven enterprise (Entreprise à Mission) under the French PACTE law and is accredited by COFRAC under ISO/IEC 17021 (scopes n°4-0023 and n°4-0640), ISO/IEC 17020 (n°3-2000), and ISO/IEC 17065 (n°5-0579), as well as habilitated by the Haute Autorité de Santé (HAS). Its portfolio covers approximately 25+ ISO and sector-specific referentials spanning quality (ISO 9001), environment (ISO 14001), health and safety (ISO 45001), energy (ISO 50001), information security (ISO 27001/27701), medical devices (ISO 13485), food safety (ISO 22000), compliance (ISO 37301), social responsibility (ISO 26000), education (ISO 21001, QUALIOPI), business continuity (ISO 22301), and sustainable events (ISO 20121), plus France-specific regulatory frameworks (CERTIREM for towing/recovery, PSDM for home health providers, VHU for end-of-life vehicles, IDPPM for pharmaceutical promotion, and ESSMS evaluations for social/medico-social establishments).
The technology stack is non-software: AB Certification is a professional services organization, not a product company. Its core "platform" is a methodology of conformity assessment audits delivered by a network of 250 qualified auditors (likely contracted rather than employed, given the 11–50 core headcount), governed by an independent Impartiality Committee (Comité d'Impartialité), and supported by a digital client portal (v2beta.abcertification.com/login) for certification lifecycle management. Operational scope is delivered through a coordinated international network with offices in France (HQ), Italy (AB Certificazione — subsidiary), USA, Lebanon, and Benin.
The business model is professional services: quote-based, customized pricing for audit and certification engagements billed on multi-year certification cycles (typically 3 years: initial certification + surveillance + renewal). Revenue streams include (1) certification and audit services against ISO and sector-specific referentials, (2) accredited inspection and evaluation services (notably ESSMS under ISO/IEC 17020 and IDPPM), and (3) referential engineering and label design for organizations formalizing measurable commitments. Adjacent revenue comes from auditor training via subsidiary FREA Formations (IRCA-certified). Customer acquisition runs primarily through direct sales, the website quote-request funnel, content marketing (blog articles on ISO/sector regulatory updates), LinkedIn presence, and sector-specific event participation (e.g., REMORK SHOW). Customer base spans 3,500+ certified clients across manufacturing, training organizations, social/medico-social establishments, healthcare, automotive/recycling, and SMEs/TPEs, with a 97% client loyalty rate.
AB Certification firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- AB Certification
- Legal name
- AB Certification
- Website
- https://abcertification.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- AB Certification is a Paris-headquartered independent French certification body accredited by COFRAC, offering ISO and sector-specific certification, inspection, and audit services to 3,500+ organizations across manufacturing, healthcare, training, recycling, and social/medico-social sectors via a network of 250 auditors operating in France and internationally.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
AB Certification industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Certification and Audit Services
- NAICS
- Testing Laboratories and Services (54138), Testing Laboratories and Services (541380), Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)
- SIC
- Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF (AFALACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Integrated Management System Certification (Food Safety + Quality/Environment/OHS) (AFALACAI), Certification Program Administration & Scheme Management (Standard Owners) (AFALACAC)
Keywords
Where AB Certification is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices5 records
Markets served
AB Certification business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Certification and Audit Services: AB Certification generates revenue by charging organizations fees for audit and certification services against international ISO standards (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, ISO 27001, ISO 13485, etc.) and sector-specific referentials (QUALIOPI, CERTIREM, ESSMS, IDPPM, PSDM, VHU, etc.). Revenue is generated through initial certification audits, surveillance audits, and renewal audits conducted over multi-year certification cycles. Pricing is quote-based and customized based on the number of sites, headcount, activities, and audit scope.
- Inspection and Evaluation Services: AB Certification conducts accredited inspections and evaluations, particularly for ESSMS (Établissements et Services Sociaux et Médico-Sociaux) under ISO/IEC 17020, and IDPPM (Information Promotionnelle des Médicaments), providing additional service revenue streams.
- Referential Engineering and Label Design: AB Certification designs, structures, and evolves referentials and labels for organizations seeking to formalize measurable commitments, generating fees for custom referential development services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Custom quote-based pricing tailored to each organization's certification scope |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels5 records
AB Certification product offering
Product offeringCore offering
AB Certification is an independent French certification and audit body delivering conformity assessments against international ISO standards (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 50001, 27001, 13485, 22000, 21001, 37301, 26000, 27701, 20121, 22301) and sector-specific referentials (QUALIOPI, CERTIREM, ESSMS, IDPPM, PSDM, VHU). Services encompass initial certification audits, surveillance audits, renewal audits, regulatory inspections, and ESSMS evaluations conducted by a network of 250 qualified auditors across multi-year certification cycles.
Product overview
AB Certification is an independent certification and audit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of certification, evaluation, and inspection services. The portfolio encompasses ISO management system certifications (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 50001, ISO 27001, ISO 13485, ISO 22000, ISO 21001, ISO 37301, ISO 26000, ISO 27701, ISO 20121, ISO 22301), sector-specific certifications (QUALIOPI for training organizations, CERTIREM for breakdown/towing services, VHU for end-of-life vehicles, PSDM for home health providers, IDPPM for pharmaceutical promotion, Entreprise à Mission), and ESSMS evaluations for social/medico-social establishments. The company operates alongside related services including regulatory inspection, framework engineering, and auditor training through FREA. A digital client portal provides account management capabilities. Services are delivered through COFRAC-accredited processes with a network of 250+ qualified auditors serving 3,500+ certified clients across France and international operations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- FREA Formations: Formation organization of the AB Group, training internal and external auditors on ISO standards and regulatory evaluation requirements. IRCA certified training paths available for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.
Products and services
- ISO 9001 Certification - Quality Management International standard certification for quality management systems enabling organizations to demonstrate structured processes, improved customer satisfaction, and effective operational performance.
- ISO 14001 Certification - Environmental Management International standard certification for environmental management systems helping organizations identify, control, and reduce environmental impacts while ensuring regulatory compliance.
- ISO 45001 Certification - Occupational Health and Safety International standard certification for occupational health and safety management systems enabling organizations to identify hazards, assess risks, and implement measures to protect worker health and safety.
- ISO 50001 Certification - Energy Management International standard certification for energy management systems helping organizations improve energy performance, reduce consumption, and manage costs sustainably.
- ISO 13485 Certification - Medical Devices Quality management system certification for medical devices and associated services, ensuring control of design, manufacturing, traceability, risk management, and regulatory compliance for the European Medical Device Regulation.
- ISO 27001 Certification - Information Security Information security management system certification protecting sensitive information (customer data, patents, HR, financial, medical), managing digital risks, and ensuring regulatory compliance including GDPR.
- QUALIOPI Certification - Training Organizations French certification for training organizations demonstrating quality of training, VAE (skills assessment), or career guidance services, required for access to public funding.
- ISO 21001 Certification - Educational Organizations International standard certification for educational management systems applied to education and training organizations.
- ISO 37301 Certification - Compliance Management Compliance management system certification helping organizations demonstrate ethical behavior, legal compliance, and governance integrity.
- ISO 22000 Certification - Food Safety Food safety management system certification ensuring sanitary safety of food products throughout production and distribution chain.
- ISO 26000 Certification - Social Responsibility (RSE) Social responsibility standard certification helping organizations demonstrate commitment to ethical practices, social impact, and environmental responsibility.
- ISO 27701 Certification - Personal Information Management (PIMS) Personal information management system certification extending ISO 27001 to protect personal data privacy, particularly relevant for GDPR compliance.
- ISO 20121 Certification - Sustainable Event Management Sustainable event management system certification helping organizations demonstrate commitment to responsible event planning and execution.
- ISO 22301 Certification - Business Continuity Business continuity management system certification enabling organizations to continue operating during disruptions and recover quickly from incidents.
- CERTIREM Certification - Breakdown and Towing Services Service certification for light and heavy vehicle breakdown and towing professionals, developed by ADAF, ensuring quality of service, intervention timelines, technical compliance, operator competencies, and intervention traceability.
- PSDM Certification - Home Health Service Providers Certification for Home Health Service Providers and Material Distributors (PSDM) based on HAS framework with 60 criteria covering ethics, service delivery, support functions, and quality/risk management.
- VHU Certification - End-of-Life Vehicles Certification for End-of-Life Vehicle (ELV) treatment professionals including VHU centers, shredders, demolishers, and eco-organisms, based on 2023 decree requirements for regulatory compliance, traceability, depollution, and material recovery.
- IDPPM Certification - Pharmaceutical Promotion Mandatory certification for pharmaceutical information and promotion activities, covering compliance with ethical rules, team training, message traceability, and quality systems ensuring independence and objectivity of delivered information.
- ESSMS Evaluation - Social and Medico-Social Establishments Evaluation of social and medico-social establishments and services based on HAS framework, mandatory every 5 years as condition for activity authorization renewal.
- Entreprise à Mission - Mission-Driven Company Certification Mission-driven company status certification under French PACTE law, verifying social and environmental objectives registered in company bylaws, requiring independent Mission Committee and third-party verification.
- FREA - Auditor Training Training services for internal and external auditors on ISO standards and regulatory evaluation requirements, including IRCA-certified programs for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001.
- Framework and Label Engineering Design, structure, and evolution of frameworks and labels for organizations seeking to formalize measurable commitments, including sector framework development and label creation.
Quantifiable outcome
- 97% client loyalty rate
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use AB Certification
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles6 records
AB Certification technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
AB Certification partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- FEDERRECcoreAB Certification and FEDERREC (Fédération de référence des professionnels du recyclage, du réemploi et de l'économie circulaire en France) have renewed their Premium partnership for a second consecutive year. AB Certification provides certification services to FEDERREC members for VHU (End-of-Life Vehicles), shredders, Sortie du Statut de Déchet (SSD), and ISO certifications (Quality, Environment, Safety, Energy). Approximately 250 FEDERREC member centers and 750+ recycling sector actors benefit from this partnership. The collaboration aims to support the recycling sector in meeting increasing compliance, traceability, and environmental performance requirements.
- ADAF (Association pour le Développement de l'Assistance en France)coreAB Certification partnered with ADAF (Association for the Development of Assistance in France) and Mobilians to participate in REMORK SHOW, the leading trade show for the towing and recovery sector. ADAF initiated the development of the CERTIREM certification referential, and AB Certification serves as the accredited certification body for this sector-specific certification. Over 100 companies have already been certified under CERTIREM through this partnership.
- MobiliansminorAB Certification partnered with Mobilians at the REMORK SHOW trade show to engage with towing and recovery professionals. Mobilians represents professionals in the mobility and roadside assistance sector, and AB Certification provides CERTIREM certification services to their member network.
- AB Certificazione (Italy)coreAB Certificazione is the Italian entity of the AB Certification group, strongly established in Italy across multiple international management system standards and serving industries including industry, services, agri-food, and construction. It supports both Italian companies and multisite organizations operating across several countries.
- Technical Partners in Middle East / Near EastminorAB Certification develops partnerships in the Near and Middle East with industrial, institutional, and academic actors through its presence in Lebanon, with activities extending to several countries in the region and Asia Minor. Regional partners facilitate the conduct of audits adapted to local expectations, regulatory specificities, and constraints.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
AB Certification competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Bureau Veritas Certification: Bureau Veritas is a global leader in testing, inspection, and certification (TIC), with a major French certification business offering ISO and sector-specific certifications. It is directly comparable to AB Certification across ISO 9001/14001/45001 and operates as one of the dominant players AB positions against as TOP 5.
- SGS: SGS is the world's largest testing, inspection, and certification company with global ISO and sector certification services. Comparable to AB Certification in offering ISO 9001/14001/45001/27001 and sector certifications, with overlapping reach into Europe and the Middle East.
- TÜV Rheinland / TÜV SÜD: TÜV Rheinland and TÜV SÜD are global TIC players offering ISO management system certification, ISO 13485 medical device certification, and sector certifications directly comparable to AB Certification's portfolio. They compete for the same large multinational and French clients.
- Intertek: Intertek is a global TIC company providing management system certification, product certification, and related compliance services. Directly comparable to AB Certification across ISO standards, with a broader geographic footprint and overlapping sector verticals.
- Eurofins Certification: Eurofins is a global testing and certification group offering management system certification alongside its dominant food, environmental, and pharmaceutical testing business. Comparable to AB Certification across ISO 22000, ISO 14001, and ISO 13485 verticals.
- DEKRA Certification: DEKRA is a global TIC company with management system certification, product certification, and sector audits. Comparable to AB Certification across ISO standards, with strong presence in Europe and operations in adjacent compliance areas.
- LRQA (now part of BM3 Trada): LRQA is a global certification body offering ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 27001 and sector certifications. Comparable to AB Certification in management system certification portfolio and target client base of European and multinational organizations.
Direct peers
- AFNOR Certification: AFNOR Certification is the certification arm of the French standards body, offering ISO management system certifications, QUALIOPI, and sector referentials directly comparable to AB Certification. It is a primary domestic competitor across virtually all of AB's French service lines.
- Apave: Apave is a major French TIC group offering ISO certification, technical inspection, and training services. Comparable to AB Certification in French ISO management system certification, with partial overlap in inspection and ESSMS-adjacent services.
Regional players
- Certisolis: Certisolis is a French certification body specialized in social and medico-social (ESSMS) evaluations, directly comparable to AB Certification's ESSMS evaluation offering under HAS habilitation. Small scale and France-only, it represents direct competition specifically in the ESSMS regulatory segment.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
AB Certification social profiles
Digital presenceAB Certification compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance13 records
AB Certification financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
AB Certification leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
AB Certification subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
AB Certification funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
AB Certification M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about AB Certification
What does AB Certification do?
AB Certification is an independent French certification and audit body delivering conformity assessments against international ISO standards (ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 50001, 27001, 13485, 22000, 21001, 37301, 26000, 27701, 20121, 22301) and sector-specific referentials (QUALIOPI, CERTIREM, ESSMS, IDPPM, PSDM, VHU). Services encompass initial certification audits, surveillance audits, renewal audits, regulatory inspections, and ESSMS evaluations conducted by a network of 250 qualified auditors across multi-year certification cycles.
Is AB Certification a public or private company?
AB Certification is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was AB Certification founded?
AB Certification was founded in 1995. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is AB Certification based?
AB Certification is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does AB Certification make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Certification and Audit Services are the primary driver. The others are inspection and Evaluation Services and referential Engineering and Label Design.
Who are AB Certification's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Bureau Veritas Certification, SGS, TÜV Rheinland / TÜV SÜD, Intertek, Eurofins Certification, DEKRA Certification and LRQA (now part of BM3 Trada). Direct peers are AFNOR Certification and Apave. Certisolis is listed as a regional player.
Does AB Certification have an API?
No public API is recorded for AB Certification.
What industry is AB Certification in?
AB Certification's product category is Certification and Audit Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFALACAA, Accredited Certification Bodies (CBs) – ISO 22000/FSSC 22000/BRCGS/SQF, with a secondary code of AFALACAI, Integrated Management System Certification (Food Safety + Quality/Environment/OHS). Its NAICS code is 54138 and its SIC code is 8734.