AACB Association of Accredited Certification Bodies

What AACB Association of Accredited Certification Bodies does

AACB (Association of Accredited Certification Bodies) is an Australian nonprofit industry association incorporated under the Associations Incorporation Act 1985, representing accredited certification bodies, conformity assessment bodies, and inspection bodies operating across Oceania. The association's core function is to serve as the collective voice of its 34 financial members in liaising with JAS-ANZ (the joint Australia–New Zealand accreditation body), Standards Australia, regulators, and government departments. Its primary deliverables are membership services, quarterly face-to-face meetings with JAS-ANZ and other stakeholders, representation on Standards Australia technical committees (including QR-012 Conformance Marking), and four specialized chapter programs covering Product Certification, Health & Human Services, Management Systems, and Food Safety.

AACB does not develop or sell technology products; its underlying "platform" is the institutional relationship infrastructure with JAS-ANZ and standards bodies, maintained through governance documents including a Code of Conduct and Service Charters for General and Associate Members. The association is run by a volunteer Executive Committee (Chair Fiona Loughlan, Vice Chair Leon Michailidis, Secretary/Treasurer Adam Maxwell) and operates with a staff of approximately 5.

The business model is a subscription-recurring membership fee structure. Full Members pay tiered annual fees ranging from AU$925 (for certification bodies with revenue under AU$2M) to AU$2,775 (for revenue over AU$20M), while Associate Members (industry groups, government agencies, accreditation bodies, regulatory bodies) pay a flat AU$500 annually. New members pay a one-time AU$300 administration fee. The membership year runs on a calendar basis with fees invoiced in January. Marketing is conducted via the association website, LinkedIn, and quarterly events, with no commercial sales motion; member acquisition is driven by peer referral and the structural necessity of IAF/ILAC accreditation for certification bodies operating in the region.

Name

AACB Association of Accredited Certification Bodies

Legal name

Association of Accredited Certification Bodies

Website

https://aacb.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AACB is an Australian nonprofit industry association representing 34 accredited certification bodies across Oceania. It provides membership services, quarterly meetings with JAS-ANZ, and Standards Australia committee representation, funded by tiered annual membership fees.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Accreditation Standards, Benchmarking & Framework Organizations (EDADACAJ)

akta.pro secondary industry

Governance & Board Effectiveness Advisory (BPAHAFAC)

Keywords

• Industry association services
• Accreditation body representation
• Certification body membership
• Conformity assessment advocacy
• Professional association networking

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: AACB generates revenue through annual membership fees from Full Members and Associate Members. Full Members pay a tiered fee based on revenue (AU$925 to AU$2,775 annually), while Associate Members pay a flat AU$500 annual fee. An administration fee of AU$300 applies for new members. The membership year runs on a calendar basis with fees invoiced each January.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

AACB is a nonprofit industry association that represents accredited certification bodies (Conformity Assessment Bodies) across Australia and New Zealand. It sells membership services to certification bodies, providing collective industry representation, peer networking, regular meetings (typically four per year), committee representation on Standards Australia and JAS-ANZ technical committees, and advocacy with regulators and government departments.

Product overview

AACB (Association of Accredited Certification Bodies) is an industry association representing accredited certification bodies in Oceania. Rather than a software product company, AACB offers membership services including regular meetings (AACB Meetings 1-4 per year), committee representation on Standards Australia and JAS-ANZ technical committees, and specialized chapters for Product Certification, Health & Human Services, Management Systems, and Food Safety. The association provides governance through its Code of Conduct and Service Charters for full and associate members, functioning as a collective voice for regulators and industry consistency.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• AACB Membership Services
• AACB Quarterly Meetings
• Chapter Programs
• Committee Representation Services

Named customers12 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJAS-ANZ is the primary accreditation body for Australia and New Zealand. AACB maintains a close working relationship with JAS-ANZ, with JAS-ANZ senior management actively participating in AACB meetings to facilitate two-way feedback. JAS-ANZ provides formal arrangements with international accreditation organizations. JAS-ANZ offices in Canberra are used for some AACB meetings.
• Standards AustraliacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAACB members nominate representatives for various technical and scheme committees of Standards Australia. This provides AACB with influence over standards development relevant to the certification industry.
• International Standards Organisation (ISO)minorOthersISO is referenced as a useful link and relevant international standards organization for AACB members. AACB members work with ISO standards for certification purposes.
• Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)minorOthersFSANZ is listed as a useful link for AACB members, relevant to certification in the food standards sector.
• World Health OrganisationminorOthersWHO is listed as a useful link for AACB members, potentially relevant for health-related certification activities.
• Kiwa GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCompass Assurance Services, an AACB member, is part of the Kiwa and SHV Group of Companies, providing global reach for certification services.
• SHV GroupminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSHV Group is the parent company of MSC Global and Compass Assurance Services, AACB members, with over 55,000 employees worldwide.
• United Registrar of Systems LtdminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorUnited Registrar of Systems Australia is the Australasian representative office for URS Ltd, a UKAS accredited certification body operating in more than 30 countries.

Scale indicators1 record

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights4 records

Regional players

• UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service): The national accreditation body for the United Kingdom. Functions as a counterpart to JAS-ANZ in the UK and operates within the same IAF/ILAC mutual recognition framework that AACB's members rely on.
• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB): US-based accreditation body that accredits certification bodies in North America. A structural peer to JAS-ANZ and the implicit counterparty to many of AACB's member firms that operate globally.

Broad incumbents

• TIC Council: Global industry association representing Testing, Inspection and Certification firms (BSI, Bureau Veritas, SGS, DNV, TÜV Rheinland, etc.). AACB is the Oceania-specific regional equivalent focused on accredited certification bodies rather than the broader TIC value chain.
• IAF (International Accreditation Forum): Worldwide association of accreditation bodies that establishes mutual recognition agreements. AACB's membership requirement that certification bodies hold accreditation from IAF-recognised bodies makes IAF the global structural anchor of AACB's relevance.
• ILAC (International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation): Global association for laboratory and inspection body accreditation, working alongside IAF. Provides the mutual recognition framework referenced by AACB's membership criteria for certification bodies.

Others

• Standards Australia: Australia's national standards body and core partner of AACB through committee representation. While not a peer in the competitive sense, it operates in the same accreditation/standards ecosystem that AACB is built to engage with.
• JAS-ANZ (Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand): The accreditation body for Australia and New Zealand — not a competitor but a close structural partner. AACB's value proposition is built around interaction with JAS-ANZ, making it the most directly linked counterpart organization.

Direct peers

• IRCA (International Register of Certificated Auditors): International certification body for management systems auditors, operated by the Chartered Quality Institute. Comparable in serving the auditor/certification professional community, but with a global rather than regional remit.
• IIOC (Independent International Organization for Certification): International association of accredited certification bodies promoting consistent standards and mutual recognition. Closely comparable in mission and structure to AACB, with broader geographic reach.
• Independent Association of Accredited Registrars (IAAR): US-based association of accredited certification bodies (registrars) operating under the ANAB/RABQSA accreditation framework. Directly comparable in mission, structure, and member profile to AACB but serving the North American market.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/aacb

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about AACB Association of Accredited Certification Bodies