The Swiss Accreditation Service SAS examines and accredits the following types of conformity assessment bodies (CABs) on the basis of the relevant international standards:
- Testing laboratories [SN EN ISO/IEC 17025]
- Calibration laboratories [SN EN ISO/IEC 17025]
- Medical laboratories [SN EN ISO 15189]
- Reference material producers [SN EN ISO 17034]
- Proficiency testing providers [SN EN ISO/IEC 17043]
- Inspection bodies [SN EN ISO/IEC 17020]
- Certification bodies for management systems [SN EN ISO/IEC 17021-1]
- Certification bodies for persons [SN EN ISO/IEC 17024]
- Certification bodies for products, processes and services [SN EN ISO/IEC 17065]
By means of accreditation (lat. accredere = to give credence to, believe, put faith in) the competence of a body to execute conformity assessments according to specified requirements is formally acknowledged. The aim of the accreditation is to strengthen the confidence in the competence and services of the CAB.