The Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation expands its international recognition for ISO 37001 Anti-Bribery Management Systems.

April 23, 2026 – Prague (Czech Republic)

During the mid-year meetings organized by Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) in Prague, the Inter-American Accreditation Cooperation (IAAC) received official approval for an extension of scope under the Global ACI Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA) for Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS).

The approval, effective as of April 23, 2026, includes the following normative documents:

• Level 4: ISO/IEC TS 17021-9:2016
• Level 5: ISO 37001:2016 – Anti-Bribery Management Systems (ABMS)

This recognition strengthens the international scope of IAAC’s MLA for management systems certification and represents a significant step forward for the Americas region in terms of integrity, transparency, and confidence in conformity assessment.

The ISO 37001 standard establishes requirements for implementing, maintaining, and improving anti-bribery management systems in public, private, and non-profit organizations. Its purpose is to support organizations in preventing, detecting, and addressing bribery-related risks, while promoting stronger, more transparent corporate governance practices aligned with international compliance standards.

In a global environment where business ethics, transparency, and risk management are increasingly important for operating in national and international markets, accredited certification under ISO 37001 has become a valuable tool for building confidence among customers, regulatory authorities, investors, and other interested parties.

As part of this extension of scope approved under the Global ACI MRA, the following Accreditation Bodies (ABs) in the region were recognized for this sub-scope:

• National Accreditation Body of Colombia (ONAC) – Colombia.
• National Institute of Quality (INACAL) – Peru.
•  Salvadoran Accreditation Body (OSA) – El Salvador.

Additionally, other IAAC member bodies already hold recognition for this sub-scope through other international multilateral agreements, including:

• ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) – United States.
• Ecuadorian Accreditation Service (SAE) – Ecuador.
• Mexican Accreditation Entity (ema) – Mexico.

Thanks to the IAAC MLA and the international recognition within the Global ACI framework, certificates issued by certification bodies accredited under this sub-scope will benefit from greater acceptance and recognition among participating economies, helping reduce technical barriers to trade and strengthening confidence in conformity assessment results across the region.

Furthermore, this scope extension enhances opportunities for accredited Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs) by facilitating the regional and international recognition of their ISO 37001 certificates, promoting greater competitiveness and confidence in their services.

This achievement reaffirms IAAC’s and its members’ commitment to strengthening quality infrastructure, international cooperation, and the promotion of reliable accreditation systems that add value to markets, organizations, and society.