Scope of certification: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)
The scope of certification (French: périmètre de certification) describes what an ISO 53001 certificate covers: activities, sites, entities and, where relevant, exclusions. The certification body sets it, based on the scope declared by the organisation and on what the audit was able to verify.
Updated: · edition covered: ISO/UNDP 53001:2026
In an ISO/UNDP 53001 audit
The auditor checks that the proposed scope matches the system actually audited. A certificate cannot mention an activity that was not examined, and wording broader than reality would mislead anyone who consults it.
Any change, whether a new site, a new activity or a disposal, must be reported to the certification body, which decides whether an extension audit is needed. A reduction of scope can also be imposed if part of the system no longer meets the requirements. See certificate and logo use and the ISO/UNDP 53001 standard.
Certificate scope and system scope
The two scopes are close but not identical. The organisation sets the scope of its system; the certification body writes the certificate scope after verifying it, and may phrase it more narrowly if part of the system could not be examined. The wording on the certificate must let a reader tell which sites and activities are covered without having to ask.
See also
- Scope: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)The scope (French: *domaine d'application*) sets the boundaries of the SDG management system: activities, products or services, sites and entities covered.
- Certificate: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)A certificate (French: *certificat*) is the document issued by a certification body after a favourable decision.
- Certification cycle: definition (ISO/UNDP 53001)The certification cycle (French: *cycle de certification*) is the three-year period covered by an ISO 53001 certificate.