Resources · Certification benchmarks
ISO certification statistics: what the ISO Survey counts, and what it does not
The ISO Survey is ISO’s annual snapshot of valid certificates to some of its management system standards worldwide. Here is what it measures, where to find it and how to read it.
The ISO Survey
A count of valid certificates, published by ISO since 1993
ISO has run the survey since 1993 to show how many valid certificates there are in each country for the main ISO management system standards. From 2025 it is compiled from anonymised, aggregated data in IAF CertSearch and counts certificates issued by certification bodies accredited by members of the Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI). The dataset can be downloaded free of charge after logging in to IAF CertSearch.
Read the figures for what they are. The survey counts certificates, not organisations, so a total is not the number of certified companies. It covers only certificates from accredited certification bodies that are uploaded to IAF CertSearch, and ISO notes that accreditation is not compulsory. ISO does not certify, and neither does Sterling: an accredited certification body audits and decides.
Standard by standard
The main management system standards
ISO’s survey page does not publish headline totals, so none are shown here; the current count for each standard is in the ISO Survey dataset on IAF CertSearch.
- ISO 9001 certification consultingQuality management systems: what the standard requires and how certification works.
- ISO 14001 certification consultingEnvironmental management systems: requirements, scope and the certification route.
- ISO/IEC 27001 certification consultingInformation security management systems: risk, Annex A controls and certification.
- ISO 45001 certification consultingOccupational health and safety management systems: hazards, legal register and certification.
- ISO 22000 certification consultingFood safety management systems: prerequisite programmes, hazard control and certification.
- ISO 13485 certification consultingQuality management for medical devices: design, regulatory links and certification.
- ISO 50001 certification consultingEnergy management systems: energy review, baselines and certification.
- How to verify an ISO 9001 certificate, and how to spot a fake or a misleading oneHow to check a certificate you are shown, including through IAF CertSearch.
- Accredited certification bodies: how to choose one and check itWhy accreditation matters to the figures, and how to confirm a body is accredited.
A figure will appear on a card only once it can be confirmed from ISO’s own pages, with the survey year beside it. The full list of standards is in the menu.
- 60+countries where Sterling has delivered certification
- 21countries with a Sterling office, eight regions, one coordinated team
- 2003the year the group began implementing ISO management systems; the same method, refined, since
- 8,100+client engagements across the group, from single-site SMEs to multinationals
FAQs
Questions about ISO certification statistics
Short answers on what the survey measures and where to find it.
Where do I find the latest ISO certification statistics?
Start at ISO’s survey page, which links to IAF CertSearch. Log in to IAF CertSearch to download the ISO Survey dataset free of charge.
Does the ISO Survey count certified organisations?
No. It counts valid certificates, so a total is not the number of certified organisations.
Is a certificate from a non-accredited body included?
The survey counts certificates issued by certification bodies accredited by members of Global ACI. ISO notes that accreditation is not compulsory, so a certificate from a non-accredited body would not appear in the count.
Talk to a consultant
Plan your certification with a Sterling consultant
Tell us your goals, locations and target date. We’ll help you define the scope, timeline and next steps.
hello@sterling-grc.com+1 201 263 4443 (global headquarters) · your nearest office and its number are at the top of this page
What would you like to achieve?
Choose a starting point. The enquiry form takes about a minute.
Book my free discovery callContinue to the enquiry form to share your details. Please do not include passwords, sensitive personal information or confidential files. A Sterling consultant replies within one working day. Privacy notice