AIMS: TÜV NORD receives two accreditations in accordance with ISO/IEC 42001

With the increasing use of artificial intelligence (AI), the requirements for security, transparency and reliable control of AI systems are growing. TÜV NORD is one of the first certification bodies worldwide to be accredited to certify management systems for artificial intelligence (AIMS) according to ISO/IEC 42001. TÜV NORD CEO Dr Dirk Stenkamp and representatives of the Business Unit Certification have now received the accreditation certificates from the British accreditation body UKAS and the Dutch accreditation body RvA.

ISO/IEC 42001 is the world's first standard for management systems in the field of AI. It creates a framework for implementing and using AI systems responsibly and effectively, as well as for limiting risks. The aim is to protect people and society and to ensure compliance with ethical, data protection and safety requirements.

What was different about the TÜV NORD accreditation process was that it was carried out jointly by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and the Dutch Raad voor Accreditatie (RvA) to exploit synergies and speed up the process. Coordination with the accreditation bodies was handled by the TÜV NORD GROUP's Global Accreditation and Regulatory Management (GARM), which has been the central point of contact for accreditation issues since 1 January 2025. It is committed, among other things, to the harmonisation of accreditations and strengthening contacts with international accreditation bodies.

"Accreditation to ISO/IEC 42001 is a milestone in our mission to promote the safe and responsible use of AI technologies worldwide. We are committed to establishing and maintaining the highest standards in order to build trust in AI systems. The accreditation underscores our role as a pioneer in international cooperation and as a reliable partner for companies that want to make their AI processes secure and efficient," said Dr Dirk Stenkamp.

RvA Chairman Roeland Nieuweboer and Andrew Fletcher, Executive Director Commercial at UKAS, were present in Essen for the certificate presentation. They emphasised the great importance of the standard. As a co-founder of the AIQI consortium, UKAS aims to bring together international players in the field of quality infrastructure to develop a framework for the safe and ethical implementation of AI technologies. “The pilot for ISO/IEC 42001 has been instrumental in reinforcing the role of accreditation in strengthening confidence in society. Congratulations to the TÜV NORD team for their achievement as one of the first to obtain UKAS accreditation for this standard”, says Andrew Fletcher. Roeland Nieuweboer adds: “The fact that there is now a third party that can certify against ISO 42001 is extremely valuable. As we all know, Europe is facing a major challenge. With our knowledge economy, we can do much more in the field of Big Tech in the Netherlands and in Europe. The testing and certification sector in particular can be an enabler for technological progress and thus for increasing our prosperity and strengthening our resilience. With this accreditation, TÜV NORD underlines how important these issues are.”

TÜV NORD will certify companies worldwide according to ISO/IEC 42001 in future. “Our customers trust in our expertise, and the fact that we have received two accreditations confirms this,” says Wolfgang Wielpütz, Managing Director of the Business Unit Certification at TÜV NORD. “We are proud of our excellent cooperation with accreditation bodies such as DAkkS, UKAS and RvA, and look forward to further expansion of our expertise in the field of AI.”