This document specifies the requirements and guidance for the accreditation of Standards Development Organizations (SDOs). For the purposes of expediency, the acronym R&G – SDO Accreditation will be used.

The SDO accreditation requirements are in line with accepted international standards best practices derived from the World Trade Organization, Technical Barriers to Trade (WTO/TBT), Annex 3 provisions, ISO/IEC Guide 59 Code of good practice for standardization, and the following Canadian principles: consensus; equal access and effective participation by concerned interests; respect for diverse interests and identification of those who should be afforded access to provide the needed balance of interests; mechanism for duplication resolution; openness and transparency; open access by interested parties to the procedures guiding the standards development process; clarity with respect to the processes; safeguarding Canadian interest as the basis for the development of standards by SDOs; and avoiding duplication of standards or overlap with the work of other SDOs or with the work of relevant international or regional SDOs.

SCC accreditation of an SDO grants the responsibility for the development, publication, and maintenance of National Standards of Canada and adoptions in compliance with SCC’s Requirements & Guidance for SDOs (R&Gs for SDOs which are described in two documents: the R&G – SDO Accreditation, and the Requirements & Guidance - National Adoptions of International/Regional Standards and Other Deliverables). Note that Consensus SDO Standards published by SDOs which are compliant to SCC requirements are expected to be transitioned under the NSC branding utilizing their established maintenance cycles. 

A new clause 8 is included outling the requirements and guidance to maintain SCC accreditation. This section includes direction to ensure SDOs transition to SCC’s requirements as they are updated and that they align their procedures to remain compliant. It hightlights the assessment process used by SCC to verify compliance. As well, that the accredited SDO process delivers published NSCs.

A new clause 9 is included outlining the requirements and guidance to obtain self-declaration status. This section includes specific criteria for SDOs to meet to successfully achieve and maintain this status. SCC’s evaluation of compliance to these criteria may involve specific assessments of affected SDO processes, which may be in addition to the normal accreditation assessments. Non-compliance of the self-declaration criteria may lead to withdrawal of the self-declaration status. Note that self-declaration status is voluntary and an SCC-accredited SDO may remain in good accreditation standing without having achieved self-declaration status or if this status is withdrawn.

This document was prepared for, and approved by, the Governing Council of the Standards Council of Canada (SCC) on June 13, 2019. It replaces the 2017 edition of the Requirements & Guidance – Accreditation of Standards Development Organizations. 

The design of this document was updated on April 14, 2021. The content of this document was published on June 13, 2019.