Certification and accreditation service industry refers to the general term of the organizational structure system of units or individuals engaged in the production and service of the nature of certification and accreditation services. Certification and accreditation is a third-party quality evaluation system implemented according to internationally accepted rules and standards. In China, certification and accreditation and measurement, standards, inspection and testing constitute the country's four major quality infrastructure. Certification, accreditation, inspection and testing is an internationally accepted and socially common quality management tool and trade facilitation tool. It is an important tool to prove the compliance of corporate organizations and their products and services, and to implement effective management of the supply chain. Its essential attribute is "transfer trust, Service development" is called the "physical inspection certificate" of quality management, the "letter of credit" of market economy, and the "pass" of international trade ". Certification, accreditation, inspection and testing through a common "technical language" can help companies integrate into the global supply chain and promote the value of the supply chain.

Certification and accreditation services industry has the following characteristics:

(1) The nature of the industry. Certification and accreditation service industry is a kind of modern service industry, high-tech service industry and science and technology service industry. It is an important part of national quality infrastructure, an important guarantee for national security, social public security and personal health and safety, and an important means to promote economic and social development.

(2) Industry size. The certification and accreditation service industry is a huge industry, covering the certification and accreditation inspection and testing activities in various fields of the national economy and society. According to the data of the State Administration of Market Supervision and Administration, by the end of 2020, there will be 724 approved certification bodies nationwide, 2.7 million valid certification certificates and 800000 certified organizations. 48000 inspection and testing institutions have been certified and 0.59 billion inspection and testing reports have been issued. There are 12381 recognized conformity assessment institutions of various types and 1.276 million certification certificates approved to use accreditation marks. The output value of the inspection, testing and certification service industry is 388.1 billion yuan, with an average annual growth rate of 15% during the "13th Five-Year Plan" period, making it the fastest growing and most potential inspection, testing and certification service market in the world.

(3) Industry structure. The structure of the certification and accreditation service industry mainly includes certification bodies, accreditation bodies, inspection and testing bodies, standardization bodies, technical service bodies and so on. The certification body refers to the body that evaluates the conformity of products, services, management systems, personnel, etc. in accordance with internationally accepted rules and standards, and issues certification certificates. Accreditation institutions refer to institutions that evaluate the capabilities of certification institutions, inspection and testing institutions, standardization institutions, etc., and grant accreditation qualifications in accordance with internationally accepted rules and standards. Inspection and testing institutions refer to institutions that conduct inspection and testing of products, services, environment, personnel, etc. in accordance with internationally accepted rules and standards, and issue inspection and testing reports. A standardization institution is an institution that formulates, issues, implements, maintains and manages standards in accordance with internationally accepted rules and standards. Technical service institutions refer to institutions that provide technical support, consultation, training, information, supervision and other services for certification, accreditation, inspection and testing activities.

(4) Industry characteristics. Certification and accreditation services industry has the following characteristics:

Professionalism. The certification and accreditation service industry involves a wide range of fields, requiring practitioners to have professional knowledge, skills and experience, and be able to skillfully use internationally accepted rules and standards to conduct objective, fair and accurate quality evaluation.

Technicality. The certification and accreditation service industry needs to use advanced technical means, such as the Internet, big data, artificial intelligence, blockchain, etc., to improve service efficiency and quality, and realize an intelligent, digital, and networked service model.

International. The certification and accreditation service industry follows internationally accepted rules and standards, participates in international cooperation and mutual recognition, promotes international trade facilitation, and enhances international influence and competitiveness.

Credibility. The certification and accreditation service industry is a third-party quality evaluation system, and its credibility is the lifeline of the industry. It requires practitioners and personnel to strictly abide by professional ethics and codes of conduct, maintain the principles of independence, impartiality and integrity, and are not affected and interfered by any interests.