Why this matters to your organisation
Defensibility under scrutiny
Accredited findings withstand regulator, legal and procurement review without rework.
International recognition
A NATA-endorsed report is recognised across more than 100 economies under the ILAC and APAC Mutual Recognition Arrangements — tested once, accepted everywhere.
Independent verification of impartiality and competence
SCG operates as a Type C inspection body with documented impartiality safeguards that are independently assessed by NATA at every cycle.
NATA ISO/IEC 17020 accredited inspection body
SCG is accredited by NATA to ISO/IEC 17020 as an independent inspection body. This accredited capability strengthens our broader consulting, risk advisory and management systems work by allowing us to provide impartial conformity assessments, inspections and audits within scope across:
NATA accreditation means an inspection body has demonstrated to an independent peer-review team that it meets the requirements of ISO/IEC 17020 and is competent to perform inspections within its accredited scope. For clients, this supports confidence in the governance, impartiality, technical competence, evidence traceability and defensibility of the work.
Accreditation and certification are different
ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation confirms competence and impartiality for defined inspection activities.
ISO 9001 certification confirms a quality management system is in place.
Where the work is within scope, our accredited reports provide evidence-based findings that can support regulator engagement, due diligence, internal assurance programs and board-level reporting. Outside accredited scope, SCG still supports clients through practical consulting, management systems improvement and independent review, but without issuing NATA-endorsed deliverables.
Accredited for compliance with ISO/IEC 17020, Facility No. 020913. Accreditation is scope-based — an accreditation claim only applies to the inspection activities listed in the published scope.
Type C inspection body status
Under ISO/IEC 17020, inspection bodies are categorised by their relationship to the parties whose items they inspect. SCG operates as a Type C inspection body, meaning we may carry out advisory and consulting activities alongside accredited inspection work, provided documented impartiality safeguards separate the two functions.
Those safeguards include organisational separation between the inspection function and other services, formal impartiality risk analysis, management oversight, and personnel rotation rules. They are independently assessed by NATA at every accreditation cycle.
Type C is not a weaker form of accreditation
It is the recognised ISO/IEC 17020 framework for organisations that combine inspection with advisory services, provided impartiality safeguards are documented and independently assessed.
For clients, this is the structural reason SCG can offer both practical consulting and accredited independent assurance without conflict: the safeguards are explicit, documented and externally verified.
Integrated management system
SCG operates an Integrated Management System (IMS) aligned to the standards that underpin our governance, delivery controls and continual improvement.
- ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems (AS/NZS ISO 9001:2016)*
- ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems (AS/NZS ISO 14001:2016)
- ISO/IEC 17020 Conformity Assessment, Inspection Bodies (AS/NZS ISO 17020:2013)
- ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (AS/NZS ISO 45001:2018)
Our IMS reflects our commitment to:
- Consistent, controlled delivery supported by continual improvement and clear accountability
- Minimising adverse environmental impacts associated with our operations and services
- Independent, impartial and technically competent inspection and conformity assessment within accredited scope
- A safe and healthy working environment for our people and others affected by our work
* Our IMS is also certified to ISO 9001 by a JAS-ANZ accredited conformity assessment body.
Exemplar Global certified lead auditors
Exemplar Global is an international personnel certification body for management system auditors. Unlike NATA accreditation or ISO 9001 certification, which apply to an organisation, Exemplar Global certifies individuals — assessing an auditor’s knowledge, skills and audit experience against a defined competency scheme.
Lead Auditor certification signifies that an auditor has demonstrated competence to plan, lead and report a management system audit — not simply to participate in one. For clients, it means the person conducting the audit has had their competence independently assessed, and that findings reflect recognised audit practice rather than individual opinion.
SCG consultants hold Exemplar Global Lead Auditor certification across the standards below. Individual certifications are listed on each consultant’s profile on our team page. The standards and sectors these apply to are set out across our services.
Three different things, often confused
Accreditation (NATA, ISO/IEC 17020) confirms SCG is competent and impartial to perform inspections within a defined scope.
Certification (Southpac, ISO 9001) confirms SCG’s own management system meets a standard.
Personnel certification (Exemplar Global) confirms an individual auditor’s competence. It does not accredit or certify the organisation.
Prequalified on key panels
SCG is registered on major procurement panels and supplier platforms, which can support faster engagement and reduce procurement friction for government and Tier 1 buyers. This does not replace normal scoping or due diligence, but it does provide an added level of commercial readiness.
