Last Updated on December 23, 2025 by Hafsa J.

Why People and Resources Make or Break Accreditation

When I audit a certification body, I can usually tell in the first hour if they’ll pass.
It’s not because of fancy policies—it’s because of the people.

Clause 6 of ISO/IEC 17065 is where your certification body proves it has the right people, skills, and tools to deliver consistent, impartial certification results.
It’s the difference between a compliant system and a credible one.

If you’re preparing for accreditation, this section of the standard tells you exactly how to:

• Qualify and maintain competent personnel
• Control external experts and subcontractors
• Ensure you have the facilities, equipment, and infrastructure to perform your work

What Clause 6 Covers – The Backbone of Reliable Certification

Clause 6 might seem straightforward—it talks about “resources”—but it’s really about capability.
Accreditation bodies want to see that your certification decisions rest on verified competence, not assumptions.

It covers four main areas:

1. Personnel competence
2. External resources (like subcontractors and technical experts)
3. Facilities and technical infrastructure
4. Ongoing monitoring and improvement

Here’s what I’ve noticed: accreditation assessors pay close attention to this clause because it shows how solid your operations truly are.
Without competent people and reliable resources, even the best procedures collapse under pressure.

Pro Tip: Treat Clause 6 as your “competence engine.” Every other clause—especially Clause 7 on process requirements—depends on it.

Common Mistake: Assuming that a degree or CV alone proves competence. Accreditation requires ongoing evaluation and performance evidence.

Human Resources – Competence Is the Core

Clause 6.1 and 6.2 focus squarely on people.
Your team—auditors, reviewers, decision-makers—must have proven competence for every technical area and product they handle.

In practice, that means maintaining a competence matrix that shows:

• Who is qualified for what
• Their training, experience, and witness audits
• When they were last re-evaluated

Pro Tip: Keep the matrix simple and visual. Accreditation assessors love clarity.

I worked with a certification body that handled both electrical and food products.
They failed their first audit because the same technical expert reviewed both categories—without documented competence in food safety.
After we separated scopes and added clear qualification records, the issue disappeared at reassessment.

Common Mistake: Keeping only CVs in HR files without evidence of performance—like witness-audit results or technical interviews.

External Resources – Managing Subcontractors and Technical Experts

Not every certification body can employ all the experts it needs—and that’s fine.
Clause 6 allows you to use external auditors, reviewers, and technical experts.
But here’s the catch: you must evaluate, approve, and monitor them just like internal staff.

That includes:

• Signed contracts covering confidentiality and impartiality
• Documented competence reviews
• Periodic performance evaluations

Pro Tip: Use the same evaluation form for everyone—internal or external. It shows uniform control and keeps your process defensible.

One CB I supported avoided a major non-conformity by keeping annual re-approval records for each external auditor.
When the assessor asked, “How do you ensure they’re still competent?” the evidence was already in the file.

Common Pitfall: Forgetting to renew external expert approvals annually. Assessors treat that as a lapse in control.

Facilities, Equipment, and Technical Infrastructure

Clause 6.3 expands “resources” beyond people.
It covers the physical and technical foundation that keeps your operations consistent.

That includes:

• Office facilities and secure data storage
• Communication and IT systems
• Equipment used in evaluation or verification activities
• Calibration and maintenance records (if applicable)

Pro Tip: Keep an equipment register that includes calibration dates, maintenance logs, and assigned users. Even if you outsource testing, assessors want to see how you control related tools.

I once saw a CB fail an audit not because of people—but because its data server wasn’t secure.
Confidential client information was stored without access control. Fixing it required not new equipment, but a proper IT procedure and evidence of system protection.

Common Mistake: Overlooking IT security as part of “resources.” Accreditation assessors now see it as essential evidence of operational control.

Competence Maintenance – Training, Monitoring, and Re-Approval

Competence isn’t permanent—it fades without practice.
That’s why Clause 6.2.3 requires ongoing evaluation, not a one-time qualification.

A strong system includes:

• Regular training or refresher programs
• Witness audits and observation reports
• Annual or periodic re-approval by management

Pro Tip: Combine witness audits with your internal performance reviews. It saves time and creates a full picture of each auditor’s capability.

Example: One CB integrated online training records with witness-audit results in a single dashboard. They reduced their re-approval time by 40%—and assessors praised the traceability.

Common Mistake: Expanding your certification scope without updating your competence matrix. New product areas need new competence evidence.

Resource Planning and Workload Management

Even competent people can fail if overloaded.
Clause 6 implicitly expects certification bodies to plan resources carefully—to ensure consistent and timely work.

Here’s what works well:

• Match auditor competence to product category and client risk.
• Track workloads to prevent rushed audits or conflicts.
• Use planning tools to assign balanced schedules.

Pro Tip: Maintain a “capacity sheet” that shows auditor availability for upcoming projects. It prevents bottlenecks and demonstrates proactive management.

Common Mistake: Accepting new clients before verifying auditor capacity. Delays and missed deadlines follow quickly—and assessors notice.

Documentation and Records Accreditation Bodies Expect

When it comes to evidence, Clause 6 is one of the most document-heavy clauses in ISO/IEC 17065.
Here’s what assessors will expect to see ready and current:

• Competence matrix linked to your scope of accreditation
• Job descriptions with defined qualifications
• Training plans and evaluation forms
• Subcontractor evaluation and approval records
• Equipment register and maintenance logs
• Signed confidentiality and impartiality agreements

Pro Tip: Reference all of these in your Quality Manual under a single “Resources and Competence” section. It saves time during audits and shows system maturity.

Common Mistake: Scattering HR, training, and subcontractor files in different folders. Consolidation improves control and audit readiness.

FAQs – Clause 6 in Practice

Q1: Do external technical experts need to be evaluated like internal staff?
Yes. Accreditation assessors expect the same level of competence verification, impartiality agreement, and monitoring.

Q2: How often should competence be reviewed?
At least once a year—or sooner if you expand your certification scope or identify performance issues.

Q3: Can freelance auditors be treated as “resources”?
Absolutely, as long as they’re under contract, evaluated for competence, and covered by impartiality and confidentiality agreements.

Conclusion – Competence Builds Confidence

At the end of the day, resources aren’t just headcount or equipment—they’re your credibility in motion.
Clause 6 ensures that every person and tool behind your certification process stands up to scrutiny.

I’ve seen certification bodies transform their operations simply by tightening competence systems and documenting evaluations properly. Accreditation bodies notice that professionalism immediately.

At QSE Academy, we help CBs design competence frameworks that don’t just meet ISO/IEC 17065—they impress assessors.

If you’re ready to review your system:
→ Download our ISO/IEC 17065 Competence-Matrix Template
or
→ Book a free call to assess your resource management system with an expert.