Against which standards are halal certification bodies assessed?

Answer

For bodies requesting halal accreditation from HAK, the assessment, audit, approval and monitoring processes are conducted around the OIC/SMIIC standards and the ISO standards referenced within them. Those standards are prepared by the Standards and Metrology Institute for the Islamic Countries, which operates under the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation, and the halal texts frequently refer to ISO standards. In addition, HAK publishes its own application documents, and applicant bodies are expected to meet the requirements defined there alongside the standards themselves. The rules to be followed on matters such as application, audit planning and use of the accreditation mark are set out in those documents. This places the certification practices of different bodies on a shared technical basis.