Chapter 05 · Standards & assuranceConformity Assessment, Certification & Assurance
ISO 17029
Definition
ISO/IEC 17029:2019 provides general principles and requirements for bodies performing validation and verification as conformity-assessment activities.
References
ISO/IEC 17029:2019 is the generic conformity-assessment framework for validation and verification bodies. ISO records it as current after confirmation in 2025; the catalogue also states its sector-neutral scope, exclusions, programme context and possible recognition uses.
In practiceCheck the applicable programme, the claim, scope, period, assessment body and conclusion. ISO/IEC 17029 alone does not establish a product certification or guarantee the claim beyond the statement’s stated boundaries.
Overview
What problem it addresses
Organisations make claims about past results and future outcomes. ISO/IEC 17029 concerns the bodies that independently assess those claims; it does not prescribe how to measure carbon, design a building or set the underlying technical criteria.
Its role is to make the checking body competent, consistent and impartial, so users can understand what kind of assessment supports a claim.
Status and scope
ISO/IEC 17029:2019 is the first edition of the standard, published in October 2019 by ISO/CASCO. ISO reviewed and confirmed it in March 2025, so this edition remains current.
It applies in any sector to bodies performing validation or verification as conformity-assessment activities. The requirements are generic: sector-specific programmes add the detailed processes and criteria.
What it does not cover
The standard does not govern testing, inspection or certification results as validation or verification under ISO/IEC 17029. It also does not apply where validation or verification is merely a step within another conformity-assessment process.
A reference to ISO/IEC 17029 is therefore not a product certificate, a laboratory test result or proof that a claim is true in every respect. The applicable programme, scope and conclusion still matter.
Validation and verification
Validation addresses whether a claim is plausible for its intended future use, such as a projected outcome. Verification addresses whether a claim about events or results already obtained is truthfully stated. Both require objective evidence, but the time frame and question differ.
For example, a projected emissions reduction may be validated against its assumptions and method; a completed emissions inventory may be verified against the relevant criteria and evidence. Neither conclusion should be presented as an unconditional guarantee.
Programmes, parties and accreditation
Bodies can work as first-, second- or third-party bodies, and may provide validation, verification or both. ISO/IEC 17029 can be used as a basis for accreditation, peer assessment or other recognition.
The standard is neutral about the programme in operation. A programme can set additional requirements, including the criteria, process and assurance level. Readers should ask which programme was used and exactly what claim, period, boundary and conclusion were covered.
Related standards
ISO 14065:2020 is the sector application of ISO/IEC 17029 for bodies validating and verifying environmental information. It adds sector-specific requirements.
ISO/IEC TS 17035:2024 gives guidance on developing, content and operation of validation and verification programmes. It is intended to be used with ISO/IEC 17029 and sector-specific applications.
Practical reading guide
Do not treat the standard name as a seal of approval. A useful verification or validation statement identifies the claim, the applicable programme or criteria, scope and period, the body issuing it, and any conditions or limitations.
The organisation making the claim remains responsible for how it communicates that claim. A statement supports confidence only within its stated boundaries.