Being ICoCA Certified provides assurance that the company’s procedures and practices comply with the Code. As part of their due diligence, clients across all sectors now require ICoCA Certification in the selection of their private security providers.
Being ICoCA Certified provides assurance that a private security company’s procedures and practices comply with the International Code of Conduct.
ICoCA Certified companies are subjected to the highest level of due diligence, which includes:
Any private security company, whether an ICoCA Transitional Member, Affiliate or a non-Member, can apply for ICoCA Certification. Non-Member companies applying for ICoCA Certification must also join the Association at the moment of applying. PSCs must attain external certification by an accredited Certification Body accepted by ICoCA to certify to one or more of the ICoCA recognised international standards, before applying for ICoCA certification.
Any PSC can apply for certification but must first attain external certification by an accredited Certification Body accepted by ICoCA to one or more of the ICoCA recognised international standards (see below)
Non-Member companies agree to join the Association and comply with all requirements as Certified Members
Companies should provide evidence of certification to at least one of the ICoCA recognised standards. The Board, determines which national or international standards and processes are considered consistent with the Code. Companies may approach ICoCA for consideration of standards and processes not currently recognised.
ICoCA currently recognises three standards.
At present, ICoCA accepts certifications issued by certification bodies which are either specifically accredited to a recognised standard by IAF-MLA members, or from certification bodies accredited to ISO 17021 by IAF-MLA members and which have completed ICoCA competency checks. For more details, please consult the briefing page on ICoCA accepted certification bodies.
An increasing number of organisations across all sectors are using ICoCA Membership and Certification as required or preferred criteria in private security service contracting. These include: Philip Morris International; Syngenta; the Swiss, UK and US governments; ABN Amro;