TS ISO/IEC 20000-6

TS ISO/IEC 20000-6 addresses requirements for bodies that perform audit and certification of a service management system (SMS). It focuses on the organizations that certify an SMS against ISO/IEC 20000-1, rather than on the SMS itself, so the key issue is the competence and operating framework of the certification body.

A framework for certification bodies

The standard provides a framework for conducting certification audits in a reliable, consistent, and traceable way. In general technical terms, standards in this area matter because they connect application review, audit planning, auditor competence, decision-making, and surveillance or certification maintenance with principles of impartiality and competence. As a result, service management certification is treated as a structured conformity assessment activity, not merely as the issuance of a certificate.

Relationship with ISO/IEC 20000-1

The scope is directed at bodies providing certification of an SMS according to ISO/IEC 20000-1, and it does not change the requirements stated in ISO/IEC 20000-1. In practical terms, this means the document is about how the certifying body should be assessed and operated, not about how a service management system is established. That distinction is important in service management: one standard addresses the managed system, while this one addresses the audit and certification practice used to verify it.

This part is useful where a common technical basis is needed for service management certification. It supports a consistent approach to audit and certification activities across organizations that assess service delivery, process control, and conformity to the ISO/IEC 20000-1 framework.