GCC AT THE IQNET ANNUAL CONFERENCE
38th General Assembly | Madrid, Spain | 1–5 June 2026
Global Certification Company (GCC) was proud to participate in the 38th IQNET General Assembly, held in Madrid, Spain, from 1 to 5 June 2026. As the only certification body from Australia to hold membership in the IQNET Association, GCC’s participation at this prestigious international gathering underlines our commitment to global best practice in management system certification and our continued engagement with the world’s leading certification network.
The conference brought together certification body (CB) members from across the globe to review the state of the network, advance technical harmonisation, and shape the future direction of international certification standards. This year’s event was particularly significant, with a rich agenda spanning governance, technical policy, standard transitions, and strategic partnerships.
About IQNET
IQNET is the world’s largest network of certification bodies, headquartered in Bern, Switzerland. Its members are leading national and international certification organisations, collectively issuing millions of certificates across more than 150 countries. Being an IQNET member means that a GCC-issued certificate is mutually recognised by all IQNET partner bodies — a powerful demonstration of credibility for GCC-certified clients operating internationally.
GCC holds the distinction of being Australia’s sole representative within this network, making our participation in the annual General Assembly a unique opportunity to advocate for Australian industry interests and stay at the forefront of global certification developments.
Conference Highlights
The conference was graciously hosted at the offices of AENOR, Spain’s leading national certification body and a long-standing IQNET member. We extend our sincere thanks to the management and staff of AENOR for their warm welcome, outstanding hospitality, and the seamless organisation of the event. Their professionalism and generosity made Madrid an exceptional setting for this year’s gathering.
Standards Committee on Harmonisation (SCH)
The SCH meeting focused on advancing technical harmonisation across the IQNET network. Delegates worked through a range of audit and certification practice questions to ensure consistency among member bodies and approved several new consensus documents on topics such as healthcare management system audits and certification transitions. Liaison reports from key international standardisation and accreditation bodies provided valuable updates on developments across the broader standards ecosystem.
38th General Assembly
The General Assembly served as the formal governance meeting of the Association. Members reviewed the network’s performance and financial position, advanced a number of important governance and policy updates, and discussed strategic programmes in growing certification areas such as food, agriculture, health, safety, and sustainability. The discussions reflected a network that is actively evolving to meet the needs of a complex and changing global marketplace.
ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Transition — What GCC Clients Need to Know
One of the most immediately relevant topics for GCC’s clients was the ongoing work on the transition policy for revised versions of ISO 9001 (Quality Management) and ISO 14001 (Environmental Management). During the conference, GCC participated in IQNET’s working session to prepare feedback and comments on the draft transition policy issued by the International Accreditation Forum (IAF).
The transition policy is expected to be published by Global ACI (IAF) by the end of June 2026. Following publication, accreditation bodies such as JASANZ (which accredits GCC in Australia and New Zealand) will issue their own transition guidance. GCC anticipates being in a position to begin conducting audits against the revised standards from approximately August–September 2026, once accreditation body guidance is received. GCC will keep all clients and stakeholders updated as the transition policy is formalised.
GCC’s Role and Contribution
GCC’s active participation in IQNET is not merely attendant — we contribute to working groups, technical harmonisation discussions, and policy deliberations that shape the international certification landscape. Being the sole Australian member of this network places GCC in a unique position to represent the interests of Australian industry and ensure that global developments are communicated promptly and accurately to our clients.
Attendance at the 38th General Assembly reinforced GCC’s relationships with leading certification bodies from Europe, the Americas, Asia, and beyond — and demonstrated the strength and relevance of IQNET’s mutual recognition framework for internationally operating businesses certified by GCC.
Looking Ahead
The Madrid conference highlighted the increasing complexity and interconnectedness of the global certification environment. From healthcare and sustainability to cybersecurity and governance, the scope of international management system standards continues to grow. GCC is committed to staying at the forefront of these developments — ensuring our clients benefit from certifications that are internationally recognised, technically rigorous, and continuously aligned with global best practice.
We look forward to reporting on further developments as the IQNET work programmes progress throughout 2026, and to supporting our clients through the upcoming ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 transition processes.
For more information about GCC’s IQNET membership or the upcoming ISO standard transitions, contact us at admin@gccertification.com or call 1800 444 800.
