News and Updates

IOAS is seeking Accreditation Committee Members with Organic Cosmetics and/or Textiles Industry Expertise.

This is an ideal opportunity to:

• Contribute to the promotion of integrity and fairness.
• Gain valuable experience in evaluating decision-making processes.
• Work alongside passionate professionals dedicated to making a difference.

At IOAS we believe in upholding integrity and ensuring that conformity decisions align with our ethical principles. We are currently seeking motivated individuals to join as members of our Accreditation Committee. Created to distance the task of making the final decisions on accreditation from the everyday technical assessment aspects of the IOAS, the Accreditation Committee is appointed to ensure a balance of interests, representation, and geography as well as a wealth of expertise in conformity assessment. Your role will be crucial in evaluating and providing feedback on conformity decisions made by various entities.

This is a volunteer position, requiring you to perform Accreditation Decisions via online platform, participate in teleconferences pertaining to adverse actions and/or appeals when requested, and an annual in person meeting, which may be held anywhere in the world. All travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed by IOAS for in person meetings and details of the honorarium are explained in our detailed specifications.

IOAS work with an increasing number of scheme owners (COSMOS, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, European Commission, GlobalG.A.P., GOTS, IFOAM, NATRUE, Textile Exchange) and the accreditation and assessment services we provide cover organic agriculture, sustainable agriculture, organic textiles, organic and natural cosmetics, recycled products, animal welfare claims, fair trade, social compliance, and food safety. IOAS clients are based all over the world.

The day-to-day work of the IOAS is performed by a team of core staff with support from contracted assessors and technical experts. For more information about our work, please visit www.ioas.org.

Requirements:

All candidates must meet the following minimum qualification requirements:

1. Good knowledge of the English language.
2. Standing and authority in their field which is deemed relevant to the position.
3. High degree of personal integrity, including ability to maintain confidentiality and show due concern for conflict of interest.
4. Evidence of supporting the aims and objectives of organic agriculture and/or IFOAM’s mission.
5. Ability to attend, prepare for and actively participate in meetings.
6. In the case of those chosen as representatives of the fields of inspection or certification a considerable degree of experience and expertise is required.

The Committee shall be constituted with a range of interests, with no single interest predominating. The five sectors of interests are defined as:

1. conformity assessment (certification & inspection).
2. Standing and authority in their field which is deemed relevant to the position.
3. beneficiaries (consumers, environment, retail, trade, movement).
4. developing world.
5. and regulatory.

Additionally, prospective members must have extensive experience in accreditation, certification and/or inspection, in the organic textiles, and/or cosmetics industries. Those who are qualified as an assessor or inspector, or decision maker in the respective field are suitable candidates. Individuals who work at operator level – i.e., in industry – and academic professionals in these areas of expertise may have appropriate qualifications.  Persons who work in standards development, scheme owners, or related bodies are also invited to apply.

Evidence of qualification must be provided, and members are subject to allocation of competences based on their expertise. Some training may be provided by IOAS to increase competence in specific areas.

 Terms

The Accreditation Committee is a volunteer position appointed by the IOAS Board, requiring you to perform Accreditation Decisions via online platform, participate in teleconferences pertaining to adverse actions and/or appeals, and an annual meeting, which may be held anywhere in the world, or remotely if necessary. If attending in person all travel and accommodation expenses will be reimbursed by IOAS.

Members of the IOAS Accreditation Committee (AC) are eligible for a $50 honorarium for each CB accreditation decision they render, either in person or virtually, including routine decisions on (re)accreditation or continuation of accreditation (in cases of Annual Surveillance) as well as decisions on imposing or lifting sanctions.  AC members are also eligible for a $250 honorarium for each AC meeting that they attend (typically convened annually for the purpose of ongoing training, discussing common issues, etc.) and $50 for each joint Board/AC meeting that they attend, either in person or virtually

 Application

Nominations shall be accompanied by the following:

• A nomination from any organization or individual
• A full curriculum vitae (résumé).
• A statement of interest in seeking this appointment.
• Applicants must indicate which of the interest sectors they are affiliated with (a primary and secondary sector are permitted if appropriate).
• Appropriate certifications, diplomas, or other evidence of qualification.

Applicants must indicate which of these interesting sectors named above they are affiliated with (a primary and secondary sector are permitted if appropriate).

Please submit to info@ioas.org with subject line ‘2305 AC Member nominations, Attn: Lauren Carlyle’

Closing date

Applications accepted until further notice.