Accreditation Mark Usage Guide

1. Who this guide applies to All certified clients

Every organisation holding a valid CAS-issued certificate under EGAC Schedule 012418B is required to use the CAS, EGAC, and IAF MLA marks in accordance with this guide. The rules below apply throughout the certification cycle and continue to bind the client until any suspended, withdrawn, or expired certificate is removed from public-facing materials.

2. The three marks and what each one means

A CAS-issued accredited certificate authorises three distinct marks. Each one signals something specific to a buyer or auditor reading your materials.

2.1 The CAS certification mark

Issued by CAS Conformity Assessment Services. Demonstrates that your management system has been audited and certified by CAS against the named ISO standard. The CAS mark must always carry the certificate number and the standard reference (e.g. CAS — ISO 9001:2015 — Cert. No. CAS-9001-EG-XXXX).

2.2 The EGAC accreditation mark

Issued by the Egyptian Accreditation Council. Demonstrates that CAS itself is accredited by the national accreditation body to perform the certification audit. The EGAC mark may only be used on certificates falling within EGAC Schedule 012418B (six standards: ISO 9001, 14001, 45001, 22000, 50001, 22301).

2.3 The IAF MLA mark

Issued by the International Accreditation Forum. Demonstrates international mutual recognition through the IAF Multilateral Recognition Arrangement. The IAF MLA mark may be displayed only with certificates whose standard is within the IAF MLA scope: QMS, EMS, OHSMS, FSMS, and EnMS. BCMS (ISO 22301) is currently outside the IAF MLA — the IAF MLA mark must not be used on ISO 22301 materials.

3. Where the marks may and may not appear IAF MD 5 §6.4

For products and packaging, ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 §8.3.3 is explicit: marks for management system certification must not appear on products, on product packaging, in any way that may be interpreted as denoting product conformity. If your management system covers manufacturing, the certificate covers your processes, not the goods that come off the line.

4. Visual rules — proportion, colour, legibility

• Minimum size: the EGAC mark must remain legible — minimum digital width 80 px, minimum print width 18 mm. The CAS mark and IAF MLA mark follow the same minimum.
• Aspect ratio: always preserved. Marks may be scaled proportionally up or down but never stretched, skewed, rotated, or reflected.
• Clear space: a clear margin equal to the height of the smallest letter in the mark must be maintained on all sides.
• Colour: use only the official colour and monochrome versions supplied by CAS. Do not recolour. On dark backgrounds, use the negative (white) version.
• Always with reference text: certificate number, standard reference, and CAS as the issuing CB must be shown adjacent to the marks.

5. During suspension, withdrawal, or expiry ISO/IEC 17021-1 §8.5

Mark usage rights end immediately when a certificate is suspended, withdrawn, or expires. This is a contractual obligation under your certification agreement and a regulatory obligation under ISO/IEC 17021-1.

5.1 On suspension

CAS will notify the client in writing of suspension and the reason. From the date of suspension, the client must:

• Stop all use of the CAS, EGAC, and IAF MLA marks in new materials.
• Stop referring to the certification in advertising, marketing, and any new public-facing content.
• If suspension is lifted within the agreed remediation window, mark usage may resume on the date of reinstatement.

5.2 On withdrawal or expiry

Withdrawal is permanent for that certificate. From the effective date, the client must:

• Remove all certification marks from website, brochures, packaging, and stationery.
• Cease referring to the certification in any form.
• Return any printed certificates to CAS upon request.
• Not represent the organisation as certified, accredited, or recognised under EGAC or IAF in any future communication relating to the withdrawn certificate.

6. Clients holding non-accredited (By CAS) certificates

CAS issues certain certificates without third-party accreditation — for standards or schemes outside EGAC Schedule 012418B (e.g. ISO 13485, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 37001, and others). These certificates display the CAS mark only.

• EGAC and IAF MLA marks must not appear on materials referencing a By CAS certificate.
• The CAS mark may be used in line with sections 3 and 4 above.
• If the client also holds an EGAC-accredited CAS certificate for a different standard, the two scopes must be visually separated so that EGAC and IAF MLA endorsement cannot be misread as covering the unaccredited scope.

This is a transparency requirement under IAF MD 23:2023 (Control of Entities) — buyers reading a certified organisation's materials must be able to tell, without ambiguity, which certificates are accredited and which are not.

7. Mark-usage audits and how to report misuse

CAS reviews mark usage during every surveillance and recertification audit. Findings are recorded in the audit report and may include observations, minor non-conformities, or major non-conformities depending on severity and history.

7.1 If you spot misuse by another organisation

If you encounter what looks like misuse of the CAS, EGAC, or IAF MLA marks — for example, a CAS mark on a product label, or a withdrawn certificate still being advertised — please report it via our Complaints & Appeals form or by email to info@cas.com.eg. CAS investigates every report in line with ISO/IEC 17021-1 §9.7.

7.2 If you are unsure how to apply the marks correctly

Before producing new printed materials or launching a new website, you may submit your draft to CAS for a no-cost mark-usage review. Email the draft to info@cas.com.eg with the subject line Mark usage review — [your organisation name]. CAS will respond within five business days.

8. Download the official mark files

Authorised mark files are issued by CAS to each certified client at the time of certificate issuance. They include EPS, PNG, and SVG versions in colour and monochrome, with usage notes embedded in the package.

If you need replacement files, contact CAS at info@cas.com.eg with your certificate number. Files are available via the CAS Document Library for authenticated certified clients.