ISO Certifications
Join IA

Company Certification

Seek Certification to ISO Quality Standards!

Learn more
CIRQ

Why Seek Certification to ISO Quality Standards?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies, recognized globally as the authority on quality management. The Insights Association encourages companies to become certified to the ISO standards designated applicable to the market research and insights industries as a pathway to increasing data quality across the project lifecycle.

What is CIRQ

The Certification Institute for Research Quality

The Certification Institute for Research Quality (CIRQ), a subsidiary of the Insights Association, is a non-profit organization that provides independent assessment and certification services for market research firms pursuing ISO 20252:2019 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certification. Established in compliance with ISO requirements for certification bodies, CIRQ is fully accredited by the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) and is committed to delivering timely, thorough, and impartial evaluations of both research process management and information security management systems.


To Learn About Audit & Certification Services

Visit CIRQ

CIRQ

Which ISO Quality Standards should IA members consider?

ISO 20252 – Market Research Standard

The ISO Research Standard 20252 helps organizations systematize research processes, improve consistency, and increase stakeholder trust.

ISO 27001  – Information Security Standard

ISO 27001 provides a framework for implementing an Information Security Management System (ISMS) with clearly defined controls. ISO 27001 is the most widely recognized and internationally accepted information security standard. ISO 27001 provides a framework for companies to manage their data security, establishing requirements for information controls regarding people, processes and technology.

As a first step to any implementation, purchasing the standard is key to the process.
Please visit the ANSI webstore to secure a copy of:

For questions, program support and invoicing options

contact Juliana Wood, CIRQ's Managing Director at juliana.wood@cirq.org or 202-370-6318

CIRQ’s accreditation includes:

  • ISO 20252:2019 Program – Accredited by ANAB to ISO 17065:2012, the standard for certification bodies providing auditing and certification services.
  • ISO/IEC 27001 Program – Accredited by ANAB to ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015, the standard for bodies auditing and certifying management systems, and ISO/IEC 27006-1:2024, the standard specific to information security management system certifications.

In addition, CIRQ has simplified one of the most significant challenges of ISO 20252 implementation by developing the Research Process Management System Quality Manual. This resource demystifies the implementation process and helps organizations align their existing processes, procedures, management practices, personnel, and services with the requirements for compliance.

Resources

Quality in Market Research: Tapping the Power of ISO 20252
Keeping your Client Data Safe: Updates to ISO 27001 & ISO 27002
Getting to Know the ISO 27001 Information Security Standard
View Webinar
Templates

Research Process Management System Quality Manual

The manual’s template provides everything needed to customize the document to establish a system that provides consistent and reproducible results.

The template offers step-by-step guidance on how to implement the standard with pro tips from the CIRQ auditor team.

This includes:

  • Guidance on what an ISO 20252 auditor will look for during a 3rd party audit
  • Embedded templates regarding processes and procedures
  • Requirements language that maps directly to the standard and ensures a high likelihood of a successful external review.


The template is delivered as a Word document, with no extraneous graphics to edit. It is intended to be customized to your research process management system, to specifically describe the market research business services your company provides to its clients.


Training

Internal Auditor Training Program

The Internal Auditor Training Program helps companies fulfill the requirement for internal compliance personnel, a key component to ISO 20252 conformity and organizational success. Developing personnel as internal auditors ensures companies identify and remediate deviations from the standard’s requirements before a formal external review. Additionally, internal auditors achieve a deeper subject matter expertise of the standard, increasing responsibilities and value as quality and compliance managers.

The program’s modular on-demand training includes short assessments that test the user’s knowledge about the requirements of ISO 20252 and ISO 27001. It also includes a deep review of auditor theories and competencies and includes Risk Rating Matrix and Internal Audit Report templates, customizable to your company’s compliance needs.

Upon successful completion of the program, users are issued certificates that document their grasp of audit techniques. They are now ready to conduct the required internal audits for compliance and certification.


For questions, program support and invoicing options

contact Juliana Wood, CIRQ's Managing Director at juliana.wood@cirq.org or 202-370-6318

  • Back to top