As we are continuing our ACCREDITATION VALUE – MEMBER PERSPECTIVE series, we want to dive in into the forth item Value Beyond Accreditation.

Many accreditors, especially, in education and healthcare compete with each other. While an “accredited” stamp could be vital for an organization's survival, an accreditor can, or even must, deliver value to their members beyond the accreditation itself. By doing so, the accreditors can better retain their members and build a relationship of mutual beneficial partnership.

On the member side, many organizations lack the resources to chart their path to innovation unassisted. Accreditors, armed with diverse deep knowledge of their field, can assist members with best practices and new ideas to help them innovate and stay ahead of their competition which may be accredited elsewhere. Accreditation should serve not just as a mere stamp of approval but rather as a sign of connection to a fountain of new thinking and ideas.

The often forgotten invisible stakeholder in the accreditation process is the sponsoring body, such as US Department of Education of Department of Health and Human Services. Accredited organizations, driven by their own interests or profit, should not be expected to implement some practices which are in the public interest but can be costly. Accreditation offers a very convenient path to forcing implementation of process improvements desired by sponsoring bodies.

While accreditation is often essential for a business, there is significant value beyond accreditation that should not be overlooked. Assisting providers with best practices and new ideas during challenging transitions can lead to strong, intimate, and mutually beneficial relationships. This level of involvement fosters increased trust and confidence between the member and accreditor, which ultimately benefits both parties, and delights the sponsoring bodies.