The Organic Standard (TOS) publishes The Organic Certification Directory annually since 2003 as part of its annual subscription. To-date, The Organic Certification Directory is the most comprehensive international listing of its kind.

From 2011, TOS has revamped the Directory to be published annually in February instead of August and made available free to all interested parties worldwide.

Directory listing

Entries are listed according to the territory where they operate. The Directory now includes Private labelling & 3rd party certification bodies; government bodies as well as Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) scheme organisers. This is both a recognition of the emerging role Participatory Guarantee Systems play in some regions as well as the aim of the Directory to be an inclusive ONE STOP Global reference for organic labelling and conformity systems. Branch and subsidiary offices of international organisations are also listed under the name of the territory where the offices are located. Head offices are noted as such.

Some entries are more comprehensive than others because some organisations have requested for full listing whilst others have not. Particulars provided by the organisations are largely published as submitted. Independent verification of information is only made regarding IFOAM Accreditation and approvals by the European Union, the United States, Japan and Canada.

IFOAM Approval is verified as published by the IOAS. ISO 65 Approval also covers accreditation to EN45011 (the EU version of the same). Claims were not independently verified. EU Approval covers EU (and EEA) control bodies approved by their respective governments to certify according to the EU organic regulations and certification bodies recognised through the third-country acceptance list, i.e. Argentina, Australia, Costa Rica, India, Israel, Switzerland, New Zealand and Japan. It also include certifications recognised for import approvals via article 19 Regulation (EC) NO 1235/2008. USA Approval covers certification bodies that have been accredited directly by the NOP or recognised through agreements the USDA has with the governments of Denmark, India, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Canada Approval covers certification bodies accredited by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Other approvals. These cover other certification programmes that the certification bodies operate. The claims have not been verified independently.

Geographical scope of operation are listed as submitted.

Whilst an extensive effort was made to cover all organisation operating an organic labelling or conformity system, some may have been missed. The Directory may include some bodies that do not actually perform organic certification, but to the best of our knowledge, claim to offer the service. We weed out organisations that do not respond to our inquiries, but keep those that are included in official listings or whose Web site claim they offer such a service. We apologise for any mistake that may have been made. Please report errors and omissions and they will be amended accordingly on the Web Directory and the next PDF issue.