Why is an independent third-party certification important?

Third-party certification is a method of certification that is independently developed and verified thereby reducing conflict of interest and providing significant meaning. The classifications of certification methods are:

First-party certification, is a self-declaration. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria which I have defined and therefore I can say that I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt.”

Second-party certification, is when a company or training provider creates its own verification program for candidate certification. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria defined by the organization that provided my training.”

Third-party certification verifies that a product, process or service meets a defined standard. “I am a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt because I meet the criteria defined by an impartial association that maintains a universal standard.”

Historically second-party certification has been the norm in the Lean Six Sigma Industry. However, now more and more people, training providers and organizations, are utilizing and incorporating IASSC’s third-party certifications.