The Professional Background Screening Association (PBSA) is the premier non-profit trade association for the employment and tenant screening industry. We explain why PBSA accreditation is a must-have credential for any background check company.
Who screens the screeners? It may seem like a nonsense question but given how many organizations make critical decisions based on the reports from screening companies, it’s important to determine which are truly reputable. We argue that telling a good screening company from an unreliable one is simple: just look for a PBSA Accredited logo.
PBSA accreditation is a nationally recognized achievement for consumer reporting agencies (CRAs) like CredentialCheck. Over the last two decades, PBSA has set the gold standard for CRAs big and small through its mission to “advance excellence in the screening profession.” Any company that has earned this credential is granted permission to display the PBSA Accredited logo on their website—and anyone researching their screening options should look for it.
The path to becoming PBSA Accredited is rigorous, as expected, given how much trust the logo conveys. To qualify, the company must meet strict professional standards in these areas:
Information Security
Legal Compliance
Client Education
Researcher and Data Standards
Verification Service Standards
Business Practices
Furthermore, the background check company must pass an in-depth on-site audit of their policies and practices, which can take three to four months. After the application has been approved, the company must renew the accreditation every five years or lose it. In addition, three years into the five-year cycle, PBSA will conduct a surveillance audit to confirm the high industry standards continue to be met.
