The overall purpose of the IAAR is to encourage and facilitate consistent management system registration, mainly by promoting the use of accredited registrars. The association also achieves this objective by facilitating communication and professional practices among its members, and by educating companies and other organizations about the accredited registration process.

The integrity and credibility of the management system registration process is enhanced when registrars are accredited by qualified accrediting bodies to perform assessments to the internationally or nationally recognized management system standards. All IAAR members are accredited to provide registration services in compliance with ISO/IEC 17021 --the International Organization for Standardization and standard for registration organizations.

In addition to stressing registrar accreditation, the IAAR also promotes the integrity of the management system registration process through member participation in a group forum for purposes of communication and consensus and by encouraging members to follow appropriate codes of professional practice.