The ISO 9001 is the standard for quality management of an organization. It is where the processes that control the services and products of an organization are checked and ensured that quality is met. This standard has a systematic control of the activities that are needed in order to meet the customer’s demands and expectations. This standard is designed so it can be applied in any industry in the world.

What you get from ISO 9001

By implementing this standard, it can motivate the staff by helping them identify their sole responsibilities and role in the organization.  Costs can be saved when paired with high efficiency and productivity. Less waste can be made once improvements are developed and implemented. This can open more opportunities for an organization as it can meet the deadlines of the customers. 

Having an ISO 9001 certification issued by an accredited body can benefit the quality of service that an organization offers to their customers. It draws the importance of the quality management system that can satisfy the audits from a third party. This certification enhances the image of the organization to that of the customer, staff and even the shareholders. It can make the organization become more competitive in the industry and the market.

A third party performs the external audit of the organization. This group of person reviews the quality of the processes and checks if the targets can be achieved or not. Once the organization has the certification, there is a random surveillance check up to make sure that the process is still done even after the organization passed the certification.

The cost of ISO 9001

The cost itself varies according to the size of the company. A company can have a quotation by filling up a certain questionnaire

When we say ISO certification, do we know what it is about?

I first heard about this when I was still in grade school and my mom used to work for an international company. She brought with her some notes about the company in which she has to review the processes done in order to get the certification for the company. Now, most organizations, international or not, have an ISO seal as part of their logo.

ISO or the International Organization for Standardization is based in Switzerland and it was established in 1947. It has been developed in order to have a standardized quality management. It allows a certain body of organization to have a better quality control and save money and become more effective. Customers and competitors in different kinds of industry have been using it as a standard requirement for their organizational structure.

It is basically a set of standards that organizations follow in order to be considered as an organization who offers quality services and products, thus the organization becomes more competitive and more efficient. This focuses more on the quality of the management system. ISO does not require any formal registrations at all. You can just establish a complaint and then announce that the company complies with ISO standards. The claim may be more credible if an independent registrar audits and agrees with your claim.

ISO has an international orientation and it is supported by a committee from over 150 countries. ISO has a systemic orientation which focuses on the improvement of the right attitude of the workers along with the right tools and procedures.

Ideally, you just have to have a quality attitude to have a quality system which ISO recognizes. Now I understand the need to have a certification from ISO.

Risk is always involved if you plan to have quality products and services. For an organization to operate for long, they have to do everything to stay in the industry even if they have to cut down people and cut down resources. That is why a quality management system will help the organization in monitoring the processes and the methods to avoid the cutting down of resources.

ISO 9001 is the most recognized framework for standard. It helps the organization to meet customer’s satisfaction and motivate people to improve continuously.

ISO certification: 9000 standards

9000 is the fundamentals or just the concepts of the management systems. It defines most terminologies used in the standards

9001 standard is presents the requirements needed to meet the standard. It is just one of the many series for quality management standards. It enables the organization to understand their processes of their services thus bringing out the best of the organization.

9004 is the guidelines for improvement. This is based on the eight principles of quality management. It is made as a guide to the organization to improve not just the needs of the customers but also all the parties involved.

Who benefits from it?

ISO certification is suitable to any organization that is looking for ways to improve the way they operate and manage. Best results are achieved if the whole organization implements the standards instead of just implementing it on just a single department.

ISO 9001 is also compatible with other management systems standards such as ISO 14001 Environment and BS OHSAS 18001 Occupational Health and Safety. These systems can be integrated through the integrated management systems.

ISO systems help an organization identify their full potential to be able to get the most that they can and to survive the industry that they belong.

Standards have been made in order to meet the quality of a certain organization. In business, you will not have any advantage if the products and services that you offer does not offer quality at all thus standards have been made to meet the requirements of the market and competitors as well. An organization that has standardized the way a business works has made several standards for different kinds of industries.

The history of ISO certification

The organization which is now known as ISO has been established in 1926. It was then called as the International Federation of the national Standardizing Associations (ISA). It focused more on the mechanical engineering back then. It stopped its function during World War II in 1942 and was re-organized and named into ISO in 1946.

The name itself has been organized as well. "ISO" is not just an abbreviation but it also means equality in Greek language. They are an organization with standardized members that represent each country.

The process of ISO

The standards should be in consensus of all the members that represents an organization. It goes through a six stage process before it can be published as an ISO standard. The proposal stage determines the need of the standard. The preparatory stage is where a draft is made then the committee would decide until a consensus is achieved. A draft is then made to be scrutinized by the committee and once approved it is made into the standard itself and released in its public stage.

The ISO certification is the standard that many would prefer to be in the right track of their business. This gives the business more stability and credentials as well as the equipment to be in industry that the organization belongs to.