The ISO 9001 standard is concerned with quality management systems (QMS) at organizations of all types and sizes. But what does it mean to become ISO 9001 certified? What is the ISO 9001 standard? And is it really necessary for your business? Find out now, and see why ISO 9001 is so important for
What Is ISO 9001 Certification?
The ISO 9001 standard is an international standard that is part of the ISO 9000 family, which is a set of quality management principles set forth by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO for short).
Basically, this is an international standard that certified that your organization's quality management systems (QMS) meet certain standards. There are lots of different revisions to it, including ISO 9001 2008, but the latest revision is ISO 9001 2015.
This certification applies to all businesses and industries. To put things simply, ISO 9001 is designed to analyze whether or not a particular business is meeting its quality objectives, and sets forth methods by which the quality of your products and services can be reviewed and documented. It contains lots of different ways to analyze your systems, procedures, and processes to make sure you are delivering high-quality products or services.
In plain English, ISO 9001 is an international standard that assesses and analyzes the different systems you have implemented to ensure the quality of your products and services - and then helps you find out how well you're doing, and areas where you can improve.
And, as long as you meet certain ISO requirements and standards, your business will become ISO 9001-certified.
Why Does ISO 9001 Certification Matter?
The biggest reason ISO 9001 certification matters is that it proves that you are providing high-quality products and services - and doing so in an efficient, productive way. If you meet ISO 9001 standards, you'll know that you're meeting a certain standard of business quality and performance - which means lower overall costs and better overall profits.
In addition, ISO 9001 certification can be a powerful tool for building credibility among B2B (business to business) clients. Companies that obtain ISO 9001 certification are more likely to win new business, and will meet industry requirements and expectations, particularly in the manufacturing industry.
How Does An Organization Become ISO 9001 Certified?
ISO 9001 accreditation is achieved when your organization has met the requirements to be certified to ISO standards and passes an ISO 9001 audit from a certified accreditation body - a company dedicated to checking that different organizations have products and services that meet ISO standards.
This certification body will require you to submit a lot of different information about your business to the auditor. Information like your process approaches, documentation procedures, standards, quality assurance and more will be reviewed by the auditor.
If your organization passes, you will become ISO 9001-certified. However, just because you provide products and services that meet the standards of the ISO certification body does not mean that you can stop trying to improve your organization.
As part of ISO 9001 standards, you are expected to continually improve your production processes, quality assurance, quality management systems, business processes, and other aspects of your business to enhance customer satisfaction and overall business outcomes.
In addition, 9001 certification only lasts 3 years, and must be re-obtained with a new audit after this time. Unless you have continued to maintain best practices at your company, this is by no means guaranteed.
Understand The Importance Of ISO 9001 Certification - Find An Auditor Today
The best way to get started with ISO 9001 certification is to find an ISO auditor near you, and take the first steps toward getting your first ISO 9001 audit. Even if you do not pass immediately and meet ISO 9001 requirements, this will help you improve your QMS, business practices, and efficiency - and set you up for future success. So find an ISO auditor in your area today, and see how both big and small businesses can benefit from ISO 9001 certification.
