ISO 9001 Certification
ISO 9001 QMS Quality Management System
ISO 9001 is one of the most widely recognized standard for Quality Management System (QMS). It was published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1987 and last upgraded in the year 2015. It provides a framework for organizations to consistently meet regulatory requirements, achieve operational excellence, deliver high-quality products and services, and enhance customer satisfaction. To obtain a certification, an organization must go through an audit conducted by an independent certification body.
In a certification body, resources play a vital role in meeting the expectation of customers, thus, it is essential to be audited by that body which understands the industry, such as SIS Certifications. It is a leading certification body (CB), which is recognized and accredited by renowned accreditation bodies such as IAS and UAF. The CB is equipped with the resources required to audit an organization’s management system.
SIS Certifications has more than 500 auditors and technical experts in more than 30 industries over 50 countries. The CB performs audit of multiple standards. SIS has auditor experts for all standards. Moreover, it offers hybrid audits where one auditor will be at the auditing site and others are using IC Tools. In addition to this, the CB is equipped with multilingual auditors, who understand and speak native as well as English language.
Note:: The certification process begins with submitting a form and technical details, which are used to determine audit man-days. Our experts evaluate the information and share the cost and timelines with the client. We value your time and ensure quick responses, clear communication, and timely delivery of services.
Applicability of ISO 9001:2015 – Industry Wise Benefits
| Industry | Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | ISO 9001 Certification in manufacturing ensures that an organization consistently meet regulatory requirements, improve product quality and efficiency, and meet customer satisfaction. |
| Construction | ISO 9001 Certification in construction ensures quality in construction materials, manage complex projects, meet regulations, and strengthen risk management. |
| Healthcare | ISO 9001 Certification in healthcare improve patient care, ensures compliance with healthcare requirements, and ensures patient satisfaction. |
| IT and Software | ISO 9001 Certification in IT and Software ensures quality of service delivery, reliable services, and improves software development. |
| Pharmaceuticals | ISO 9001 Certification in Pharmaceuticals ensures the compliance of an organization with regulatory requirements and product quality. |
| Telecommunications | ISO 9001 Certification in telecommunications ensures the consistent high-quality services, and customer satisfaction along with strong management protocols. |
| Logistics and Transportation | ISO 9001 Certification in Logistics and Transportation assures safe and efficient service delivery, strengthen supplier chain control, and ensures customer satisfaction. |
| Oil and Gas / Energy | ISO 9001 Certification in Oil and Gas / Energy ensures compliance with regulatory standards, and manage complex operations. |
| Automotive | ISO 9001 Certification in Automotive ensures that the organization meets global automotive quality standards. Along with this, it also assures that an organization has strong defect tracking and mitigating system. |
| Public Sector / Government | ISO 9001 Certification in Public Sector / Government ensures the citizen satisfaction, transparency, and standardization of service delivery. |
| Finance and Insurance | ISO 9001 Certification in Finance and Insurance ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, improvement in customer services, assures better handling of customer’s issues, and assures strong management of internal controls. |
SIS Certifications is accredited by IAS for ISO 9001Certifications. IAS- International accreditation services is an US based accreditation board which is a full member of IAF.
ISO 9001- Quality management system brings the concept of Managing the quality of their processes ensuring that the products and services are as per the specifications laid down by the customer and reaches them on time. The framework to make this true, ISO 9001 standards plays a vital role in bringing their organisation’s management system in place and according to the industrial needs leading to an extra edge for the competition.
What is an ISO 9001 QMS Quality Management System?
ISO 9001- Quality management system brings the concept of Managing the quality of their processes ensuring that the products and services are as per the specifications laid down by the customer and reaches them on time. The framework to make this true, ISO 9001 standards plays a vital role in bringing their organisation’s management system in place and according to the industrial needs leading to an extra edge for the competition.
ISO 9001 certification is a quality management standard Certification that demonstrates the organization’s ability to provide products and services that meet customer and legal requirements within the organization.
ISO 9001 standards provide management tools and techniques to improve customer satisfaction and assist organizations in increasing efficiency. Quality management functions to achieve Quality Assurance and Quality Control.
Quality Assurance aims to design processes to produce products and services of appropriate quality and focuses on every aspect of the system, including suppliers and customers.
Quality Control focuses on operations related to producing the product or services and intends to eliminate factors that might cause undesired outputs.
Benefits of ISO 9001 QMS certification
Boosting the image of your organization – ISO 9001 certification by a credible certification body enhances your reputation in the eyes of customers, clients, and other stakeholders regarding your capabilities to deliver quality products and services.
Meet customer expectations – ISO 9001 aims at meeting the requirements as well as expectations of customers in terms of quality. This helps in enhancing your customer base as well as retaining your old customers.
Integration of processes – The high-level Structure of ISO 9001 enables the integration of various management systems within the organization. This helps in recognizing the area of improvement as well as resource conservation within your organization.
Evidence-based decision-making – The key to an effective QMS lies in evidence-based decision-making that can take into consideration the identified risks and ensure appropriate action for an efficient QMS.
Continual improvement – the culture of continual improvement in your organization enables your staff in improving the processes that they are directly responsible for. This helps in saving a good amount of time, costs, and other resources.
Involvement of the workforce – The framework of ISO 9001 ensures the engagement of the entire workforce for the betterment of the processes that keep them motivated, which ultimately benefits of Being ISO 9001 Certified for your business.
Importance of an ISO 9001 QMS Certification
Quality Management System is a universal standard for Quality Management System and one of the most used ISO standards.
Over 1.4 million certificates have been issued in over 250 countries. (As per survey done by IAF for the year 2024)
85% of the certified organizations report benefits, such as higher demand for products and services, increased market share, and improved business operation.
ISO 9001 certification is the only standard in the ISO 9000 family of standards that requires certification. An entire organization seeks Certification, but the scope of the QMS can be accommodated to improve performance at a particular facility or department.
ISO 9001 Quality Management System and its All Major Aspect in a Business
Quality management is a key to success when we talk about business growth and its performance. That promotes client relations and plays a role in the well-being of business. To ensure the success of a business the quality of products and services will be maintained at all levels. This includes the planning, decision, and quality of procedure.
Quality is not only about ensuring the final product but also includes the process and the efforts behind the result.
Higher profitability is a crucial part of great quality. Higher quality promotes higher profits. And for this, it requires a high investment in a market. Minor failures in a company translate into the company’s manufacturing and service costs. Earning from this prevented the company’s expenditure and increased the market share and sales.
Efficient management grows the business makes it more sustainable and promotes productivity. This will help to make the changes with the competitor’s business. and promotes customer satisfaction.
Customers expect the standard of product from the company they purchase, without the quality the customer will deny purchasing from you because nowadays customers keep quality over quantity and don’t waste their hard-earned money on things that aren’t worth the same. Keep quality a priority that is maintained in each and every substance in a company and enhances customer peace of mind.
Higher standards of a product attract the customer to purchase back, and for this, the crucial part is to make essential changes, improve the quality, and update the product as the time and affordable, this has resulted in customer loyalty and customer coming back to you for other products.
The Principles of ISO 9001 QMS Certification
The ISO 9001 Certification places the concept of process management at the heart of the standard. It consists of eight core quality management principles that act as a common foundation for all standards relating to quality management.
Principles of ISO 9001:-
- Customer focus – It evaluates the organization’s objectives and initiatives to meet customers’ needs and requirements. The principle focuses on product performance and customer service.
- Leadership – This principle aims to establish a quality-minded culture. The top-level management plays a crucial role in establishing and maintaining work environments that engage people and achieve quality objectives.
- Engagement of People – It is one of the essential principles of ISO 9001 certification and focuses on making employees more competent, dependable, empowered, and better. It helps in the personal and professional development of the employees by establishing effective communication within the organization.
- Process Approach – It focuses on linking all the business processes in a single system and helps in achieving more predictable and consistent outcomes. It helps an organization focus on operations that need improvement.
- System Approach to Management – The process approach is a part of the system approach. It focuses on developing a cohesive system and improving individual performance by understanding, analysing, and managing interrelated business processes.
- Continual Improvement – Improving business operations is an ongoing process. It requires an organization to identify potential risks and opportunities and formulate strategies to eliminate risks and reap opportunities.
- Evidence-based Decision Making – It follows an evidence-based approach to the decision-making process. It evaluates all the data and implements appropriate tools and methods. The importance is given to understanding the cause-and-effect relationships and potential unintended consequences.
- Relationship Management – Establishing good relations with relevant partners, business associates, vendors, stakeholders, and investors is significant for an organization to ensure the continuity of the supply chain. Sustained success is more likely to be achieved when the organization manages relationships with all of its interested parties to optimize their impact on its performance.
Basic steps for ISO 9001 Quality Management System Certification
ISO 9001 certification is an internationally accredited standard for Quality Management Systems. It requires an organization to establish effective quality management, and here is a checklist of 12 key steps that will guide you to achieve ISO 9001:
- Leadership
- Perform a Gap Analysis
- Defining the scope
- Implementation of Quality Management and Creating Quality Management System Manual
- Establishing effective communication within the organization
- Creation of an audit plan
- Determining and assigning roles and responsibilities
- Evaluating the Quality Management System and taking the actions
- Conduction of an internal audit
- Apply for stage-I audit
- External audit
- Successfully completing the Certification process
Along with the checklist there is a mandatory documentation list of ISO 9001 that need to be prepared to achieve ISO 9001 Certification.
Is ISO 9001 Certification mandatory or a legal requirement?
Since ISO 9001 certification is proof of your commitment to the quality of your products or services, it becomes a priority for your clients to do business with you. Also, you may find those suppliers trustworthy who are certified with ISO 9001. Thus, ISO 9001 certification is not a mandatory requirement, but it sure is a preferable one. In addition to that, ISO 9001 is also not a legal requirement. In fact, there are many standards, based on ISO 9001, for the implementation of Quality Management systems.
Organizations of any size or sector of operation can apply for ISO 9001 certification. The cost of obtaining this certificate varies from organization to organization, based upon the strength of their workforce, the complexity of their processes, and many other factors. Implementing a QMS on the basis of ISO 9001 may seem like a difficult task, but with proper guidance, it becomes easier, in addition, ISO 9001 certification might seem challenging to many, but with an experienced certification body, like SIS Certifications, the process of certification can be made hassle-free.
Requirements of ISO 9001 Certification
The structure of ISO 9001 consists of 10 sections, out of which the first three are introductory in nature, whereas the last seven specify the requirements of QMS, against which ISO 9001 certification is performed.
Clause 4: Context of the organization – This section deals with understanding the uniqueness of your organization and customizing ISO 9001 in order to implement a QMS that is most suitable for you.
Clause 5: Leadership – It underlines the importance of top management in the implementation of QMS by proper risk assessment, planning actions, and assigning roles and responsibilities to the relevant staff.
Clause 6: Planning – through analysis of the risks and opportunities, the top management is expected to design a plan that enlists the quality objectives for your organization.
Clause 7: Support – It points out all the resources, such as human resources, infrastructure, and others that are required for an effective QMS. This section also deals with the requirements around competence, awareness, communication, and controlling documented information.
Clause 8: Operation – this section deals with the execution part of the planning for QMS. It includes product requirements review, keeping a check on external providers, reviewing the product before release, and so on.
Clause 9: Performance evaluation – This section deals with the ways by which you can ensure the effective functioning of your QMS. It involves regular management reviews, monitoring and measurement techniques, etc.
Clause 10: Improvement – this section ensures that your QMS is upgraded and able to meet the current market requirements. It involves regular reviews to identify gaps and performing corrective actions to close those gaps for continual improvement.
Cost of ISO 9001 Certification
The cost of ISO 9001 Certification varies from one organization to another. ISO 9001 standards apply to any industry, large and small, irrespective of nature and location.
The cost of ISO 9001 certification depends on the certification body you choose. It also depends on many factors, such as:-
– Size of your organization.
– Number of employees in the organization.
– The number of branches your organization has and many more.
PDCA Cycle
- Plan – to think that what do we need to achieve in our organization
- Do – to execute a planned action which will help us achieve the required objective
- Check – monitor against the standards) (policies, objectives, requirements)
- Action – finally implementing what has been rechecked.
ISO 9001 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: The latest version of ISO 9001 Certification is ISO 9001:2015 Certification, published in the month of September 2015. It basically aims to meet and enhance customers’ and other stakeholders’ satisfaction through effective application of the processes and also any organization regardless of its type, size, or products and services it provides, can apply for it.
Answer : ISO 9001 Certification is a globally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS) which basically aims to cut costs and optimize all the processes operating in your organization and helps your organization to meet all the requirements of the customers and other stakeholders.
Answer: First of all, you need to choose an internationally accredited certification body meeting all the requirements of IAS Accreditation such as SIS CERTIFICATIONS. Then an application shall be created, where all the rights and obligations will be included and will be confidential between both the applicants and the registrar. After that, the ISO auditor will review the relevant documentation related to various procedures followed in your organization. The auditors will identify gaps, and if there are any gaps you have to prepare an action plan in order to remove these gaps. Then, there will be initial certification audits which will be followed by: Stage I – where the auditors will check the changes made in your organization according to requirements. Stage II – where the auditor will do their final audit for the certification. As the auditors will approve all your processes then they will make a report and send it to the registrar. They will then grant you the ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Answer : Having an ISO 9001 certification is important for any organization because it helps you to lower your cost amount, maximize your profits ability in the organization. The benefit of a quality management system also helps you to earn new customers and retain those customers for a long period.
Answer : Just because you received an ISO 9001 certification, your task is not complete. For proper functioning of the management system, you need to maintain the ISO 9001 certification. For that, your company has to continually undergo an annual surveillance audit for the period of three years. After completion of the validity period, you need to get recertified.
Answer : Basically, an ISO Certificate is valid for three years. And during this time period of three years, a surveillance audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that ISO quality standards are being maintained by the organization.
Answer: The cost of ISO 9001 certification varies from one organization to another. Basically, when you approach an internationally accredited certifying body for ISO Certification and they approve your management systems and all your processes, they will then quote an amount for the certificate. Moreover, the cost for achieving ISO certification depends mostly on your organization, such as the no. of employees in your organization, No. of branches your organization has, and many more.
Answer: Achieving ISO 9001 Certification is not a big deal in today’s upgraded systems. The basic steps to become ISO 9001 Certified are as firstly, you need to prepare all the relevant information about your company in a systematized way (It is always best and safe to hire a legal consultant). secondly, you need to document all the relevant information about your business. thirdly, you have to implement all the documented information in your organization. Fourthly, get ready for the internal audits which are performed first during the certification process and then periodically after. Lastly, if the certifying body approves your management system then you will be awarded the required ISO standard.
ISO 9001 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Answer: The latest version of ISO 9001 Certification is ISO 9001:2015 Certification, published in the month of September 2015. It basically aims to meet and enhance customers’ and other stakeholders’ satisfaction through effective application of the processes and also any organization regardless of its type, size, or products and services it provides, can apply for it.
Answer : ISO 9001 Certification is a globally recognized standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS) which basically aims to cut costs and optimize all the processes operating in your organization and helps your organization to meet all the requirements of the customers and other stakeholders.
Answer: First of all, you need to choose an internationally accredited certification body meeting all the requirements of IAS Accreditation such as SIS CERTIFICATIONS. Then an application shall be created, where all the rights and obligations will be included and will be confidential between both the applicants and the registrar. After that, the ISO auditor will review the relevant documentation related to various procedures followed in your organization. The auditors will identify gaps, and if there are any gaps you have to prepare an action plan in order to remove these gaps. Then, there will be initial certification audits which will be followed by: Stage I – where the auditors will check the changes made in your organization according to requirements. Stage II – where the auditor will do their final audit for the certification. As the auditors will approve all your processes then they will make a report and send it to the registrar. They will then grant you the ISO 9001:2015 certification.
Answer : Having an ISO 9001 certification is important for any organization because it helps you to lower your cost amount, maximize your profits ability in the organization. The benefit of a quality management system also helps you to earn new customers and retain those customers for a long period.
Answer : Just because you received an ISO 9001 certification, your task is not complete. For proper functioning of the management system, you need to maintain the ISO 9001 certification. For that, your company has to continually undergo an annual surveillance audit for the period of three years. After completion of the validity period, you need to get recertified.
Answer : Basically, an ISO Certificate is valid for three years. And during this time period of three years, a surveillance audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that ISO quality standards are being maintained by the organization.
Answer: The cost of ISO 9001 certification varies from one organization to another. Basically, when you approach an internationally accredited certifying body for ISO Certification and they approve your management systems and all your processes, they will then quote an amount for the certificate. Moreover, the cost for achieving ISO certification depends mostly on your organization, such as the no. of employees in your organization, No. of branches your organization has, and many more.
Answer: Achieving ISO 9001 Certification is not a big deal in today’s upgraded systems. The basic steps to become ISO 9001 Certified are as firstly, you need to prepare all the relevant information about your company in a systematized way (It is always best and safe to hire a legal consultant). secondly, you need to document all the relevant information about your business. thirdly, you have to implement all the documented information in your organization. Fourthly, get ready for the internal audits which are performed first during the certification process and then periodically after. Lastly, if the certifying body approves your management system then you will be awarded the required ISO standard.
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