How to Get Certified to ISO 9001 as an Organization or Individual

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The term ‘’ISO certification’’ can be used for both companies and individuals with different meaning for each. Certification process for an organization entails putting in place systems or processes that meet all of ISO 9001:2015 requirements, with an external certification body auditing and confirming that all requirements of the standard have been met. On the other hand, the certification process for an individual involves taking certain training courses.

Meaning of ISO 9001 certification

ISO 9001:2015 has become the international standard for quality assurance in business organizations worldwide. An organization getting certified to ISO 9001:2015 means that they have been audited by external auditors, confirming that they meet all of the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard and, therefore, their systems meets the requirements of this world-class standard.

For an individual on the other hand, an ISO 9001 certification is an indication that they have gained the required knowledge and competence to implement or audit an ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System. An individual who chooses to get certified to ISO 9001 either as an internal or lead auditor makes a very important decision to advance his/her career in Quality Management by proving to potential employers that they are fully competent to implement the requirements of ISO 9001 and/or audit any quality system.

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Requirements for ISO 9001 Certification

The first step to getting certified to ISO 9001:2015 is the implementation of all of the requirements of ISO 9001 standard using the process approach by the intending organization. After this, the organization is then required to demonstrate to the auditors of a certification body that the requirements have been duly met during an audit.

Maintaining QMS certification

In addition to implementing ISO 9001 requirements, the organization must maintain the Quality Management System for a period of time to ensure its continuity. This is done by conducting internal audits by internal auditors of the organization and at least one management review of the system. Next, certified lead auditors from a certification body will assess the system against the requirements of ISO 9001 standard. If the system proves to meet the requirements of ISO 9001 standard as evident by the outcome of the audit, then an ISO 9001 certificate is issued to the organization showing that they are acceptable to meet the standard; hence the company is then considered ISO 9001 certified.

QMS audit

A Quality Management System audit is simply a planned and systematic review of an organization’s quality processes. It intends to look at what is actually done or in practice for each process as compared to the documentation and the requirements of the standard. The audit is meant to verify that the processes are functioning as planned; in other words, that is, the audit looks at the effectiveness and efficiency of the QMS.

Who gives ISO certification?

ISO certification of companies is granted by certification bodies when the organization proves to be compliant to the requirements of the standard after the certification audit. The ISO certification bodies are accredited to perform the audits, and grant certification, by an accreditation body in a country.

Importance of ISO 9001 certification

ISO 9001 certification is important for a company for three (3) major reasons:

Allows them to demonstrate to their customers that they have the processes in place to provide products and services that meet their needs.
To meet the requirement of the clients/customers.
Assists in getting a new client.

For individuals, certification demonstrates to employers, through an independent means, that the individual has developed the required competence to implement and audit the ISO 9001 Quality Management System according to the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.

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How to Get Certified to ISO 9001 as an Organization or Individual Getting Certified to ISO 9001: Simple Steps for Individuals & Organization

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