Category: ISO 9001

Are you planning to improve the quality of your business process? Well, achieving the latest ISO 9001 certification can help you with it. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your business process shows that all the products and services you offer are safe and high-quality, meeting customer demands. But to pass the ISO 9001 audit process, you’ll need a third-party auditing team to help you with the audit plan for ISO 9001.

Want more info about it? Let’s dive into the below blog post to learn more about ISO 9001 audit plans.

What is the ISO 9001 audit plan?

The ISO 9001 audit plan is a document that outlines the resources, timing, and scopes needed for the audit process.

Alongside that, the document also defines the activities that need to be completed as a part of the ISO 9001 audit process.

One can build the audit plan from scratch. But you can also create one by adapting the existing strategy of another similar company.

This audit plan for ISO 9001 standards can help you verify if all the systems of your organization are up-to-date and comply with all the ISO 9001 requirements or not.

The ISO 9001 audit plan of your business must be developed with input from all the organizational stakeholders including the auditors, stakeholders, management, and other staff(s) who might be involved in the ISO 9001 audit process.

Why develop an audit plan to implement the ISO 9001 standard in your business?

An ISO 9001 audit plan is a crucial document to implement the ISO quality management standard in your business process.

It acts as a systematic approach to examine if the organization complies with the latest regulatory QMS requirements.

Developing an audit plan to implement the ISO 9001 standard in your business also comes with the following benefits:

1.It can help you lower the number of errors because of a better audit process and potential QMS threats with prior identification.

2.Having an ISO 9001 audit plan can help you prevent misunderstandings with employees or customers by establishing clear expectations of what will take place during the ISO 9001 audit process.

3.The management can use the ISO 9001 audit plan as a benchmark to assess vulnerabilities and risks of the organizational processes. The audit plan can also provide an overview of the level of risks your organization is dealing with. It can also help your ISO 9001 auditors check if you’re applying the appropriate controls to minimize the potential QMS risks.

4.It also minimizes the time spent on reading documents during the ISO 9001 audit process by clarifying the audit process to everyone involved in the ISO 9001:2015 audit process.

5.Having an audit plan for the ISO 9001 certification can help you boost organizational productivity by streamlining the processes in the audit plan.

6.It can also help you organize the ISO 9001 QMS audit process in a well-defined manner by defining the scope of the ISO 9001 audit process alongside who’ll do the audit, what’ll be audited, and how long it’ll take to complete the audit process. Preparing these before starting the ISO 9001 audit process can confirm that all aspects of the audit processes are planned for and well taken care of.

Should you DIY your company’s ISO 9001 audit plan or outsource it?

There are a lot of reasons why hiring professionals for developing the ISO 9001 audit plan may be ideal for you.

While some companies also consider doing it themselves.

Here are some considerations:

1.Domain knowledge:

Most organizations opt for one of the internal staff(s) to conduct the ISO 9001 audit process, as they will have both the understanding of organization procedures and the domain knowledge.

Alongside that, internal employees would also feel more passionate about planning the ISO 9001 audit plan with their understanding of the business.

However, the audit insights would be biased to the organization and missing loopholes, even if there are any.

Well, hiring a third-party auditor can help you develop the ISO 9001 audit plan and prevent these from happening.

2.Quality:

Having any of your internal staff(s) develop the ISO 9001 audit plan can look and feel easy because of their understanding of the business.

However, hiring a professional third-party auditing team to plan the ISO 9001 audit can help you conduct various types of audits, which can further lead to better decision-making to achieve higher-quality audit standards.

3.Costs:

Costs are a significant factor in most companies thinking of having internal staff(s) to develop the ISO 9001 plan.

But no employees are permanent in an organization. Thus, spending money to train them would be a waste, while hiring a professional third-party ISO 9001 auditing team can offer you discounts for long-term contracts.

Also, ISO 9001 audit planning should be a contract-basis task rather than a regular basis task.

Hence, outsourcing your ISO 9001:2015 auditing tasks to a professional third-party ISO 9001 audit specialist would be more beneficial than doing it yourself.

Bottom line

Are you planning to get your company ISO 9001 certified? Before you start preparing your brand, develop an audit plan for ISO 9001 certifications. We hope this blog post can help you understand that.

 

Most people tend to think that ISO 9001 certification is only required by large companies. If you’re also one of them, then let us tell you that any company regardless of their size can benefit from ISO 9001:2015. Even if you run a small interior design firm across an alley, utilizing ISO 9001 for small businesses can help you in many ways.

ISO 9001:2015 is the internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your organization shows that you’re committed to the quality of your procedures and continual improvement. Aside from that, getting your company ISO 9001 certified can also help you enhance customer satisfaction while reducing costs and improving the company’s productivity.

But how can obtaining an ISO 9001 certification help your small interior design firm? Let’s discuss that in the following blog post.

Why should you consider getting your small interior design firm ISO 9001 certified?

As per data, there’re over 1 million organizations in over 171 countries across the world certified to ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard.

It comes with a strong customer focus, implication of top management, motivation, the process approach, and continuous improvement.

As an owner of a small interior design firm, getting your organization ISO 9001 certified can help you in many ways, including the following:

1.Making your organizational processes more structured:

One of the main benefits of implementing ISO 9001 in your small business is that it can offer your business operations a solid structure to enhance the effectiveness of the way your interior design firm works.

It can also help you make the system robust to teach innovative techniques to senior management and increase employee productivity by emphasizing good leadership, engagement, and relationships across the board.

2.Transforming your business procedures to be more cost-effective:

Implementing ISO 9001 in your small business model can help you improve the quality of the products and services you offer. And, doing so can help you cut down the costs as well as increase the profit margins to satisfy your customers and secure new deals.

3.Minimizing potential QMS risks in your interior design firm:

Nothing can be more devastating than QMS risks and dangerous slip-ups for small businesses, as they tend to have more to lose than larger enterprises.

Well, implementing ISO 9001 in your small interior design firm can help you identify the potential risks unique to your business through various risk assessments using risk-based thinking.

4.Improving your supply chain and maintaining a better relationship:

Getting your organization ISO 9001 certified isn’t only about employees but also making the best of your supply chain. And you can do that through regular surveys and feedback.

It, on the other hand, shows that you and all the people you work with comply with the latest ISO 9001 regulations to improve your industry and relationship with all the suppliers and vendors.

5.Offering your organization a competitive edge:

Being ISO 9001 certified can act as an international mark of quality on the name of your interior design firm, showcasing that you’re committed to best practice QMS and continual improvement.

It can give opportunities for your small interior design business to prove that industry leaders can come in all shapes and sizes.

6.Increasing the customer satisfaction level:

One of the basic goals for ISO 9001 QMS is improving the quality of products and services that can further go to your customers. It can further offer a positive impact and a good reputation for the brand.

Alongside that, ISO 9001:2015 focuses on continual improvement by continuously improving the products, processes, and procedures, which, on the other hand, can boost the customer satisfaction level directly.

7.Guaranteeing quality products and services consistently:

Implementing ISO 9001 standards in your small interior design business process can also help you bring consistency of quality to your products as well as services.

Consistency in product quality can also help you rise to higher levels and compete even with the large competitors in the interior design industry.

8.Unlocking new opportunities and achievements for your organization:

ISO 9001 is a globally recognized QMS standard. Thus, getting your small interior design firm ISO 9001 certified allows you to create valuable relationships with various international companies.

Obtaining the ISO 9001:2015 certification can furthermore open new markets, as most countries check and acknowledge the certification as a “sign of quality”.

Alongside all these, being ISO 9001 certified can also boost your business reputation, which can further help you improve customer experience and retain existing customers for your business.

Bottom line

ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS but often misunderstood that only large companies can benefit from it. But, let us tell you that it isn’t true. If you think that ISO 9001 only helps large companies, then let us tell you that ISO 9001 for small businesses is equally important as well as ISO 9001 for large brands. It comes with many benefits for small businesses like interior design firms, etc. We hope this blog can help you understand that.

ISO certifications are expensive and time-consuming, but it shouldn’t be that way. Most business owners worry about ISO 9001 certification cost and time whenever they think of getting their organizations ISO 9001 certified.

Well, you aren’t alone!

Everyone wants to get ISO certified and improve their business processes at a discounted rate. But, before you think of how to reduce the costs for ISO 9001, you must know the facts that make the costs vary between businesses.

Let’s discuss that in the following blog post.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems).

Implementing this ISO standard in your business process shows that all the products and services you deliver are high-quality, meeting all your customer demands.

Alongside that, ISO 9001 also promotes a culture of continual improvement in organizations.

How does the cost for ISO 9001:2015 certification vary from company to company?

When it comes to implementing ISO 9001 in your business, you must know that the cost and time vary significantly based on various things.

The following are some of the factors that may affect the cost of your business’s ISO 9001:2015 certification:

1.The size of the organization plays a crucial role in the cost and time of implementing ISO 9001 in business processes. If your company is large, it may have more stakeholders than small companies. Hence, it’ll take more time and cost to implement and develop the QMS.

2.The scope of the products and services delivered by the company also plays a significant role in determining the time and cost of the ISO 9001:2015 certification process. The larger the scope, the longer and costlier the process will be.

3.The availability of key personnel to provide input in ISO 9001 implementation also plays a crucial role. Unavailability of them will delay the process and make it costlier.

4.Most organizations may almost be there already, while some are just getting started. Depending on this, the ISO 9001 implementation process can be expensive and prolonged.

5.The commitment of senior management of organizations is also vital behind the time and cost of the latest ISO 9001:2015 certification process. If the culture of quality and continuous improvement doesn’t come from the top, it’ll eventually delay the process and make it more expensive.

Is there any way to reduce the costs of getting your organization ISO 9001 certified?

In the above, we’ve seen how the cost and time for implementing ISO 9001 varies from company to company.

But the question remains unclear!

Can you reduce the cost of implementing the ISO 9001 standard in your business process?

Well, YES, you can.

The following are some tips to lower your business’s cost for ISO 9001 implementation:

1.Internally conduct a gap analysis:

Gap analysis is the first step to implement any management system let alone the QMS.

To do so, you can hire an ISO expert to help you. Or, you can do it internally.

If you want a cost-effective way to implement ISO 9001 QMS in your business, doing it internally would be ideal.

There are many websites where you can find the checklists for ISO 9001 requirements. Following them can help you.

2.Train your employees:

Hiring an external ISO auditing firm would be the easiest way to comply with the ISO 9001:2015 requirements and complete all your documentation.

But yes, they’d cost you a lot.

Skipping this by training your employees with the knowledge of the ISO 9001 standards can save you a lot of money.

Having an in-house team with the latest ISO 9001:2015 certification knowledge can also confirm a more sustainable ISO implementation.

3.Use existing resources of your organization:

Did you know that most organizations already have the systems and procedures they’ll need for implementing ISO 9001?

Well, it’s true.

All you’ll have to do is identify them and utilize them effectively.

It, on the other hand, will also reduce the costs for your brand’s ISO 9001 certification significantly.

4.See ISO 9001 as an improvement tool not a mere certification:

If you see the need for implementing ISO 9001:2015 in your process as a requirement, it’ll always look expensive in your eyes.

Thus, you should see it as an opportunity for improvement.

The ISO 9001 standard is engineered for businesses, regardless of the size and niche, to improve their procedures and increase their efficiency, which will further increase your sales and customer satisfaction.

5.Measure the outcomes regularly:

Lastly, measuring the outcomes of implementing ISO 9001 in your business is essential to reduce further costs associated with the certification process.

By measuring the progress, you can easily identify areas that need improvement.

It can also give you an insight into areas where you can make more cost-effective adjustments.

Conclusion

When it comes to getting organizations ISO 9001 certified, most business owners worry about the ISO 9001 certification cost and time. Many assume that the ISO certification process is expensive, but there are a lot of ways you can reduce the cost of implementing ISO 9001:2015 in your organization. However, the quality of work may not be as professional as it could be with ISO experts.

Do you want to gain ISO 9001 certification for your organization? Is the ISO 9001 certification cost holding you from jumping into the process? Then, this blog is for you!

Although the cost of ISO 9001 certification can be high, multiple factors play a central role in influencing it. Fortunately, most of those influential factors are in your control.

In today’s blog, we will evaluate those factors and give you ballpark figures for ISO 9001 QMS certification cost.

So, let’s get started!

What Factors Influence the ISO 9001 Certification Cost?

Predicting ISO 9001 certification costs can be difficult because it largely depends on the size of your organization and the scope of the QMS. Also, it can increase or decrease based on the assistance you hire for the certification.

Here are the most critical factors influencing the cost of ISO 9001 registration.

• Your location: The cost of the certification process can go up or down based on the location of your organization. For instance, the registration cost of ISO 9001 can range between $2,000 and $4,000 in the US, while it can increase in other countries.

• Size and complexity of your organization: Similarly, if you have a larger workforce, operations across multiple locations, or a relatively complex quality management system, it may cost you more to achieve ISO 9001 certification.

• Hiring consultants: Consultants can essentially help speed up the QMS development, analysis, documentation, and improvement process. However, hiring them will surely increase the cost of the entire process. The expenses of hiring multiple experienced consultants can double your ISO 9001 certification cost.

• The volume of ISO documentation: ISO 9001 requires organizations to create, maintain, modify, and review documentation related to the QMS. The more documents your auditors will review, the more they may charge.

How To Keep Your ISO 9001 Certification Cost Within Budget?

ISO 9001 certification is an investment. And it ultimately depends on you how you want to implement the standard and influence its cost.

Here are a few easy ways to keep the ISO 13485 9001 cost within your expected budget.

• DIY the implementation process: If you have a competent in-office team and dedicated managers, you may not need assistance from professional ISO consultants. Alternatively, you can utilize software or hire consultants who allow you to customize their service packages. This way, you can pick and choose what you need help with and pay for that service only.

• Utilize training programs and documentation templates: Providing training to employees and documenting hundreds of processes can seem overwhelming. Luckily, there are lots of consultants and websites that offer affordable training programs and documentation templates to help you out. This way, you don’t have to spend additional expenses on consultants.

• Gap analysis: Carrying out a gap analysis will give you a good idea about what you need to do to comply with ISO 9001 certification requirements. It will reduce your chances of having nonconformities, saving money and time.

• Integrated management system: If you have plans to implement multiple management system standards, it’s a clever idea to integrate them together. Since many of the ISO management standards share similar policy and procedure requirements, an integrated management system will save you from the repeated hassle and cost of each system.

The Average ISO 9001 Certification Cost

Giving an accurate estimation of the ISO 9001 certification cost without assessing your QMS is nearly impossible.

Yet, these figures should help you estimate what the bill may look like.

• For small companies (1-25 employees) with no quality system, the consultation cost can be between $1000 and $10000. The cost will increase when you add the expenses involved in the registration audit. However, if your small company already has an established quality management system, the expenses can be lower

For certification audits:

• companies with 1-25 employees, the cost of ISO 9001 certification can be from $2000 to $5000 or more

• For companies with 26 to 100 employees, the ISO 9001 certification cost can increase to roughly $5,000-$11,250.

• If your company has more than 100 to 250 employees, it will raise the certification cost to $11,250-$13,000. These expenses can go up based on the quotation of your hired auditors.

• The cost of ISO 9001 certification can increase even more if you have 251-500 employees. You may expect to pay $15,000 or more for the certification audit.

• Lastly, if your organization has over 1000 employees, you can expect to spend around $18,000 or more.

Multiple locations, multiple shifts, a complex ISO 9001 quality management system, a complex scope and many other factors will add to the cost.

Certification bodies also have different rates. Some may charge twice the rate of another certification body or more.

Don’t Let The Numbers Discourage You!

As mentioned previously, implementing a robust quality management system is an investment. While ISO 9001 certification cost may appear a lot initially, once you start receiving the return on investment, it will be worth it.

Also, you can avoid spending a significant amount of the mentioned budgets by implementing the system yourself. If you have a small company with a few employees, executing a QMS will be relatively easy.

However, although you can compromise on hiring a consultant, you cannot prioritize the budget when hiring third-party auditors. To receive credible certifications, you must employ trusted and certified lead auditors and accredited certification bodies. Otherwise, you may end up with inauthentic ISO 9001 registration, wasting all your time, effort, and money.

Maintaining a compliant quality management system requires a ton of effort and resources. So, it’s only natural to want to know whether your efforts are bringing worthy outcomes.

The audit criteria in ISO 9001 allow you to achieve this through periodic audits. The standard makes it mandatory for organizations to perform audits following the requirements of clause 9.2.

Implementing this clause can enable your organization to assess the effectiveness of the system, products, services, and processes.

Also, the outcomes of the audits will act as evidence of your efforts toward improving the QMS.

So, if your organization is planning to achieve the ISO 9001 certification, continue reading to find out the standard’s criteria for audits.

Systematic, Independent And Documented

ISO 9001 quality management standard defines the audit as an independent, documented, and systematic process for obtaining evidence and evaluating fulfillment of audit criteria in ISO 9001.

ISO 9001 QMS requires organizations to conduct audits at planned intervals. The audit should aim to provide information on whether the QMS conforms to the requirements of the company and the standard. Also, it shall indicate whether you have effectively implemented and maintained the QMS.

Systematic: Your audits should be planned and scheduled. It shall have support from the top management and necessary resources for execution.

Independent: Your organization must carry out the audit in an impartial manner. To achieve this, consider appointing an auditor not responsible for the systems and products you are auditing. It will help eliminate biases and conflicts of interest.

Documented: Lastly, you shall document evidence of compliance through the audit. There are several methods for doing this, such as tests, observations, and measurements. Then, you must communicate the outcomes of the audit to the management to perform corrective actions without delay per the audit criteria in ISO 9001.

Fundamental Audit Criteria In ISO 9001

Clause 9.2.2 in ISO 9001 highlights the essential requirements for performing a quality management system audit.

1.Plan, implement, establish, and maintain an audit program

According to the standard’s criteria, you shall plan, implement, establish, and maintain an audit program. This program should consider the frequency, methods, responsibilities, reporting, and planning requirements of the audit. Additionally, it should take into account the significance of the processes you are auditing, changes that affect the organization, and the results of the previous audits.

2.Define the criteria and scope of the audit

Ensure uniformity when defining your audit criteria. It will help you assess progress and implement recommendations without additional hassles. At the same time, make sure the criteria are flexible enough for you to change as necessary and relevant to the organization’s objectives.

3.Select impartial auditors

You can choose an auditor from a third-party consultancy or from inside your company, according to the audit criteria in ISO 9001. Regardless, make sure the professional is unbiased and not involved in any activities they are responsible for auditing. It will help you avoid conflicts of interest.

4.Report to relevant management

You will need the results of the audit to determine whether the QMS complies with the ISO 9001 requirements and if you need to make any improvements in the system.

According to the standard, relevant management departments are responsible for analyzing the audit results. Hence, you must communicate the results with them.

5.Implement corrective actions without delay

If you find nonconformance in the audit results, remember to plan and take corrective measures without undue delay. Then, you must assess the effectiveness of the corrective actions in a subsequent audit.

6.Retain documentation as evidence

Ensure that your management records the audit process, its outcomes, and corrective actions and makes it easily accessible for relevant parties and events, such as external audits.

Create A Checklist For The Audit Criteria In ISO 9001

Your checklist for the audit criteria in ISO 9001 should include questions related to all the requirements of the standard, including

Context of the organization

•Understanding the organization and its context,

•Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties,

•The scope of the quality management,

•Quality management system and its processes,

Leadership

•Leadership and commitment to the quality management system,

•Customer focus,

•Quality policy,

•Organizational roles, responsibilities, and authorities,

Planning for the quality management system

•Actions to address risks and opportunities,

•Product design skills,

•Quality objectives and planning to achieve them,

•Planning of changes,

Support

•Resources,

•People,

•Infrastructure,

•Environment for the operation of processes,

•Monitoring and measuring resources,

•Organizational knowledge,

•Competence,

•Awareness,

•Communication,

•Documentation,

Operation

•Operational planning and control,

•Determination of requirements for customer communication products and services,

•Determining requirements for products and services for audit criteria in ISO 9001,

•Review of requirements related to services and products,

•Design and development of products and services,

•Design and development planning,

•Design and development inputs,

•Design and development controls,

•Design and development outputs,

•Design and development changes,

•Control of externally provided services and products,

•Type and extent of control for external provision,

•Information for external providers,

•Productional and service provision,

•Identification and traceability,

•Property of customers or external providers,

•Preservation,

•Post-delivery activities,

•Control of changes,

•Release of products and services,

•Control of nonconforming products and services.

Performance evaluation in audit criteria in ISO 9001

•Monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation,

•Customer satisfaction,

•Analysis and evaluation,

•Audit,

•Management review,

Improvement

•General improvement requirements,

•Nonconformity and corrective actions,

•Continual improvement.

Wrapping Up

The official audit criteria in ISO 9001 do not clarify how frequently you should perform the audit, along with a few other pointers. Hence, when planning the audit process, make sure to tailor it to your company’s needs. Also, ensure your audit process is completely unbiased, accurate, and documented,

The ISO 9001 audit is an independent process conducted for gathering facts to determine compliance with the standard. The aim of this objective-oriented, systematic, and documented procedure is to detect areas of improvement in compliance and activity and help management to implement the most relevant corrective actions.

An ISO 9001 audit is a very effective tool for evaluating compliance with your current quality management system and with the standard itself. Auditing is a crucial part of the checking process in the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) cycle that is embedded into all ISO management system standards.  Audits are not the only form of checking, there are also many other versions such as inspections where relevant, management, supervisors, examinations, etc.  Amongst the other forms of checking, auditing has a special role in that it is planned, performed by competent individuals, and is effective at meeting its purpose which is to get a snapshot of compliance from a records point of view.

ISO 9001 does not require organizations to determine the financial viability of ISO 9001, therefore internal audits do not include an assessment of financial benefit.

Conducting the audit can be tricky for those who lack industry experience and knowledge of quality management systems. The following post discusses the essential elements and steps for performing a great ISO 9001 system audit.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 is the international and industry generic standard for quality management systems. The aim of the certification is to support companies in ensuring their product/services meet the industry guidelines and customer expectations. The standard can be a most effective marketing tool that adds competitive advantage by strengthening brand loyalty. With consistent performance, ISO 9001 compliance helps organizations to retain their customers. Therefore, it acts as a powerful tool for business sustainability and establishment as well.

Steps For Conducting ISO 9001 Audit

Internal audit – The internal audit, or in other words a “first party audit” is a requirement within ISO 9001. Therefore, you cannot comply with ISO 9001 unless you perform internal audits. Internal audits can be performed by a competent individual within the organization or external to the organization. The internal auditor will need to be trained and competent, but does not need to have lead auditor training, as lead auditor training is only a requirement for certification audits.  Internal audits will have to be planned and executed according to ISO 9001. Internal audits will be performed regularly at frequencies determined by your organization, usually annually at least.

2nd party audits – 2nd party audits are usually performed by your customer or a representative of the customer. The customer will normally pay for the 2nd party audit, unless agreed otherwise. 2nd party audits are not a requirement of ISO 9001; however, some customers will insist on 2nd party audits as part of their own purchasing requirements, or when you are not ISO 9001 certified.

Precertification audits – Precertification audits are performed by a certification body if requested by your organization. Precertification audits are not a requirement of ISO 9001.  Precertification audits are more like a readiness review for management that are not confident they are ready for certification.  Precertification audits can be offered by the certification body at a price and there are no particular rules that must be followed for these audits in ISO 9001 or ISO 17021.  Normally the auditor will provide an audit report at the end of their audit.

Stage 1 Audit – The stage 1 audit is the primary process that prepares an organization for the final round of evaluation which is the stage 2 audit. Through stage 1, management and the certification body confirm the scope of the activity, and whether the management review and internal audit have been effectively performed. Through the process, the certification body checks if the quality management system has been documented, and if there will be a high likelihood of a major corrective action in the stage 2 audit. The auditor will provide a report at the end of the stage 1 audit that emphasizes non-compliances and opportunities for improvement if there are any.

Stage 2 Audit – At stage 2, the auditor checks any corrections or changes from the stage 1 audit. The focus of this audit is whether you have implemented the quality management system. A checklist and questionnaire are prepared for the audit.  During the audit, selected personnel in your organization will be asked about their understanding of the quality management system and performance. Records will also be checked. At this stage, management needs to show evidence of compliance. Inability to prove compliance through records and discussions can lead to major or minor corrective actions.  Major corrective actions must be corrected before the ISO 9001 certificate is issued. Minor corrective actions must have a plan in place before the certificate is issued.  Implementation of the plan for minor corrective actions will be checked at the next annual audit. The auditor will provide a report at the end of the stage 2 audit.

Certification – If both stages 1 and 2 show an adequate level of compliance to the standards and your company’s quality management system, your company will be recommended for certification, and the certification body will therefore issue your ISO 9001 certificate. Congratulations!! Typically, the certification body will also add your organization name and certification details to their own list of clients on their website, and potentially also to the accreditation body and to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) website.  Typically, your organization will also receive certification logos or marks for use within your organization such as on marketing materials.

Surveillance Audit – This is done to check the progress and performance of the implemented or modified quality management system. Certification is valid for three years, and within this time period, the audit is performed at least twice to ensure that your organization continues to comply with ISO 9001. It also helps to identify possible areas of improvement.  These audits also help companies prepare for future audits.

Recertification audit – Like most other ISO management system certifications, ISO 9001 lasts for three consecutive years. While the surveillance audit determines consistent performance, the recertification audit is performed to recertify your organization for an additional three years. Alongside the basic audit process, the recertification audit concentrates on new quality objectives and plans for upcoming years. If the recertification audit is successful, a brand-new ISO 9001 certificate is issued by the certification body.

The entire process can be exhausting and difficult. To streamline the process, you might consider engaging support from expert ISO consultants.

Blue Wolf Certifications is a business partner to various accredited certification bodies. To put it another way, we are one of their auditors, a regional office.

Our auditors have been described as transparent, open, fair and supportive. And even easy to talk to and helpful.

Our audits have been described as nonthreatening, relaxing, straightforward, orderly, professional and painless.

Take the advice of our clients, we will make your ISO certification journey easier and less stressful.

We can audit and provide accredited certifications for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 37001, ISO 45001 and other certifications.

Contact us here now!