What is ISO 9001?
The experts accept ISO 9001 certification as a globally recognized standard that works as a successful Quality Management System (QMS). You can easily estimate the success of this standard as more than 1.5 million users globally and the number is increasing rather consistently. These subscribers of the ISO 9001 certificate belong to more than 178 countries from all over the world.
What Does ISO 9001 Certification Aim At?
ISO 9001 certification and standards provide an outline and set of ethics that confirm a common-sense method for the management of your business to satisfy the customers and other patrons and stakeholders. In other words, you may conclude that ISO 9001 certification gives the basis for actual procedures and real people to deliver the right service.
As a business owner, you cannot deny the fact that maintaining the quality of the products and services is the key to a successful business. You cannot deny or ignore guaranteeing quality if you wish to make your business thrive. Your intentions must make your potential consumer trust your initiatives confidently that your goods or services are perfect in terms of quality.
This ISO 9001 standard instigates the general structure that is provided by ISO 9001. Since the last version came up in 2015, therefore the standard is termed ISO 9001:2015. It is more companionable with some other popular and successful management systems. These systems include ISO 14001. As a result of this combination, this certification standard becomes even more effective and acceptable by the companies. As a result of this, the annual growth rate of its popularity is increasing at a rate of 4%. It is very good in any circumstances!
ISO 9001 has seen a 3.5% increase in worldwide certificates in 2020, showing the growth and importance of accredited certification in recent times. Statistics straight from the most recent ISO Survey.
Looking to implement an ISO 9001 management system? Not sure where to start? Take a look at our ISO 9001 Implementation Guide here.
What topics does ISO 9001:2015 cover?
ISO 9001 uses the most effective methodology to provide a process-oriented approach to do the needful. It provides complete solutions from detailing to revising the structure, tasks, and measures essential to attain an effective quality management system that can work well for a business. Specific sections of the standard contain information on many topics, such as:
- Duties of the management
- Needs and necessities for a Quality Management System (QMS), including well-documented information and defining procedure communications
- Management of different resources that may include staffing and the work environment of a business organization.
- Quantity, investigation, and enhancement of the QMS through diverse activities like inner audits and remedial and defensive feat
Variations introduced in ISO 9001 in its last modification intend to make sure that this QMS certification continues to adjust to the altering surroundings in which organizations work and survive. The following are a few of those important changes incurred in the ISO 9001:2015 version:
- The outline/overview of the new terminology
- Rearranging some of the available information
- Importance of risk-based planning
- Enhancing the application of the procedure tactic
- Better pertinence for services available/offered
- Enhanced leadership necessities
Requirements Of the ISO 9001 Certification Standards:
The basic structure of the ISO 9001:2015 Certification standard is divided into 10 sections that experts term as clauses. Among these ten clauses, the top three clauses are introductory. The next seven clauses have certain specifications for the Quality Management System for which a company looks for certification. The last seven clauses include the following:
- Clause 4: Context of the organization
- Clause 5: Leadership
- Clause 6: Planning
- Clause 7: Support
- Clause 8: Operation
- Clause 9: Performance evaluation
- Clause 10: Improvement
These clauses are extremely effective as they aim at creating a strategy based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle. It utilizes the clauses to plan and then implement changes in the method the organization follows to drive improvements in the existing functional processes.
How Does ISO 9001:2015 Certification Standard Help An Organization?
Well, the list is quite big. Yet the most important areas in which this ISO 9001 standards help include the following:
- Client Pleasure
- Risk Administration
- Product Development
- Brand and Status.
- Internal Auditing
- Training and Competence
- Process Improvement
- Operational Efficiency
So, you see that ISO 9001 Certification Standard is extremely important for every business that has a stringent requirement for maintaining the quality of the services/products it deals in. The subject matter is quite big.