If an organization decides to go for ISO Certification, the most common questions are:
- Which ISO Standard is best for my Business?
- Who does issue the ISO Certificates?
- How to pass the ISO Certification Audit?
- What are the ISO Certification Requirements?
Most Business owners, managing directors, or CEOs, initially think that they can prepare themselves for the ISO Certification requirements. In most cases, they succeed to clear the Certification audit, but in some cases, they can’t due to the lack of skillset of their resources. That is where they start to identify the best external ISO consultants who can help them to implement the system.
Which ISO Standard is best for my Business?
As you already know, there are hundreds of ISO standards published by ISO, but how to identify which one is best for your business. The answer is simple, if you are trying to get the ISO Certificate for the first time, then ISO 9001:2015 is the best standard for starts with. Because ISO 9001:2015 (Quality Management System) is applicable to all organizations.
However, if you have a special requirement of ISO Certification, that demanded by your client or for any government/private tender, based on the requirement or nature of business you can go with the following ISO standards:
ISO 9001 – Quality Management System – Applicable to all businesses (Service Based and Product Based)
ISO 27001 – Information Security Management System – Applicable to business which requires the secured environment to protect the Business Critical Information. Information might be anything, such that Customer Data, Financial Data, Research Data, programming or Coding Data, or any data that is critical to keep safe.
In most cases, 90% of IT Companies, Financial Institutes, Banks and other big organizations go with ISO 27001 Certification.
ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System, applicable to businesses or organizations whose operations impact the surrounding environment and they are looking to meet the local or international regulatory requirements.
Mostly applicable to Chemical Companies, production/manufacturing companies, mining companies, chemical companies, pharmaceutical companies, oil & gas agencies, and any other companies that require presenting their responsibility to save the environment without harming through their business operations.
ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System – applicable to organizations, in which the safety of their resources are at risk.
Constructions, manufacturing, Chemical or Mining Companies, they have to implement the safety guidelines as per ISO 45001 and get ISO certified.
Even MNC’s or IT companies also can go with ISO 45001, as their employees may feel mental risks during and after working hours. It’s the organizational responsibility to protect their resources as per the legal requirements.
As for other standards, the organizations can go with their client requirements if they have any particular demands.
Who does issue the ISO Certificates?
There is a myth that the ISO organization issues the ISO Certificates. No, ISO only publishes the ISO Standards; the ISO Certificates are issued by accredited Certification Bodies. Again, No government will issue the ISO Certificates, but Certification Bodies that are accredited by the government or independent Accreditation Bodies issue the Certificates. Every country has its own Accreditation Bodies and under accreditation body, there are hundreds of Certification Bodies are working to issue ISO Certificates with proper auditing.
How to pass the ISO Certification Audit?
As mentioned above, Certification bodies audit the organizational Management System before issuing any ISO Certificates. To clear the ISO Certification audit, the organization has to implement the required documentation, guidelines as per the ISO standards. The organization can do self-implementation if they have enough skills to do or hire external ISO Consulting agencies to implement the System.
What are the ISO Certification Requirements?
As it comes to the requirements of ISO Certification, Organization has to prepare documentation, train their employees and follow the guidelines mentioned in the ISO Standards. The requirements are simple and can be integrated easily into your current management system.
For more information about ISO Certification, requirements and implementation, Feel free to contact us.
