#ISO Certification - An Overview

International Standards Organization (ISO) is an independent organization that sets the standards for businesses in terms of quality, safety, and efficiency of products. An ISO registration enhances the reputation of your service or product. There are different types of ISO certification like ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 5001, etc.

Of all the ISO standards, ISO 9000 series is the most popular. ISO 9000 is a set of international standards for quality management and quality assurance. The ISO 9000 family of standards like ISO 9001:2015, ISO 19011:2018, ISO 9000:2015 help organizations meet customer satisfaction and regulatory requirements and achieve continual improvement. ISO 9000 lays the fundamentals for Quality Management System (QMS).

QMS is structured framework of policies, processes and procedures for planning and execution in the core business areas of an organization. ISO 9001:2015 is the international standard for QMS. It is globally recognized and accepted and can be implemented by all small, medium and large enterprises to enhance efficiency, quality and profits. It also helps in reducing waste, and lowering costs.

We help businesses in all types of ISO certification. Some of the certifications we deal with are:

• ISO 9001:2015
• ISO 14001:2015
• ISO 45001:2018
• ISO 22000:2005
• ISO 50001:2011
• ISO 28000:2007
• IATF 16949:2016
  
  

#The Need for an ISO Certification for a Company - Benefits

The primary reason a company needs an ISO certification is that it is mandatory by law or contract. The secondary reasons to conform to the standards are:

• It gives an organization a platform that is recognized by game changers and decision makers.
• Identification of recurrent issues and resolving them saves valuable time and financial support.
• Processes become more efficient which improves the system.
• They give a company a competitive edge needed during contract tenders
• The same resources lead to more value and worth.
• The perception the customers hold on business increases tenfold and consequently, satisfaction rises.

An increasing number of organizations are opting for ISO 9001 certification because the standard benefits them by consistently improving their outcomes and processes, and because it is a valuable prerequisite for customer acquisition. The certification is bound to exponentially benefit an organization if ISO 9001 is implemented with the right legal guidance.

#Additional advantages of ISO Certification

An ISO Certification is a mark of guarantee that every item produced or sold by the business fulfils the standards set at a global level. It ensures that the company offers only top-notch quality products or services

Furthermore, a certification gives the customer a reliance that the product or service is in compliance with superior quality standards. The ISO mark puts a product a step above others in the eye of the customer which increases the sales. In simpler words, the certification is the easiest tool to market and brand your services or goods.

• Nowadays government tenders and proposals accept tenders of businesses that are ISO certified.
• Since ISO certifications meet international standards, they help businesses reach global customers.
• Each ISO standard was created so that customers are served better. Therefore, when certification is got, the satisfaction of the consumer increases and repeat purchases occur.
• A flawed product is duly rejected. When the standards set at an international level are adhered to, these rejections rarely occur.
• The efficiency of business increases because the SOPs of ISO demand seamless operations. The functionality and operations of the firm, thus, rise.
• The mark of an ISO 9001 Certification is automatic branding and marketing of a product because it doubles the credibility of a business.
• An ISO 9001 certification will set your business or organization on the path of profit and set it on par with world standards.
• The business will see consistent improvement and performance which will in turn provide customers with services and products beyond their level of expectation. This is a cycle which will indirectly be a positive influence on the satisfaction and morale of the organization as a whole.
  
  

#Prerequisites for ISO registration for a business

Before getting an ISO Certification the following aspects have to be considered:

• The first thing is to get the right ISO 9001 certification that benefits a business
• The second step is to find the best ISO registrar who is certified by ISO and follows the CASCO standards to the T. The ISO body can be IAF certified and non-IAF certified. IAF stands for International accreditation forum. An IAF accreditation only adds more credibility to the certificate and an absence of an IAF accreditation does not impact the legality of the certification. It is these third-party agencies who will test the company on behalf of ISO and judge its worth.

At Algocorp, we do the basic groundwork and help find the perfect ISO registrar and the precise certification a firm needs.

#ISO certification & registration in India – A detailed process

At Algocorp our experts assist in the step by step procedure of registering for an ISO certification. The process in India includes:

Complete ISO Form

An online form of ISO application has to be filled with complete information and the corresponding documents. Some of the data would be like details on the nature of the business, company address and years of operation.

Consultation On Registration Type

As ISO has many types of certifications and hence it is highly recommended that you consult an expert to select the best accreditation standard that fits.

Document Submission

Every document that is submitted along with the application is verified and the information is double checked. They are then filed with the concerned ISO registrar. Once the submission is confirmed, online payment needs to be done through one of the various payment modes available.

ISO Audit

An ISO audit is an examination or verification to check the genuineness of your business’ process records. Three main types of audits are:

• First party audit or internal audit: Conducted internally by your own staff who are trained. It can also be performed by an external company.
• Second party audit or supplier audit: Conducted by lead auditors in your organisation. This is done to ensure your suppliers function properly and that you get the supply of products/services correctly. As internal audits, these can also be performed by external agencies if you don’t have the qualified resources.
• Third party audit or certification audit: This must be carried out only by auditors of Certification Bodies.

Depending on the documents submitted, an ISO audit for the business is conducted wherein the genuineness of the documents are checked. The authority then makes a decision based on the defined procedures.

ISO Certification

If the audit is successful, a certificate is issued to your company. It is couriered to the business address. ISO 9001 certification renewal has to be done once a year and for the renewal, the authorities conduct a surveillance audit to ensure adherence to all the standards.

#Documents required for ISO Registration Process

When applying for an ISO Certification, every business will need to submit the following documents:

• Proof that the business is registered. This can be done through:
  • Certificate of Incorporation
  • GST Certificate
  • MSME Certificate
• A letterhead or visiting card of the business.
• The details of an invoice that includes:
  • Sale Invoice
  • Purchase Invoice

This is a limited list of records that are required for the procedure. There are many other mandatory and optional documents that need to be submitted. The list differs with each type of certification. We provide a comprehensive guide of documents during consulting.

#Understanding ISO standards categories

Under ISO Certificatiom, there are more than 22,000 standards that correspond to:

• Processes
• Services
• Goods

The latest version of ISO is 9001:2015. There are eight primary elements of the business it deals with:

• Leadership
• Customer focus
• Process approach
• Involvement of people
• Continual improvement
• System approach to management
• Factual approach to decision making
• Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
• Process approach
• Process approach

The ISO 14000 certifications, on the other hand, deals with the environment such as the one used by waste management firms. A few other ISO certifications are:

• ISO 13485 for medical devices.
• ISO 18091 for local governments.
• ISO/IEC 90003 for software engineering.
• ISO/TS 29001 for the oil and gas industry.
• ISO 17582 for government electoral organizations.
• ISO 22000 that proves a company has operative food safety management.
• OHSAS 18001 shows customers that the company has effective health and safety management system.
• ISO 20000 demonstrates excellence and prove best practice in IT & improvement in the delivery of IT services.
• CE Marking on any product shows that it complies with the necessary requirements of the applicable European health, safety, and environmental protection benchmark.
• ISO 50001 describes best energy management practices which help save energy, conserve resources and tackle climate change.
• ISO 27001 describes a best practice of company that involved in the information security management system (ISMS).

Choosing between the varying classifications of ISO can be confusing.

Our ISO consultation team helps you pick the right certification. We are a just a call away to assist you in determining what you need to register for the ISO certification.