WHY ISO 9001?

 

ISO 9001 sets out the criteria for a quality management system and is the only standard in the family that can be certified to (although this is not a requirement). It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. In fact, there are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001.

 

This standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement. These principles are explained in more detail in ISO’s quality management principles. Using ISO 9001 helps ensure that customers get consistent, good-quality products and services, which in turn brings many business benefits.

Why become ISO 9001 certified?

The Annex SL structure provides a common language between ISO management systems that streamlines the path to compliance related certifications.

The focus on risk identifies areas of concern in advance and allows you to allocate resources where they are most needed.

The leadership requirement engages upper-level management and brings quality assurance more in line with overall business objectives.

The performance evaluation and self-governance components can foster innovation and deliver enhanced value for stakeholders.

The emphasis on organizational context looks at quality management from a big-picture perspective.

Is ISO 9001 certification right for me?

Any organization can benefit from achieving ISO 9001 certification and implementing ISO 9001:2015 as its requirements are underpinned by universal management principles:

customer focus

leadership

engagement of people

process approach

improvement

evidence-based decision making

relationship management.

Some of the benefits of ISO 9001 certification outlined by the organization in this report include:

  1. Improved reputation and credibility


    You need all the edge you can get to beat your competitors. As already stated, ISO 9001 is internationally recognized. Having this certification automatically sets you apart from many others. It is a requirement for most reputable organizations when looking for businesses to work with as it gives them the assurance that they are in safe hands.

  1. Better customer satisfaction

The best way to understand the importance of satisfying your customers is to not satisfy them. In no time, you’ll have none left to satisfy! ISO 9001 helps you to plan ways to constantly put smiles on your customers’ faces. You get to retain old customers and attract new ones through positive reviews.

  1. Happy employees

Your employees are just as important as your customers. With a comprehensive workflow system, employees’ jobs are simplified, making it possible for them to accomplish a lot without much hassle.

  1. Optimize operations

ISO 9001 certification enables you to create a seamless workflow by optimizing processes. This makes it easier for you to examine the effectiveness of the system. You can detect sloppy handoffs, and create smooth segues to save time and increase productivity. In 2017, management of Abu Dhabi Ports obtained ISO 9001:2015 certification to optimize their operations.

  1. Good judgement

Making business decisions with good judgement is far more likely to result in positive outcomes. Risk management is one of the core mandates of  ISO 9001:2015 certification. With performance records at your disposal, you can safeguard your business by making well-informed decisions to avert associated risks.

  1. Continuous improvement

Successful businesses understand that improvement is a journey. Today’s effective processes may be ineffective tomorrow. No matter how good a thing is, there is always room for improvement.

  1. Increased profit potential

Simply put, you get to make more money. Who doesn’t want that?

  1. Better time management

Rather than waste time on difficult processes, it simplifies your business processes and enables you to accomplish more in the shortest time possible. As a result of obtaining certification for ISO 9001, engineering firm TOMAL is able to deliver high-quality goods and services on time.

  1. Prevent waste

You no longer have to spend resources on recurring problems. Fix those nasty snags permanently to enjoy smooth operations.

In the next chapter, we’ll address common misconceptions people make about ISO certification. Get clear on these so you can make an informed decision.

Step 1

Complete a Quote Request Form so that we can understand your company and requirements. You can do this by completing either the online quick quote or the online formal quote request form. We will use this information to accurately define your scope of assessment and provide you with a proposal for certification.

Step 2

Once you’ve agreed your proposal, we will contact you to book your assessment with an NQA Assessor. This assessment consists of two mandatory visits that form the Initial Certification Audit. Please note that you must be able to demonstrate that your management system has been fully operational for a minimum of three months and has been subject to a management review and full cycle of internal audits.

Step 3

Following a successful two stage audit, a certification decision is made and if positive, then certification to the required standard is issued by NQA. You will receive both a hard and soft copy of the certificate. Certification is valid for three years and is maintained through a programme of annual surveillance audits and a three yearly recertification audit.