25 Mar How to Achieve ISO 9001 Certification
The United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) is the sole accreditation body in the UK. Luckily, not all organisations have to achieve UKAS accreditation, because it isn’t easy. But, having achieved it, your certification will project a positive image of your organisation, whilst proving that you can be trusted and can conduct your audits effectively.
How do I get ISO 9001: 2015 certification?
To achieve ISO 9001 the most important consideration is documentation – you need to prove that your Quality Management System (QMS) is not only in place but that it goes further than that. It must always meet every requirement of the standards. We understand how difficult this can be so don’t hesitate to get in contact with our expert team when we will ensure that you are using the right tools to guarantee you have the best chance of achieving certification.
When using the services and experience of an external auditor, you will teach them about the policies and procedures your organisation follows, and they will identify any gaps that need filling whilst helping you to achieve your certification. This is made easier by the report they present you with upon the end of inspection – it will contain a detailed breakdown of your system, which will help you easily pinpoint where changes need to be made.
The auditor, after giving you time to implement the necessary changes, will return for stage two of the assessment. This step is there to ensure that everything is as it should be and, if so, to present you with the ISO 9001 certification.
How long does it take to get ISO 9001 certification?
The size of your organisation, how much you already have in place, and how much resource is available to work on your management system are just some of the factors that need to be considered. Business owners say that it takes around 4-6 months on average to achieve certification but some take as little as a month. With every business being unique, there is no way of guaranteeing a definite schedule for each individual company.
Prepare in advance if you want to speed up the certification process.
How Hard Is It to Implement ISO 9001 Certification?
Difficulty depends on the size of your organisation. Your auditor will provide you with a clear guide through your business processes and documents which, ideally, you will already have a functioning plan for in process. This will hopefully make the certification process much easier than first anticipated.
No matter what you do, your ISO 9001 assessment must be conducted in two stages. There is, unfortunately, no way of getting it done in one go but preparation will make this process quicker. We recommend looking at the requirements of ISO 9001, and putting in place as much of the required documentation as you can in advance, so when your auditor does arrive you will be prepared and ready to get going.
Does ISO 9001 Require Regular Assessment?
Yes, and usually regular assessment sounds like a chore but it is actually a good thing, as it shows your commitment to improving the strengths of your security systems, further ensuring that your ISO 9001 certification is firmly in place and isn’t going anywhere. Your auditor should meet with you annually to review your progress and any changes.
After having achieved the certification, you must maintain those high standards. Your auditor will help you to identify any areas that might need improvement on their annual visit, in the process ensuring that you are always at the very top of your potential in regard to quality management.
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