Organization getting Certified to ISO

What does it mean to be certified to ISO?

When a company is certified to a standard such as ISO 9001:2015, a certification body has verified that the organization follows the requirements of the standard, has established a quality management system (QMS), and maintains it consistently over time. In other words, the QMS is not a one-off exercise – it works reliably over an extended period. How readily this is achieved depends on the complexity of the organization’s processes and the experience of its people.  

Understanding and interpreting the standard

Certification also means the organization understands the clauses of the standard – which are generic and apply to any organization – and interprets them appropriately for its own context. A common difficulty is the gap between the terms an organization uses internally and the terms used in the standard. For definitions, organizations should refer to the companion standard, ISO 9000:2015, which defines the vocabulary used in ISO 9001:2015. 

The consultant pitfall – and how to avoid it

Short of time and experience, many organizations bring in a consultant. ISO publishes guidance on selecting a consultant, but it is often overlooked – and this is where problems can begin. Sometimes a consultant builds a quality management system that stands alone and is not properly integrated with the organization’s actual processes.

The result is two parallel systems: one maintained for the certificate, and another for running the business day to day. The real casualty is quality – the organization is certified on paper, but the QMS does not reflect how it truly operates.

This usually happens because management fears that building a QMS means restructuring everything and destabilizing processes that already work. That fear is unfounded. If an organization first understands its core processes, its support processes, and its customers – and then applies the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle across its major activities – the result is a management system that fits its existing processes rather than replacing them. Done well, this strengthens the organization’s processes instead of destabilizing them.

The role of the certification body

A good certification body emphasizes not just the requirements but also the practices of continual improvement. Taking the care described above produces a management system that reflects existing processes and fills any gaps. The certifying body plays a key role in making sure the data an organization collects is analyzed and fed back into the system to improve the quality of its processes – and therefore its outputs. (For context on how standards are developed and maintained, see ISO standardization.)

Customer recourse and certificate validity

Certification also gives customers a route to complain if goods or services are not as claimed. If a customer is not satisfied after going through the organization’s own complaint-handling process, they can raise the matter with the certification body and, where relevant, the accreditation body – though resolution can take time.

An ISO certificate is typically valid for three years and is subject to surveillance audits each year, so certification is an ongoing commitment rather than a one-time event.

The benefits of a well-implemented QMS

Research has long supported the value of doing this properly. A study from Wroclaw University on success factors for quality management system certification concluded that ISO 9000 certification can deliver real business benefits – but that organizations should carefully design their implementation strategy and align their quality programs with their long-term goals so that the effort reflects what the organization is trying to achieve. 

Implementing the requirements of a quality management system in letter and spirit tends to deliver:

• Effective process documentation
• A factual approach to decision making
• Increased efficiency
• Consistency of operations
• Process improvement
• Improved supplier relationships
• Improved customer satisfaction
• Increased revenue
• International recognition

The bottom line

All of this requires steadfast management commitment and the resources to support quality-improvement programs. When management provides this consistently, organizations often discover real value in processes they already have – and customers, however far removed, ultimately benefit.

Contact IAS today to learn more about getting your organization certified to ISO, or visit our frequently asked questions page.

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