ISO re-certification
What does the ISO standard mean?
An ISO standard aims to harmonize quality standards. This is a framework that commits companies to a process of constant optimization to a set standard. For example, the dimensions of station platforms are governed by an ISO standard to guarantee easy access for trains from different countries.
An ISO standard works like a law. It’s a regulation that must be complied with under certain conditions. When directives are of a legal nature, adherence is imperative. It’s up to the organization to define objectives based on its current situation, and to decide whether it wants to improve. So the standard is not the same for everyone. Each company will establish its own specific objectives and strategies within the demanding context of the ISO standard.
A standard gains in recognition as it is adopted. ISO, or the International Organization for Standardization, is now a worldwide standard. As such, it has more influence than a private or local agreement. Many entities, both private and public, work almost exclusively with ISO-certified suppliers.
Why ISO certification?
An organization may aspire to ISO certification for a number of reasons: to improve its performance, to stand out in the market or to meet the requirements of certain sectors. Certification can be part of a policy of continuous development to meet the expectations of customers in demanding sectors.
How difficult is it to obtain ISO certification?
The certification process is not intrinsically complex. In absolute terms, it’s a matter of compiling a set of existing or future documents. Depending on a company’s situation with regard to a given standard, the process can take up to 6 months.
The need for annual ISO audits
ISO certification involves an annual audit over a 3-year cycle:
- 1st year: the initial audit corresponds to the “certification phase”, which covers all the criteria of the standard. For ISO 9001, it first assesses all the company’s documents to ensure conformity of the quality management system. This also includes on-site interviews with employees.
- 2nd and 3rd years: these are intermediate audits. The auditors return no later than one year later to detect any non-conformities or opportunities for improvement. The recommended measures are communicated to the company’s management, who develop and implement an action plan in response.
- Granting: audit results are presented to the certification body’s steering committee, which grants a certificate valid for 3 years, with reassessment through periodic audits and the reassessment audit.