10 Benefits of ISO 14001 in 2021

10 Benefits of ISO 14001 in 2021

Benefits of ISO 14001

So you’re probably familiar with what ISO 14001 is, but maybe you’re thinking why your business would need it? Or whether it is worth the effort?

Here’s some reaons for why ISO 14001 can benefit your business.

The 10 Benefits of ISO 14001

Table of Contents

Improve Tender Chances

It increases chances of winning public and private sector tenders. It has become more and more important over the last 10 years for companies to show that they are thinking but also following the green trend.

Leaders in Industry

It will make your competitors take note that you are going above and beyond of what is expected from someone in your industry.

Ensure Legal Compliance

It helps your organisation meet legal and regulatory requirements. It does depend on which sector you work within but having the 14001 in place will eliminate any potential banana skins for you.

Reduce Insurance Premiums

It can lower insurance premiums. It has been shown time and again that lowering risks make you safer which in turn reduces premiums.

Improve Environmental Performance

It reduces consumption of raw materials. We all have an impact on mother earth however if we can highlight and reduce the impact it can only be good for everyone.

Reduce Operational Waste

It reduces waste and repetition. As you will be looking at your operations we will be able to identify where you are using too much raw material and where savings could be found.

Increase Profitability

It increases profit margins. If you reduce your waste, it’s not only good for the planet but good for the balance sheet.

Increase Efficiency

It streamlines operations. If we can streamline what you do it will naturally make things work more efficiently.

Improve Employee Morale

It can increase employee motivation and participation. What be buy in is the staff, and with a proper process in place staff will be able to see their development into an import cog in the business wheel.

Promotes Continual Improvement

It promotes continual improvement. How can improvement be bad? Answer it can’t.

Do you want us to take care of your ISO 14001 journey?

At RKMS we have over 25 years worth of experience in assisting companies achieve ISO 14001 with a 100% success rate. All our consultants are IRCA lead auditors so we know exactly what the auditors want to see.

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Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

John Keen
Apart from work John enjoys sports (football, karate & walking) as well as travel & spending time with friends & grandchildren.

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

ISO 9001 Cost of Certification

Find Out More: How Much Does ISO 9001 Cost?

How Much Does ISO 9001 Certification Cost?

The typical cost for ISO 9001 certification is between £3,000 and £6,000.

This includes certification body audit fees in the UK. This is via the UKAS accredited route. Initial costs for non-accredited certification can be cheaper but in the long run tends to be more expensive. Read our article on the differences between UKAS and non-UKAS certification to explore the differences further.

Cost Of ISO 9001 Certification in The UK – 2024

The cost for ISO 9001 certification including implementation and accreditation ranges from £3,000 to £6,000.

Not all ISO 9001 certificates are the same. A low cost or quickly available certificate may not be accepted by your customers. UKAS, the well respected UK accreditation body are themselves, independently accredited as a certification body by the IAF. The IAF ensure that “accreditation is the independent evaluation of conformity assessment bodies against recognised standards to ensure their impartiality and competence.” Read more here.

ISO Standards

An ISO 9001 Price List?

ISO 9001 consultancies delivering accreditation for professionally recognised UK industry certification bodies like UKAS cannot provide a standard price list for accreditation services.

This is because the cost of ISO 9001 certification varies depending on a number of factors including:

  • Number of sites
  • Number of staff
  • Annual turnover
  • Existing levels of documentation
  • Complexity of audits required
ISO 9001 Cost

Using a UK ISO 9001 Consultancy - Cost & Time Saving Benefits

A consultancy with a successful record of accomplishment can add a lot of value and benefits to a customer’s business. They have skills, knowledge, resources and experience built up over time from working in many types of industry, market sectors and different enterprises.

Reputable UK ISO Consultancies Add Value by Improving Company Operations

Implementing the ISO 9001 standard is not just about creating a quality system to obtain an ISO certification.

It is also about bringing improvements to a firm’s procedures, company employees and methods. In turn, this will reduce costs and improve productivity. Then better products, services, and revenue growth will be possible.

Expert Consultancy Saves Time & Money On Your ISO 9001 Certification Cost

ISO 9001 consultancies bring unparalleled capability to the planning and delivery of ISO management system projects and optimise your ISO 9001 cost UK.

The expertise of a professional ISO 9001 consultancy services can minimise the ISO 9001 cost UK burden of financing new quality procedures.

Moreover, deployment of cloud support systems reduce the audit workload on company employees. They will speed up project times. And, provide support continuity with the consultancy after completing the initial system creation and certification phase.

Efficient Consultancy Minimises Project Delivery Times

Your business will benefit from the new quality management system as soon as possible.

Using external expertise will ensure that standards projects keep moving forward. This ensures that a business is not wasting time and resources eg: like production of unnecessary audit documentation.

They act as a catalyst for effective planning and “fast track” the process by securing management commitment for adequate funding.

ISO 9001 Cost

In House Implementation – The Hidden ISO 9001 Cost UK

Adopting an unsupported “do it yourself” process audit approach involves learning all about the ISO 9001 quality management standard. In addition, the roles and responsibilities of all individuals that need to be involved in the process must be identified.

Sufficient knowledge of the ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) standard and accreditation bodies must be obtained by staff. Then, employees must translate that knowledge into efficient processes suitable for their organisation and industry can put into practice.

Sometimes this aspect is not measured by a business and hidden ISO 9001 accreditation costs usually prevail with customers’ in-house project management.

Acquisition of Skills and Knowledge

In addition, in depth training must be organised to ensure efficient and effective implementation of the standard throughout the customer’s processes.

The downside is the significant amount of time and resource required to create the process and mandated documentation. Additional employee training may be required and a longer project lead time will be ensue.

Employees – ISO 9001 Accreditation Cost

More often than not, employees in a business will be spending a fair amount of time implementing the quality management system rather than their core duties. This can result in hidden ISO 9001 cost UK businesses can avoid.

This can be quite expensive if a highly paid line manager or senior engineer is involved. They may be creating methodologies and documentation for ISO 9001 certification instead of doing operational job properly.

Explore the UK cost of ISO 27001 certification

Done for you ISO 9001 Consultancy

Our done for you service gives you a quicker pay back on your quality systems investment

An ISO 9001 quality management system will bring cost saving benefits to a customer. So, it makes a great deal of sense to use a specialist external quality management consultancy. Firms will save time and money by getting a quicker pay back on its quality management system and ISO certification investment.

Build Your Own ISO Management System with issosmart™

issosmart™ is a cloud ISO 9001 standard compliance system and monthly prices start from a modest £100 plus VAT.

issosmart™ enables our clientele to build an ISO quality management system in around 30 minutes and besides ISO certification provides additional benefits:

  • Business Insights
  • Increased Efficiency
  • Legal Compliance
  • Cost Reduction

issosmart™ provides all the evidence needed for ISO 9001 certification including a manual, user guide, procedures plus forms and registers. There are three service options that clients can select from:

  • Self Install – you populate all information yourself.
  • Facilitated Install – guidance on action plan, gap analysis, internal auditing & managerial review.
  • Complete Install – full support throughout the process and “guaranteed” certification.

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Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

Related Resources

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

John Keen
Apart from work John enjoys sports (football, karate & walking) as well as travel & spending time with friends & grandchildren.

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

10 Benefits of Lean Management

10 Benefits of Lean Management

Benefits of Lean Management

You’ve probably heard of lean management. But are you aware of just how much implementing it can benefit your company? Perhaps not. But we’re about to change that.

Here’s why you should integrate lean management into your business.

The 10 Benefits of Lean Management

Table of Contents

Improved Quality Control

Quality control goes hand-in-hand with productivity. You can’t really change one without the other. Lean management systems help your organisation to realise that quality control should be one of your top priorities. Upon implementation, you will undoubtedly reach a stage where our second point (reduced waste) naturally happens.

Reduced Waste

Many businesses struggle with exorbitant waste. However, the more problematic companies don’t realise they have this issue. This mindset is harmful but with lean management, waste is considered by employees on every level. Your company will see waste reduction almost immediately.

Boost Team Morale

There’s no doubt about; businesses working under lean management have higher employee satisfaction rates. The reason for this is the improved trust and communication lines between management and staff that open under this system. Not only does better team morale benefit the individuals, but it’s also known to increase productivity across the board.

Enhanced Efficiency

Arguably, improved efficiency is one of the more noticeable effects of lean management. You’ll see this improvement in different ways depending on the method you use to measure progress and success.

Better Stakeholder Visibility

Stakeholders like to clearly see how a project is going, as well as any associated risks. With lean management, communication and reporting are improved, thus allowing stakeholders a better view of the project.

Predictable Customer Value

Lean management focuses on the customer’s opinion first and foremost. Over time, clients will come to know the high-quality outcomes they can expect when working with you. This is essential for ensuring consistent satisfaction and building a strong, positive reputation.

Decreased Costs

By cutting production throughput, decreasing inventories, and eliminating unnecessary waste, your organisation’s costs will drastically decrease. By how much? This system has been known to cut manufacturing costs by up to half.

Improved Priority Shift Management

Just like life, legislation and customer viewpoints change all the time. To keep up with this continuous adaptation, your business must shift its priorities. Otherwise, you’ll be working toward worn-out ideas that will not only decrease customer satisfaction but also increase your costs.

Increased Process Stability

Under lean management, your business can begin to focus more on deviation management and exploring solutions to remove them. When you first start working this way, it might feel counter-productive. However, it’s worth implementing a deviation management process in the first phase to use lean to its full advantage.

Adopt an Improvement Culture

Overall, lean management allows your company to focus on continuous improvement instead of maintenance. This new way of working means that your employees will always be looking for ways to better themselves for the team — yes, every day. You’ll see an overwhelming advancement in all aspects of your business over time.

Interested in implementing a lean project within your organisation?

Our lean programme, which attracts 95% funding, has run for over 20 years throughout the UK and has been applied to nearly every industry. To date the programme has identified in excess of £65m in benefits across 650+ companies.

Talk to us today to see how the programme can assist your business.

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Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

Related Resources

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

John Keen
Apart from work John enjoys sports (football, karate & walking) as well as travel & spending time with friends & grandchildren.

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

What is ISO 9001:2015?

What is ISO 9001:2015?

What is ISO 9001:2015?

Found yourself wondering what ISO 9001 is? Can’t quite figure out whether it’s right for your organisation? Whatever aspect of ISO 9001 you’re interested in, you’ve found the right place.

We’re going to look at the what, the why, and the history of the elusive ISO 9001.

Let’s start with the “what”.

What is ISO 9001:2015?

ISO 9001 is the international standard for any quality management system (otherwise known as a QMS). To become “ISO 9001 Certified” your business has to meet the specific criteria stated in the ISO 9001 Standard.

Organisations use it to prove to their customers that they provide reliable, high-quality products, or services and that they’re willing to continuously improve their offerings.

A More In-Depth Look at ISO 9001:2015

While there are a lot of documents in the ISO 9000 Family of Standards, the only one requiring any kind of certification is the ISO 9001.

Generally speaking, an entire company will look to gain the certificate. However, the scope of the standard can be changed by a particular department.

Currently, the version that you need to adhere to is ISO 9001:2015. Here are some useful points to note as you move on to learn even more about this standard:

  • There is no “ISO 9000 Certificate”. Only the ISO 9001 certificate exists.
  • It’s not a membership group or entity. You can’t simply sign up. Instead, your organisation will need to do the following:
        • Take steps to include the ISO 9001 quality management system in your organisation.
        • Allow a Certification Body to audit your organisation against the ISO 9001 requirements.
        • If you pass this audit, you’ll be given registration for three years. You have to re-register after that.

The ISO 9001:2015 Requirements

In ISO 9001, there are 10 clauses that your organisation’s or department’s QMS (Quality Management System) must adhere to in order to gain certification.

These sections are extremely detailed and can vary depending on the industry. However, we’ll look at the basic overview of each clause so you can gain a better understanding of the criteria.

  • Scope — Defines the scope of the current 9001 standard including a list of all requirements.
  • References — Lists the standards supported by the current 9001.
  • Terms — Defines the terms used throughout the standard.
  • Context — Relates to how your organisation determines the objectives and scope of your QMS.
  • Leadership — Refers to how leadership is responsible for communicating the quality procedures.
  • Planning— Addresses opportunities, quality objectives, changes, and risks.
  • Support — The resources required for the QMS and ensures all employees are aware of all relevant information.
  • Operation — Relates to the plan and control procedures required to meet the right standards for services/products.
  • Evaluation — To qualify for ISO 9001, your company must use your QMS to effectively monitor and analyse the QMS itself as well as the business processes.
  • Improvement — Everything pertaining to continuous improvement. 

Now you’re more aware of the ins and outs of ISO 9001, let’s take a look at its origin.

A Brief History of the ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System

The ISO 9001 standard can be traced back to the 1950s when both the UK and US governments started implementing standards for the military. At this stage, the standard was only used for large companies supplying the military to ensure a specific quality was always met.

This led to the creation of mutual recognition within the defence industry. What was this called? The NATO AQAP and MIL-Q.

In 1979, the BS5750, a quality management system standard, was created. This proved to be incredibly successful and eventually led to the first ISO 9001 standard being passed in 1987.

Since that time, the standard has been reviewed once every 5 to 8 years, just to ensure that it still meets the current international business environment.

Who is ISO 9001:2015 for?

Essentially, ISO 9001:2015 is for any organisation that wants to give its customers proof that they can work to a consistently high standard.

Having said this, you need to make sure you follow these guidelines to be eligible:

  • A single person can’t gain certification. It must be a company that seeks qualification.
  • The size of the organisation doesn’t matter.
  • The industry doesn’t matter.
  • It is not a standard that relates to products. It doesn’t prove product quality. Instead, it’s used to control your company’s processes. 

As long as you fit these requirements, ISO 9001 is for you!

The Benefits of ISO 9001:2015

The standard has proved to be beneficial not only for your company but for your customers too. The advantages that ISO consultancy support can provide to help you gain certification are seemingly limitless so it’s wise to familiarise yourself with at least a few of them.

The Benefits of ISO 9001:2015 for your Company

We’ll start with the benefits for your company.

1. Efficiency and Revenue Increase

The standard allows you to focus on the quality of your processes and procedures to increase the end result. Your revenue will boost due to this new-found efficiency.

2. Better Record Keeping

ISO 9001 ensures all your processes are recorded from the beginning to the end. This will help you deal with complaints easily and streamline your procedures.

3. Keep Improving

Since trend analysis is a huge part of ISO 9001, you will be better able to continuously improve your company. In turn, this will give you even greater profits.

4. Boost Employee Morale

The standard allows you to focus on the quality of your processes and procedures to increase the end result. Your revenue will boost due to this new-found efficiency.

The Benefits of ISO 9001:2015 for your Customers

1. Fewer Reasons for Returns

With ISO 9001, you will be able to spot and resolve problems quickly, meaning the customer won’t ever have to know. Thus, stopping them from returning products or requesting refunds.

2. Improved Customer Relationships

The standard sets out ways for your company to increase the quality of the relationships you hold between customers or shareholders. This improves the chances of having returning customers.

Final Thoughts

It’s safe to say that ISO 9001 is an in-depth standard that can take a while to wrap your head around. You’ll have gained a great deal of understanding here but be sure to delve deeper to find out exactly how your organisation can qualify.

Do you want us to take care of your ISO 9001 journey?

At RKMS we have over 25 years worth of experience in assisting companies achieve ISO 9001 with a 100% success rate. All our consultants are IRCA lead auditors so we know exactly what the auditors want to see.

Share

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

Related Resources

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?

John Keen
Apart from work John enjoys sports (football, karate & walking) as well as travel & spending time with friends & grandchildren.

Do you want us to take care of your fire compliance? H&S compliance? ISO certification? training? human resources?

At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?