We’re going to look at the what, the why, and the history of the elusive ISO 9001.
Let’s start with the “what”.
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.
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:
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.
Now you’re more aware of the ins and outs of ISO 9001, let’s take a look at its origin.
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.
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:
As long as you fit these requirements, ISO 9001 is for you!
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.
We’ll start with the benefits for your company.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?
The UK government is introducing Simpler Recycling reforms to create a consistent waste collection system across England by 2026. This means businesses, workplaces, and households
RKMS Group, a family-run business with deep roots in Blackpool, is thrilled to announce the launch of RKMS Academy, a dedicated training division designed to
At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?
At RKMS we are determined to make a business run as efficiently as possible. Will that next business be yours?
Would You Like To Start A Project With Us?
Get In Touch
Useful Links
