The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the largest international developer of voluntary International Standards. These standards offer best practices and solutions for almost every type of technology and business. They are designed to help businesses and organizations improve their performance while protecting the environment.
They were created through global consensus. They aim to eliminate trade barriers. The most widely used standards include ISO certification 9001 for quality, ISO 14001 to protect the environment and ISO 27001 to manage information security.
What does ISO 9001:2015 refer to?
ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized Quality Management System Standard (QMS).
It assists organizations in meeting customer and other stakeholder needs. It creates a framework that ensures consistent quality in the delivery and/or handling of goods or services.
The 7 principles of quality management are the foundation of the standard. This includes strong customer focus, involvement of top management, and a drive to continuous improvement.
These seven principles of quality management apply:
1 – Customer focus
2 – Leadership
3 – Engaging with people
4 – The Process Approach
5 – Improvement
6 – Evidence-based Decision Making
7 – Relationship management
These principles are not arranged in a priority order. Each principle’s relative importance can differ from one organization to another and could change over time.
The ISO 9001 Quality Management certification has been awarded to Best Practices processes and content development.
Why ISO 9001 certification is so important
You, your staff, and clients will all be able see the objective evidence that ISO 9001 certification is a sign customer satisfaction.
ISO 9001 has many key benefits
Increased revenue: Using ISO 9001 can increase your chances to win more contracts and tenders. Your customers will be happier and more likely to retain you.
Increase your credibility: Organizations often need a quality management system (QMS) based on ISO 9001 when searching for new suppliers, particularly for those in the public sector.
Customers are happier when they feel understood and can be trusted.
You can improve your operational efficiency by following industry best practices, focusing on quality and cutting costs.
Improved decision-making
Employee engagement will improve by improving internal communication. Everyone will be working towards the same goal. Employees will be happier and more productive if they are involved in process improvement design.
Improved process integration through analyzing process interactions. This will allow you to identify efficiency improvements and reduce errors, while also saving money.
The third principle of ISO 9001 is a continuous improvement culture. This is a systematic approach to identifying improvement opportunities and maximising them.
Best-practices contribute to a more efficient supply chain by building stronger relationships with suppliers. This certification will be visible to your suppliers.
The ISO 9001 Certification Process
To become ISO 9001 certified, you need to plan, dedicate, and have the resources. QMS, our certification agency, recommends a 3-step process.
Gap Analysis
To meet the standard, a consultant had to visit our offices to evaluate and document our current processes and highlight areas that were not meeting the requirements.
Certificate
Every year, a certified auditor visits our office to verify that all processes have been completed correctly. Once they are satisfied, a second certification is issued.
How do you choose a certification agency to work with?
Evaluate several certification bodies.
It is important to verify that the certification body has been authorized and that it follows the CASCO standards.
Although accreditation is not required, it can be used to confirm competence.
Why ISO 9001 is important
Best Practices has created thousands of hours worth of eLearning content to assist our clients. These include everything from quick and simple e-learning to more advanced learning experiences. Modules are designed to be responsive, simple to use, engaging and in line with the client’s style guidelines. The quality of the product is only half the story. Another important aspect is process governance.
Our ability to partner effectively with our clients to ensure that a consistent, transparent development process is in place to deliver high-quality, on time, and within budget e-learning courses.
Our ISO 9001 accreditation is a crucial component of process governance since 2002. It is renewed each year. This certification is a sign of our commitment to quality. It informs our organizational structure as well as our systems for creating, editing, and revising content. It guides our processes and facilitates communication with clients.
To maintain ISO 9001 accreditation, we must continually improve our systems, staff skills and organizational structure. We will be able to achieve success for clients by doing this.