6 Steps to Obtaining ISO 9001 Certification

1. Top Management Commitment & project plan

The purpose of the top management to consistently remain committed is to ensure every ISO9001 confirming importance is emphasized. Top management ensures the QMS achieves the goal results and continuous improvement of the organization. The top management’s commitment ensures that the organization’s objectives and policies are compatible with the implemented organization’s strategy. The ISO 9001 project plan entails an overview of achieving an ISO 9001 certification. Therefore, clients get a better understanding of what is required of the project. Most of the ISO 9001 project plans take 3 – 12 months, where the 1^st month focuses the client on researching more of the ISO 9001 ten clause and the essential records and documents required. Secondly, an organization or client should perform a Gap Analysis to help the top management identify areas that need immediate emphasis. Also, ensure the organization staff has evidence to guarantee continuous improvement, development, and implementation of the QMS. Other plans include: defining the quality objectives and policies of ISO 9001, formulate a quality manual, document the organization’s processes, select internal auditors who should be thoroughly trained, implementing the QMS to measure and monitor the organization’s process performance. Later a certification body is established, where the QMS is refined. Finally, the management is reviewed, and system changes are implemented. Thus the organization’s documentation and pre-assessment are certified. The main focus of the organizations is continual improvement and maintenance of the organization.

2. Build competence and awareness

Clients build competence and awareness to ensure practicality by defining the organization processes to undertake the responsibilities and necessary precautions to ensure customer’s competency and interested parties. Also, the awareness and competency define reporting and planning responsibilities to retain related records.

3. Develop process documentation

Developing documentation processes requires the associated team to review the organization’s requirements, procedures, and standards. The document provided helps the organization determine it can deliver quality services and products consistently.

4. Implementation of the system to address gaps

Implementing the organization to address gap analysis for formal system management is quite simple with a detailed project plan; thus, easily enacting cultural changes. Therefore the gap analysis highlights missing areas of the organization requiring completion to qualify for ISO 9001 certification.

5. Internal audit

An internal audit of ISO 9001 certification involves determining the QMS effectiveness and overall performance. The internal audits confirm compliance with the planned strategies like the QMS and how the system is maintained and implemented. Also, internal audits define responsibilities required for conducting and preparing for audits, plus reporting acquired results and saving the records associate.

6. Third-party certification audit

The third-party certification audit is executed by an independent organization of the suppliers’ customer relationship and is conflict-free. Third-party auditing aims to ensure an organization acquires an ISO certification. During the procedure, the organization is assessed on its compliance with the ISO 9001 certification. The audit process verifies that the organization meets ISO 9001 certification requirements, thus resulting in certification, license approval, registration, recognition, citation, penalty, or fine issuance by third parties.