ISO (INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDIZATION)

What is the ISO (INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDIZATION)

What is ISO :

ISO originated from the union of two organisations – the ISO (International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations) and the UNSCC (United Nations Standard Coordinating Committee).

In 1946 over 25 countries met at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London to create a new international organisation, where the objective was to ‘facilitate the international coordination and unification of industrial standards’ From this the new organisation ISO began operations in February 1947. The word ISO is derived from the Greek ISOS meaning ‘equal’.

As the International Organization for Standardization would translate differently across different languages it was decided that the short form name for the organisation would be ISO.

What is ISO 9000 & 9001:

ISO 9000 are the several documents of family of ISO standards. But ISO 9001 is the ISO standards that requires the certification.

ISO 9001 is internationally recognized as quality management system.

What is ISO 9001:2015:-

ISO 9001:2015 certification is an integral part of an organization’s (which is recently replaced by ISO 9001:2008) efforts towards the broader aim of sustainable development. The adoption of a quality management system is a strategic decision for an organization to continuously improve their overall performance.

What is ISO 9001:2015 Quality management system:

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System (QMS) is internationally recognised as the world’s leading quality
management standard and has been implemented by over 170 countries globally. ISO-9001 implemented, to its full potential and valuable to your organization.

The purpose of the standard is to assist companies in meeting statutory and regulatory requirements relating to
their product while achieving excellence in their customer service and delivery. The standard can be used throughout an organisation to improve the performance or within a particular site, plant or department.

ISO 9001:2015 QMS Key Principles:

ISO 9001 contains eight key principles of quality management do form the fundamental characteristics of quality management system.

1. Customer focus and customer satisfaction
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of People
4. Process Approach
5. Systematically approach to management
6. Continually improvement
7. Factual approach to decision making
8. Mutual beneficial supplier relationship

ISO 9001:2015 Benefits to organizations:

• Become more cost efficient
• Increased credibility and competitiveness
• Lower costs and shorter cycle times through effective use of resources
• Enhanced customer satisfaction and improved customer loyalty leading to repeat business
• Increased revenue and market share obtained through flexible and fast responses to market opportunities
• Integration and alignment of internal processes which will lead to increased productivity and results
• Consistency in the delivery of your product or service
• Improved communication, planning and administration processes

Is the ISO 9001 standard for me?

ISO 9001:2015 standard is applicable for all industries, no matter it’s type, size or sector.

What makes ISO 9001:2015 difference from ISO 9001:2008:

• Identify both external and internal issues. The new ISO 9001 standard now
  requires organizations to identify all issues both within and outside the organization
  that are relevant to its context and that can help to achieve the intended outcomes of
  its management system.
• Greater emphasis on leadership than management. ISO 9001:2015 certification
  requires management to have direct involvement and ownership of the process and to ensure that the QMS is achieving its intended results and drive continual improvement within the organization. 

• Focus on organizational planning. This is a new requirement which obliges organizations to identify those risks and opportunities that have the potential to impact (negatively or positively) on the operation and performance of their QMS.

• Evaluation of resources. Organizations need to take into account both internal and external resource requirements and capabilities to implement, maintain and improve its QMS.

• Open-communication with customers. There is now a requirement that these processes must include, where relevant, communicating with customers in relation to the handling or treatment of customer property and specific requirements for contingency actions.

• Identifies the ‘what’ ‘how’ and ‘when’ of the monitoring and measurement. ISO 9001:2015 certification now requires organizations to monitor information relating to the degree to which their needs and expectations have been fulfilled.

• Improvement. An additional requirement for organizations to address is the ‘consequences’ of nonconformities, which is recognition that not all of its processes and/or activities will represent the same level of risk in terms of the organization’s ability to meet its objectives.

Certification Bodies in The World: