So you want to gain ISO 9001 certification for your business...but you're not sure of how to achieve this?
Don't worry! Here at NPT, we've helped countless organisations to achieve ISO certification on the first attempt, and we're more than happy to advise company owners who - when it comes to ISO 9001 - don't know where to start.
Here's a rough guide to the ISO 9001 certification process that you and your organisation will need to go through in order to gain that all-important accreditation.
Stage 1 - Planning
In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to implement a quality management system (QMS) that meets ISO requirements and is geared towards maximising the quality of your output and the satisfaction of your customers/clients. The first thing to do is plan how you will do this; you may have to start from scratch with a brand new quality management system, or if you already have a QMS in place, you may simply have to plan some changes and improvements to bring it into line with the ISO 9001 standard.
Stage 2 - Implementation
Once you have a robust plan in place, the next stage is to implement your quality management system throughout the whole of your organisation. In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification, you will need to ensure that every member of every department is operating within the system you have laid out!
Stage 3 - Certification
Finally, you will need to seek certification via a UKAS-accredited body. They will evaluate your QMS and how it is being implemented, then award certification if everything conforms.
Do you need help with this process? We at NPT can help you to plan and implement an ISO-compliant quality management system; we can also help you to select a certification body for the final stage of the process. Contact us to discuss your requirements.
In order to achieve ISO 9001 certification (or any other ISO accreditation), an organisation must:
- Implement a management system that meets ISO standards.
- Obtain approval from a UKAS-accredited certification body.
We at NPT Management Systems can help you to take care of step 1, but what about the second part?
Choosing your certification body
There are numerous UKAS-accredited certification bodies in the UK, all of whom are qualified to evaluate management systems and award ISO certification where it has been earned. Some ISO certification bodies specialise in certain industries/sectors - such as agriculture, food, or construction - while others provide a more general certification service for British businesses and organisations. Once your ISO-compliant management system is in place, you can seek certification from whichever body is best-suited to your company.
And that's another thing we at NPT can help with - we have close working relationships with a number of ISO certification bodies, and we provide the following service FOR FREE:
- Contact us to explain your certification requirements.
- We will gather quotes from a variety of UKAS-accredited certification bodies.
- We'll pass the best quotation(s) to you, leaving you to decide whether or not to go ahead with the certification process.
This service is completely free - email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk today to get the ball rolling!
ISO certification - whether we're talking about ISO 9001, ISO 14001, or another such standard - doesn't come for free. In order to state that your business is 'ISO certified', not only do you have to dedicate resources to planning and implementing a compliant management system - you also have to pay to get verified by a UKAS-accredited certification body.
But cost varies from one certification body to the next!
When seeking ISO certification, it's important to bear in mind that there is no fixed rate for the service you require. The exact cost of getting certified depends largely on which certification body you use - believe it or not, some are significantly cheaper than others!
How we can help
Here at NPT Management Systems, we have connections to - and close working relationships with - a large number of UKAS-accredited bodies who specialise in ISO certification. We can match any business with a certification body that will offer them optimum value for money, so if you want to save money on your ISO certification costs, here's what to do:
- Email enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk - let us know the best way to contact you, and we'll respond ASAP to discuss your requirements.
- We will gather quotes from a variety of UKAS-accredited bodies to find out who can offer you the best service at the lowest price.
- We will then share our recommendation with you - whether or not you follow our advice is entirely up to you!
This service is completely FREE, so what is there to lose? Get in touch today and find out how much you could save on your ISO certification costs!
.jpg)
Looking to achieve ISO 9001:2008 certification for your organisation? If so, you may be interested to learn that this is no longer the latest version of the ISO 9001 standard. In fact, it was revised two years ago and superseded by ISO 9001:2015.
What happened to ISO 9001:2008?
ISO review their globally-recognised standards every few years in order to ensure that they are reflective of the current marketplace and its latest trends and technologies. In September 2015, they published ISO 9001:2015, a new revision of their well-known ISO 9001 standard for quality management systems.
Aside from being more user-friendly and simpler to understand than its predecessor, the 2015 edition brought the structure of the ISO 9001 standard into line with other management system standards (such as ISO 14001) to enable easier synchronisation. ISO 9001:2015 also places greater focus on leadership and risk management.
What does this mean for my business?
- If you do not yet hold ISO 9001 certification, this change simply means that you should now pursue ISO 9001:2015 certification instead of ISO 9001:2008 accreditation.
- If you are already certified under ISO 9001:2008 by a UKAS-accredited certification body, you have until the end of September 2018 to transition - if you have not migrated to ISO 9001:2015 by this time, your ISO 9001:2008 certification will become invalid. It is important to remember that it takes time to transition, so if you haven't yet started planning to transition to ISO 9001:2015, you should do so now.
Whether you are looking to migrate to ISO 9001:2015 or get your organisation certified for the first time, NPT Management Systems can help. We work with businesses of all sizes across all sectors, and we have a superb track record when it comes to ISO 9001 certification.
Contact us to discuss your requirements with one of our expert ISO 9001 quality consultants.
Are you concerned that your organisation may be spending too much money on ongoing ISO 9001 certification costs? If so, we can help!
Based in Southampton, NPT Management Systems is a specialist ISO consultancy with a superb track record. We excel at delivering great results whilst keeping costs to a minimum, and over the years we have forged close relationships with many UKAS-accredited certification bodies across the UK.
Our intricate knowledge of the ISO certification industry enables us to match practically any business with the certification company that will give them the best value for money. We've matched countless clients with UKAS-accredited bodies over the years, and some of them have saved thousands of pounds as a result of our advice.
Own an ISO-certified business in Southampton? Challenge us today!
If you'd like us to find a more cost-effective certification solution for your organisation, here's what to do:
- Send an email to enquiries@nptmanagementsystems.co.uk - include your contact details and we'll get back in touch to discuss your current setup.
- We will gather quotes on your behalf from our many UKAS-accredited contacts.
- Once we've identified the best deal for your company, we will contact you and share our recommendation. You can then decide whether you want to transfer certification bodies.
Will this cost me anything?
No - we offer this quote-finding service free of charge, what have you got to lose? Get in touch now and join the other businesses already saving on their ISO 9001 certification costs!
