ISO 9001:2015 Certification: What Is It, How To Get It, & More

In 2015, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) released the current version of the ISO 9001 standard. ISO 9001 principles and processes for the consistent delivery of high-quality products and services. Since the standard was first published in 1987, more than 1 million companies of all sizes and industries in more than 170 countries have achieved ISO 9001 certification.

ISO is an independent, voluntary, nongovernmental organization that develops and publishes international standards. It comprises 162 national standards bodies, each representing the recognized standards authority for the member country. Additionally, more than 1,700 organizations work in cooperation with the ISO.

The ISO 9001 standard was developed based upon quality management system (QMS) principles. TÜV Rheinland of North America (TRNA) is a certification body, and the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board is an accreditation body for the standard.

What Is ISO 9001?

To understand ISO 9001, you must start with a basic definition of a QMS. It is a process-based approach to product and service delivery that emphasizes continual improvement and a strong customer focus. There are several components:

• Recognizing customer requirements, industry best practices, and applicable regulations.
• Confirming that employees are trained in meeting the requirements.
• Developing processes that are efficient and ensure all requirements are met.
• Monitoring, measuring, and reporting on performance and correcting any nonconformance.
• Keeping records or other evidence that requirements have been met.
• Continually improving on the QMS.
• Addressing opportunities and risks that may arise from planned changes.

The ISO 9001 standard provides a structure for implementing these principles. It emphasizes repeatable, measurable processes that are well-documented and workable, along with expectations and responsibilities for meeting the defined goals.

What Is ISO 9001:2015?

The ISO 9001 standard is updated periodically to adapt to changing operational requirements. ISO 9001:2015 incorporates a new structure and changes in terminology to reflect current usage. It recognizes the growing importance of services, the availability of new technology, and the increasing complexity of the global supply chain. It imposes greater responsibilities for company leadership and enhances the process approach with risk-based thinking.

How to Get ISO 9001 Certification

The ISO 9001 standard gives organizations the flexibility to develop a QMS that meets their particular business needs. Organizations can take advantage of the standard without becoming certified. Certification simply means that a certification body has audited your QMS.

ISO 9001 Audit Process

The ISO certification audit is performed in two stages. In Stage 1, the certification body’s auditor will review your QMS documentation. If the auditor identifies any issues, you may have to resolve them and repeat Stage 1 before proceeding to Stage 2.

In Stage 2, the auditor will assess your operational processes against the current ISO 9001 standard. You will have to show the auditor that the QMS has been operational for a reasonable period. The auditor will also ask your team questions and observe what they do. If everything goes well, the auditor will issue a report recommending that the certification body issue you a certificate.

Maintaining ISO 9001 Certification

A “surveillance” audit will be conducted nine or 12 months after receiving your certificate to review your records and any updates to the QMS. All operational processes are checked over two surveillance periods.

After three years, you have to recertify. The auditor will review your progress, lessons learned, and plans and objectives. If the audit is successful, a certificate will be reissued, and the surveillance process will begin again.

Enconnex Has Received ISO 9001:2015 Certification from TRNA

As stated in our recent press release, Enconnex has successfully demonstrated a QMS that meets ISO 9001:2015 standards and illustrates our ability to provide high-quality products and services that precisely meet our customers’ needs. The certification process required months of meticulous research, planning, and documentation and helping us better serve our internal and external customers. Our “Born to Innovate” motto is now bolstered by a certified commitment to customer satisfaction. Get in touch to learn more about our company and how we can help you.