Steps to get ISO 9001 certification

So, you’re interested in obtaining ISO 9001 certification for your business? Great choice! It’s a standard that prioritises meeting the requirements of your clients, improves the satisfaction of everyone that works for and trades with your company and works to better your processes, documentation, and feedback systems.

By now, we’re sure you’re aware of the benefits, but if not, here’s why it’s a winner for your company:

• Focusing on employee satisfaction will improve your company’s success, as happier employees mean happier clients
• You’ll be more efficient in all aspects of your business, from planning to production to delivery. This works out as the most cost-effective
• It has marketing advantages also, as ISO 9001 certification proves you are a credible organisation, setting you apart from your competitors

Step 1 – set your objectives

While reading the standard, highlight what you can gain by pinpointing the most relevant to your business. This could include:

1. Improving operations that make your processes more efficient. Is there a point in your supply chain that’s the weakest link? What’s slowing everything else down?
2. Increasing your bottom line. Identify and focus your efforts on the most profitable areas of the business whilst cutting out waste.
3. Entering new markets. For example, some clients (many public sector workers) require ISO 9001 to trade.

Your objectives will enable you to create an action plan: if you need to hire someone to help you prepare for your future certification audit, will it be:

• An internal auditor?

If you want to train someone from your team to become an ISO 9001 auditor, visit our training page.

• An external auditor?

If so, how far do you need help from your consultant – will it be a project lead role or simply providing guidance? Read on for more tips on choosing your consultant.

• An internal representative?

This is someone responsible for overseeing the project who will closely liaise with your auditor. They could be a quality manager or senior management employee.

Step 2 – perform a gap analysis

You may have seen the term ‘gap analysis’ in your ISO 9001 research, but what is it? A gap analysis reviews existing documentation and management processes to help you assess how much work is needed to get you up to scratch with your ISO standard and help you plan your project.

Your gap analysis will help you assess if you are:

• At all compliant with relevant ISO standards (you can use the all-new Annex SL system to help you)
• Practising an effective management system
• Needing more clarity and/or uniformity in your workplace and its processes

Step 3 – write and plan standard

When setting out the necessary procedures for achieving ISO 9001 certification, you’ll need to do so in a context that works for your business. Project lead: this is your time to shine. You’ll need to:

• Know the standard and requirements inside out
• Consider how to interpret the standard in the context of your business
• Test out how to apply ISO 9001 methodology
• Devise the steps for implementation

In terms of what needs to be standardised, those who perform the work should be those who help redesign the procedures. Their input will be more valuable than any overseer, and because their voice and opinions are genuinely listened to, their motivation will increase.

Company-wide training should be a natural next step in further strengthening engagement. Stakeholders must get on board, so they must be made clear of the benefits; present what’s required and what it’ll cost, allowing you to make senior management involvement explicit.

Employees will also want to know the direct benefits of ISO 9001 standardisation and what’s expected of them regarding how they can help and how the feedback system works.

Have more questions about ISO 9001? Here’s everything you need to know.

Step 4 – compile documentation

Many consider this to be the most difficult step, but we’ve provided some tips to keep maintaining compliance as simple as possible:

1. Ensure technical requirements are readable, transferable, and easy to understand, as it’s all about keeping things user-friendly.
2. Your documentation needs to be contextual. When reviewing it, consider whether it fits your company’s needs: are operations and culture understood and considered? As aforementioned, ISO 9001 certification is not a generic, one-size-fits-all certification.
3. Find the middle ground: too much documentation creates complications, whereas too little leaves you without guidance.

You could include instructions, forms, and clear policies in your documentation.

Step 5 – time to audit

Your ISO 9001 certification will include two audits – your initial internal and certification audits.

Your first audit needs a thorough inspection where you judge if everything is in line with the code prior to your certification audit. This is an opportunity to spot anything you may have missed as well as accept recommendations from your ISO 9001 auditor.

When you feel adequately prepared, a third-party auditor from your chosen certification body will complete a site audit. As part of this, you’ll submit documents as evidence of your ISO 9001 procedures which will then be measured to see if the physical and written align.

The time this takes depends on the size and complexity of your organisation and the status of your management system before beginning the six steps of your ISO 9001 certification. Want to know how long it takes to achieve ISO 9001 certification? Find out in our blog.

Step 6 – deliver continual improvement

ISO 9001 helps you maintain certification as it’s designed to improve itself continuously. Part of the standard involves receiving feedback from employees and clients, a procedure that’ll help you improve the retention of both – everyone appreciates being listened to! These processes are not just meant to impress your certification auditor: they’re for life and will improve your business.

By following these steps, you’ll be certified with the ISO 9001 standard before you know it.