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What is the process of ISO Certification?

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Although one aim of ISO certification is the consistent production of goods or services that meet the general expectations of customers, ISO certification actually revolves around the documentation of the processes that a company uses to create its goods or services. Consistent, uninterrupted production of goods or services is the goal of any QMS, and the ISO certification process allows businesses the opportunity to raise their standards to those of the International Organization of Standards. The process generally consists of three steps:


  • Internal Review: A company begins the certification process by comparing its current QMS with the standards set forth by the ISO. The company may attempt to uncover gaps between the two standards on its own, but many companies enlist the help of independent consultants as part of the assessment process.
  • Execution: After identifying as many non-conforming standards as possible within its QMS, a business seeking certification next moves to execute the changes necessary to bring its QMS into compliance with the ISO standards. This step is potentially a difficult one, for compliance often requires not only extensive documentation, but wholesale process changes as well.
  • Auditing: The ISO does not perform QMS audits, nor does it grant certificates to those companies whose QMS complies with the ISO standards. When a business believes it has sufficiently documented and changed its process standards, it hires an independent company that is trained to conduct audits using ISO standards. In most cases, regardless of the quality of the internal review and execution steps undertaken by a company, the independent auditor will discover additional non-conformities. Once a company rectifies the non-conformities, the independent auditor registers that company as an ISO-certified organization.



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