The International Organisation for Standardization is comprised of numerous national standards throughout the world. The organisation has created a series of voluntary standards for companies to follow if they wish to become ISO certified.
These standards pertain to the level of safety and productivity that must be practised by certified companies. If a company is ISO certified, it means it offers high-quality services and products to its customers by following ISO standards.
ISO certification is optional but necessary for manufacturers to prove their management system is above average. That way, customers will have confidence the manufacturer produces quality products that exceed their expectations.
It is certainly not easy for a business to become ISO certified because of the strict standards for management. So, if a company can prove it meets these standards, it goes a long way in convincing customers to take it seriously.
ISO 9001 Criteria
There are different standards under the International Organization for Standardization that offer various certifications. When we talk about a manufacturer getting ISO certified, this generally refers to its certification under ISO 9001.
ISO 9001 is the standard that outlines the requirements of a quality management system within an organisation. If a company can prove a quality management system, its customer service is top notch, and its customers are delivered quality products and services.
The primary criteria for ISO 9001 certification include:
- The company’s internal processes are consistently analysed and enhanced.
- The company sets the highest standards of safety and quality in its work environment.
- Customers are given quality services and products that are delivered on time.
- The company always strives to improve productivity and performance in the workplace.
- Waste management and cost efficiency methods are implemented in the workplace.
An ISO registrar will conduct an audit of your company to determine if you comply with the criteria. The audits are random and very strict, so it is crucial that your organisation is always following the requirements – not only for the sake of the certification but also to satisfy your customers, as well.
Reasons to Work with an ISO-Certified Company
Businesses invest in manufacturing to create the products they sell to end users. If a business chooses the wrong manufacturing company, it likely will end up with low-quality products, resulting in loss of its customer base once word of inferior products spreads around.
For this reason, businesses should only work with ISO-certified manufacturing companies to ensure their products meet the highest quality standards.
Receiving quality goods in a timely manner will reduce the overall costs of your business while increasing its sales and productivity. Best of all, you can view the processes of ISO-certified companies up front to ensure they satisfy your expectations.
