Let's see what ISO certification consists of and what added value it brings to your business. Have you ever tried to find information on ISO certifications? Have you ever wondered if such certification could be useful to you? Are you sure you have understood its value and understood how to obtain it?
In this article we will try to shed some light on the matter because a person who is not in control of the subject can probably even feel overwhelmed by the many information, often unclear to non-experts, that are found online.
To start with a simple and short explanation, having an ISO certification means that your company has met international management standards relating to a certain topic such as quality, the environment, safety, etc. and that customers can be sure that you will ensure that they work according to the reference standard. ISO is an independent international organization that deals with standardization and that develops international standards relevant to businesses.
These standards are, fundamentally, documents that contain a set of requirements that companies must respect to obtain the expected certification, mainly with regard to the company management system and operating procedures. In case you are not familiar with the term "management system", it is simply a set of tools and documents for the strategic planning and implementation of policies, practices, guidelines, processes and procedures used in the development and execution of business and management plans.
Well...but why get certified? Being ISO certified adds value to your business which will benefit from:
- an improvement of the company image and credibility towards customers by demonstrating the value of your company in meeting customer expectations and needs;
- a cost saving related to the improvement of processes. By implementing efficient processes and optimizing daily activities, your company will minimize risks and errors, improve communication and reduce waste of time and resources. By respecting the management system standards, furthermore, you will improve control over processes, increasing efficiency and effectiveness and engaging in continuous improvement processes for sustainable growth, allowing you to count on the constant satisfaction of customers;
- access to international markets. Consistently providing high-quality products and services allows you to have access to international markets because meeting internationally recognized standards means being able to expand your market potential and seek new business opportunities around the world, demonstrating that your business is reliable for international trade
Let's see now how to proceed operationally. If you want a certification, you will have to comply with all the requirements of the chosen ISO management standard. The first thing to do, therefore, is to identify which certification is, or which certifications are the right ones for your needs. There are many different standards according to which it is possible to certify, each for different purposes and results.
If your need derives from a requirement of the sector in which you operate, from a constraint for a tender or directly from a customer, it is easy: just identify the specific standard. If, on the other hand, you want a certification for any other reason such as, for example, improving your business, you must analyze the different standards available in order to identify the most suitable and advantageous for your business, based on your objectives and those of your business.
ACSQ can support you for some of the most widespread, popular and recognized standards such as: ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 and ISO 45001. Let's briefly find out what each of them deals with:
- ISO 9001 is the standard of quality management systems and is the most widespread certification. This standard concerns the setting in daily work of management principles such as a strong focus on the customer, motivation, the process approach and continuous improvement, in order to be able to provide high-quality products and services;
- ISO 27001 is the standard that deals with information security management systems and helps companies protect information assets, safely managing financial information, intellectual property, details relating to employees and information entrusted to third parties;
- ISO 45001 relates to occupational health and safety management systems and contains a set of requirements to create the best working conditions by focusing on employee safety and reducing risks in the workplace;
- ISO 14001, finally, deals with environmental management. The purpose of this standard is to help organizations minimize their impact on the environment, respecting laws, regulations and all other applicable environmental requirements, for example those of the specific sector