With an ISO certificate, you have proof that your organisation meets all the requirements of the standard. Certification bodies issue the certificate after a 2-3 day audit.
ISO certification: how to get started?
NBN put together a 9-step plan that will give you guidance throughout the process. Do you follow it? Then you are well on your way to obtaining your ISO certificate!
The 9-step plan
- For which management standard(s) are you seeking certification?
What do you want to achieve? What are the specific needs of your organisation? The answers to those questions will determine your choice of your management standard(s).
- Ensure broad support.
An ISO certification is a management decision that affects the entire organisation . Convince your management and colleagues in advance of the added value of the standard(s).
- Take a training.
You're not the first (nor the last) to seek ISO certification. Discover the knowledge and insights of experts during a training course or master class so you don't have to reinvent the hot water.
- Conduct a baseline or GAP analysis.
Identify, with colleagues or an outside consultant, what your biggest work points are.
- Establish concrete objectives.
Use the results of the GAP analysis to establish objectives for your organisation and for management. Create an orderly schedule, designate project teams and distribute tasks.
- Communicate clearly to all stakeholders.
Involve all stakeholders and make sure everyone is on the same page. Keep them informed of progress.
- Work purposefully toward implementing the standard.
Follow all actions carefully and encourage others to do the same.
- Contact certification body for audit.
Contact certification body for audit. Then discuss any deficiencies together.
- Certificate obtained
Congratulations! Now, above all, keep working on your management system.
The benefits of ISO certification
Certification initially increases your market opportunities - for example, if a customer only purchases products or services from certified suppliers. Or if you want to export. In addition, you can use the ISO logo in your communications: this benefits your reliability and image.
Choosing certification body
BELAC lists all accredited certification bodies on its website. Before choosing a certification body, compare them. For example, ask if they have already certified organisations in your sector. And check if they adhere to CASCO standards. Those include ISO's policies and guidelines for certification bodies.
