ISO 9001:2008 – Quality Management Systems
From September 2015 the ISO 9001:2008 Standard is superseded by ISO 9001:2015 – Quality Management Systems. There was a three-year transition process, meaning certifications to this Standard were valid up to September 2018.
The Standard
This International Standard provides the framework for implementing a systematic and process driven approach to managing your business. It enables businesses to achieve, as well as benchmark, consistent performance and service, and is focussed on keeping customers happy. Happy customers buy more, refer more and cost less to retain!
It’s based around eight quality management principles:
1. Customer focus
2. Leadership
3. Involvement of people
4. Process approach
5. Systemised approach to management
6. Continual improvement
7. Factual approach to decision making
8. Mutually beneficial supplier relationships
How Does this Standard fit with the ISO 9000 Family of Standards?
The Standards in the ISO 9000 Family include:
- ISO 9000 – covers the basic concepts and language
- ISO 9001 – sets out the requirements of a quality management system
- ISO 9004 – focuses on how to make a quality management system more efficient and effective
- ISO 19011 – sets out guidance on internal and external audits of quality management systems
- ISO 9001 is the only Standard in the Family that can be certified to.
What are the benefits of
this Standard for your business?
HIGHER PROFIT MARGINS
Via improved operational effiency and waste reduction
MORE NEW CUSTOMERS
Referred by existing happier customers
GREATER COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Quality Certification could be the point of difference that wins your next contract
WIDER MARKET POTENTIAL
Now that you qualify to tender for work requiring Certification to the Quality Standard as a pre-requisite
IMPROVED ACCOUNTABILITY
& TRACEABILITY
With more effective internal processes
REDUCED STAFF TURNOVER
Staff morale and motivation improves with greater clarity of their role in relation to overall business objectives
PROMOTES INTERNATIONAL TRADE
When Certification is achieved
What types of businesses will benefit from Certification to the ISO 9001:2008 Standard?
All businesses can benefit from implementation of the Standard. Many businesses will also benefit from Certification to the Standard.
Certification:
- Proves to the outside world that your organisation is serious about customer satisfaction;
- Is sometimes the only point of difference against your closest competition when bidding for work; and
- Can be a contractual requirement imposed by your client/s.
A few examples of the wide range of organisations we work with, who have achieved and benefited from the ISO 9001:2008 Certification are:
TYPES OF BUSINESS
SIZE
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
Air Conditioning & Heating Installer
30
staff
to enable tendering for commercial projects & improve
market perception
Architect
9
staff
to improve traceability throughout the design process
Commercial Plumber
30
staff
contractual requirement to work with Sydney Water
Construction Company
30
staff
contractual requirement for the majority of their clients
Construction Project Management
21
staff
to improve internal process efficiencies & improve market
perception
Debt Collection Service Provider
427
staff
to improve internal process efficiencies & improve market
perception
Demolition & Hazardous
Material Removal Specialist
25
staff
to improve accountability & compliance with
relevant regulations, & be able to tender for larger projects
E-waste Recycling Plant
12
staff
to improve market perception & optimise operational
efficiencies
High Voltage Electrical Contractor
5
staff
to enable tendering for projects of a higher dollar value
National & International Moving &
Storage, & Business Relocations Provider
312
staff
to improve internal process efficiencies & compete with
others in their markets
Medical Device Wholesaler
6
staff
to improve traceability & accountability, & market perception
Pre-fabricated Building Manufacturer
38
staff
contractual requirement imposed by their customers
A few examples of the wide range of organisations we work with, who have achieved and benefited from Certification are:
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Air Conditioning & Heating Installer
SIZE
30 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to enable tendering for commercial projects & improve market perception
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Architect
SIZE
9 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve traceability throughout the design process
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Commercial Plumber
SIZE
30 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
contractual requirement to work with Sydney Water
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Construction Company
SIZE
30 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
contractual requirement for the majority of their clients
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Construction Project Management
SIZE
21
staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve internal process efficiencies & improve market perception
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Debt Collection Service Provider
SIZE
21 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve internal process efficiencies & improve market perception
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Debt Collection Service Provider
SIZE
427 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve internal process efficiencies & improve market perception
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Demolition & Hazardous Material Removal Specialist
SIZE
25 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve accountability & compliance with relevant regulations, & be able to tender for larger projects
TYPES OF BUSINESS
E-waste Recycling Plant
SIZE
12 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve market perception & optimise operational efficiencies
TYPES OF BUSINESS
High Voltage Electrical Contractor
SIZE
5 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to enable tendering for projects of a higher dollar value
TYPES OF BUSINESS
National & International Moving & Storage, & Business Relocations Provider
SIZE
312 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve internal process efficiencies & compete with others in their markets
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Medical Device Wholesaler
SIZE
6 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
to improve traceability & accountability, & market perception
TYPES OF BUSINESS
Pre-fabricated Building Manufacturer
SIZE
38 staff
CERTIFICATION BENEFITS
contractual requirement imposed by their customers
How the Certification Process Works
Firstly, we’ll work with you to determine exactly which Standards and Certifications are right for your business, what you want to achieve out of the process for your business, and identify any deadlines you need to achieve Certifications by. This is your chance to get all your questions answered!
Then we’ll go through with you what you already have in place and how effective you think it is, and what you’d like to see change. Depending on what you already have, the next step might be a Gap Analysis against the requirements of the Standard – this will give us a to-do list of what needs to be done before commencing the formal Certification process.
When it’s time for your Certification Audit, it’s conducted in two stages:
Stage 1 (Readiness Review) is a full review of your business processes and documented information to ensure all requirements of the Standard (relevant to your business) have been addressed.
Stage 2 (Certification Audit) is an assessment conducted at your office (and project sites, if applicable) to ensure that you actually do what your processes and documented information say you do.
All Certifications run on a three-year cycle, usually with audits 12 months apart, so, this initial audit process is then followed by:
Year 2: Surveillance Audit
Year 3: Surveillance Audit
Then we start again with a Triennial Audit, followed by two annual Surveillance Audits, and the cycle continues…
How We Can Help
Your personal Consultant gets to know you, your business, and what you need to achieve out of your systems and your Certifications.
We take care of the whole process for you, answer all your questions and adjust our services to suit your resources and your individual business needs. We’ll be there for you to coach you through the preparation, through the audits and ongoing.
We assist in selecting your Conformity Assessment Body to ensure they have the appropriate knowledge of your industry to ensure you achieve the certification.
We understand that every business is unique – we want this to be a meaningful and value-adding process for you.
