What is Certification to ISO Standard(s) and how to get it?

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Published on: April 29, 2019

In short, this article will help you understand the value that achieving an ISO Management Systems Standard certification adds to your business. It will also provide you with a free guide in which we share the process we’ve used to help hundreds of businesses to systemise their operations, enabling them to achieve certification, save time and increase their profits.

On 25 October 2022, a new version of ISO 27001 was published – ISO/IEC 27001:2022 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection — Information security management systems. The standard was primarily updated to reflect the change of the ISO 27002:2022 Information security, cybersecurity and privacy protection – Information security controls, which acts as a reference and guidance document for ISO 27001:2022. You can find out more about the standard update in this blog article.

Is this the first time you’ve read about ISO? Have you ever imagined that your business would need or want certification to an ISO Management Systems Standard? Have you ever really understood what it is, its value, and how to get it?

If you have ever tried to have a glance at it, you have probably felt overwhelmed with lots of confusing and technical information you found online, right?

So, to start with a simple and brief explanation, achieving certification to an ISO Management Systems Standard means that your business meets international management standards, and assures customers that you’ll provide them with high quality products and services.

Understanding what certification to an ISO Standard is, and how to get it, is challenging, but let’s take one thing at a time.

First of all, we have to understand that ISO is an independent International Organization for Standardization that develops relevant international standards for businesses.

Those standards are basically sets of requirements for businesses to comply with in order to achieve the intended certification, mostly regarding the business’ Management System and operational procedures.

In case you are not familiar with the “Management System” term, it is just a set of tools and documentation for strategic planning and implementation of policies, practices, guidelines, processes and procedures that are used in the development and execution of business plans and management.

If you want to know more about what a Management System is, you can read this blog.

Okay, but why get certified to an ISO Standard?

Being certified to an ISO Standard adds value to your business. Although the process of achieving the certification may seem overwhelming, having an ISO Certification can be quite rewarding as your business will benefit by:

Improving your business image and credibility
Certification to an ISO Management Systems Standard adds credibility to your business by demonstrating your business its worth through the commitment in meeting the expectations and needs of customers, resulting in stakeholders’ confidence.
Saving costs by improving processes
By implementing efficient processes and optimising operations your business will minimise risks and errors, improve communication, and reduce waste of time and resources. By meeting the Management System Standards your business will improve control over processes, hence increasing efficiency and efficacy, and engaging in continuous improvement of processes for sustainable growth.
Keeping high levels of customer satisfaction
Consistently delivering high-quality products and services helps improve customer’s satisfaction and retention.
Having access to international markets
Meeting international standards means you can widen your market potential and seek new opportunities and deals around the globe as you demonstrate that your business is a trustful business for international trade.

There are many driving forces for a business to pursue certification to an ISO Standard. Some of the main reasons are:

Government or legal requirement;
Client, contract, and/or industry regulatory requirement; and/or
Business Improvement by achieving the benefits listed above.

If you want a certification you’ll need to conform with all requirements of your chosen ISO Management System Standard. If you don’t want to be certified, you still can get value by following the requirements, as they can help your business to improve processes, leadership, quality and management.

How to get your certification to an ISO Standard

We now understand what ISO is, what it means to be certified to an ISO Management System Standard, and the value it adds to your business. So let’s have a quick look at how to achieve the certification.

First off, you need to identify which certification(s) is the right one for your business needs. There are many different standards to be certified to, each of them for different purposes and outcomes.

If your need for an for an ISO Management Systems Standard Certification comes from a requirement from your industry, regulatory body, tender or client, it’s easy: Just confirm with them the specific standard you need to be certified to.

If you want a certification for any other reason, such as business improvement, you have to analyse the different standards available in order to identify the most suitable and beneficial for your business, based on your objectives and goals.

Identifying the ISO Standard(s) your business needs

There are more than 21,000 ISO Standards available, each of them addressing different aspects or challenges that affect companies and organisations. Some of the most popular and recognised Management System Standards are: ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 27001:2022 and ISO 45001:2018.

Let’s focus on those standards for now, and get to know briefly what each one stands for:

Let’s briefly have a look at each of these standards:

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems is the most popular certification. This standard is about setting quality management principles such as strong customer focus, motivation, process approach and continual improvement, to deliver a high standard quality of products and services.
ISO 27001:2013 Information Security Management Systems helps businesses keep information assets secure by safely managing financial information, intellectual property, employee details and information entrusted to them by third parties.
ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems is a set of requirements to create better and safer working conditions by improving employee safety and reducing workplace risks.
ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems is related to environmental management. The standard aims to help organisations minimise their impact on the environment by complying with applicable laws, regulations and other environmental requirements.

It looks like a lot of information, but don’t worry, we’re here to help. Consultancy experts like us are qualified and experienced in helping businesses to develop their Management Systems and get ready for certification.

Chat with our ISO Certification Experts via email or on 1300 614 007, and we will find the best approach for your needs.

Getting certified to an ISO Standard

Once you determine which Management System Standard(s) your business needs, you can start the process to achieve certification. Breaking that down, there are two main parts in the whole process:

1. Preparation

Here is where you have to follow the ISO Standard requirements in order to prepare and implement all the necessary documentation for your business management system, and operations running according to it.

We call this process the “Certification Readiness Process” – for more information about this you can have a look at the Certification Readiness Process.

At this point, you have two alternatives. You can do this process by yourself, assigning people within your team or hiring someone to prepare your documentation and manage it. Or you can engage an external consultant, like us, to help you during this process by managing the entire process from start to finish; and ongoing.

Going through this preparation is not an easy path due to the overload of information. Also, the lack of experience could make you focus time and effort on things that don’t contribute significantly to the overall preparation. But, if you decide to engage with an expert consultant, chances are that you will achieve the certification in the first attempt, saving you time and money, and making this process easier and less stressful for your business.

2. Audit

The second part is conducted by an Accredited Conformity Assessment Body (CAB), which is the organisation accredited to issue internationally recognised ISO certifications.

This process consists of two audits. The first is where the auditor will check your documentation and its conformance with the requirements of the standard(s). The second audit is where the auditor verifies the application of the business system to your daily operations. If everything is conforming and according to the requirements, you will achieve the certification.

If you have an external consultant helping you through the process, this person can be with you during the audits to guarantee all the issues and non-conformances raised by the auditor are noted and addressed.

Certification to ISO Management System Standard(s) are issued for 3 years, needing surveillance audits once a year to check if your processes and systems are still running according to plan.

To know more about what is required once you are certified, check out this article.

Conclusion

Now that you know what certification to an ISO Management Systems Standard is, its benefits and how to achieve it, let’s talk about how you can get started on your certification readiness process today!

At ISO Certification Experts, we are specialists in assisting companies in achieving this type of certification. Our team of management consultants are experts in developing management systems efficiently, and are passionate about helping businesses improve and achieve their certifications.

Do you want to know more about achieving ISO Management Systems certification readiness? Book your online FREE strategy session with us now! We’ll help you understand all the steps of the process and discuss the specific needs of your business. Additionally, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 1300 614 897 or via email if you have any questions.

About the author

Andressa Justo

Andressa (alias Andy) is the General Manager of ISO Certification Experts and ICExperts Academy, heading our Marketing department and coordinating the internal improvement initiatives and projects. With an MBA in Project Management, and over 10 years of experience in customer service and project management across many industries, she brings valuable knowledge to the business and our operations. Alongside her professional expertise, Andressa holds a genuine passion for sustainability and the environment.

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