Have your ISO audit questions answered with Lumiform's ISO Audit Guide. Cost, benefits, and more will be covered, plus helpful tips for a successful audit.
Depending on which industry or sector you work in, you likely have seen one or several of the ISO standards and certifications. If you are wondering what exactly an ISO audit is and what they entail, we have you covered.
There is no single ISO audit/standard. Being ISO-certified endorses an organization by validating that its processes align with the industry standards. ISO standards and certifications carry a lot of authority, as the organization is an international body that acts independently and is non-governmental. Founded in 1947, ISO stands for International Organization of Standardization and unites national standards bodies from 167 different countries globally.
The international standards that ISO publishes are carefully developed and a reaction to the ever-changing industry and public landscape. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, for example, the organization released a guideline for the development of safer COVID testing methods in 2022.
ISO aims to ensure the quality and safety of products and services within a wide range of sectors. Covering multiple industries from food safety to environmental or risk management, ISO is first and foremost a network that aspires to “make lives easier, safer and better”.
An ISO audit is how you can achieve an ISO certification. Use an ISO audit to check whether your strategies meet the required standards and either get certified from there or continue working on your objectives.
You want to learn more about ISO and the benefits your company can reap from a standardized quality and management review? Let’s explore how to prepare and pass an ISO certification audit and fulfill ISO requirements.
1. Why ISO audits are important
4. How to get ISO certified successfully
4.1 What it means to be ISO certified
4.3 How long it takes to be ISO certified
5. How to best prepare and conduct ISO audits
ISO certifications are invaluable assets to any organization as they can influence a brand’s image positively. Proving that a product or service adheres to the industry standards, builds consumer trust, and ensures an organization’s recognition on the market.
In order to get ISO certified, you need to perform ISO audits to control:
ISO audits have a clear purpose: help you assess your progress and evaluate your internal procedures. An internal audit process is valuable not only to ensure ISO compliance but also to keep track of your operations. This way, you can continuously figure out what does and doesn’t work, implement corrective actions, and optimize your mechanisms. By implementing a standardized system and regularly ensuring its upkeep, you can save time and money in the long run and lead an efficient business.
There are several types of ISO audits and most of them are included in every ISO certification process. There are generally three types of audits that you need to know about: internal, supplier and certification. They all serve different purposes and are relevant in their own right.
Before you can begin thinking of the official audits, however, it is important to focus on the implementation of ISO standards first. Getting ISO certified is rewarding and beneficial, but it’s also a lengthy process that should be approached appropriately. You can begin your ISO journey internally or get in touch with a consultant for expert advice. Ask questions, set a system in motion to fulfill the requirements, and make a plan.
Once you have completed this step, it is time to get familiar with the audit types that await you:
Since its founding days, ISO has published over 24,000 standards within 17 sustainability goals ranging from no poverty, quality education, climate action, and more. Since they vary heavily from each other, it is impossible to simply create a general list of requirements. However, ISO themselves encourage you to view the standards regardless as they are self-described as a “formula that describes the best way of doing something ”.
The most popular standards can be found in the following six categories:
One of the most-used standards is ISO 9001, a general quality management standard and part of the “ISO 9000 family”. This standard acts as a base and prerequisite for many others. The IATF 16949 audit, for example, defines guidelines for a QMS in the automotive industry and can be largely understood as an addition to ISO 9001:2015. Other standards, such as ISO 13485, addressing the quality management for medical devices, also use ISO 9001 as their baseline.
ISO 9001 is a powerful and versatile standard that can be used by any kind of organization, no matter its size. According to ISO, one million organizations across the globe adhere to ISO 9001 guidelines.
As with most standards, ISO 9001 is divided into multiple requirement chapters that support a company’s top management structure, customer relationship, and process approach. As the world’s leading quality management standard, being certified with ISO 9001 helps you to build trust, offer great quality services and products, and forge strong business relationships.
ISO 27001 details requirements for information security management systems (ISMS) and is part of the 27000 Family. Providing security for any kind of digital information, ISO 27001 can be employed in companies of any size and supports them in their goals.
Organizations can effectively minimize security risks, and prevent data loss and misuse by implementing ISO 27001. Even if you don’t get certified for the standard (something that is not obligatory), simply adhering to the requirements can greatly benefit your organization with its strict and approved guidelines of best practices to follow.
Before we get into the details about ISO certifications, their processes and benefits, it is important to note that the ISO network itself does not perform certifications. The institution develops and publishes the standards upon which certifications are based, but the actual issuing is performed by an external certification body that needs to be accredited.
An ISO certification is an endorsement for you and your organization. It proves to third parties that you comply with the standards and have implemented structures to ensure your business works well, is stable, and can be trusted. Depending on your line of business and the certifications obtained, this means that your services are outstanding, your products are high quality, your customers are well taken care of, and your results are trustworthy. Such an endorsement is desired in any field and valuable for every organization.
In order to find the perfect certification body for you, ISO recommends following the subsequent steps:
It also helps to remember that not every ISO standard needs to be certified to be implemented successfully. Some ISO standards require a certification while others are voluntary.
As there are so many different ISO standards, ISO certification costs vary greatly. They generally depend on the size of your organization and on how much or how little work you have already invested. Additionally, it may be that you want to get certified for more than one standard at a time, which can also drive up costs, but, on occasion, can also lead to discounts. These are some of the factors that influence your expenses:
Overall, it is best if you request quotes from several certification bodies and choose the one that best suits your needs and budget.
As with costs, it is difficult to predict how long it will take for your organization to be fully ISO certified, however, you can expect a timeframe of anywhere from 3 to 6 months. If your business is particularly large, the certification process may take up to a year.
Some standards also take more time to be certified than others; it all depends on the systems and documentation you already have in place, as well as your planning and strategizing.
In general, ISO certification audits are a fairly long process that follows this timeline or one similar:
As previously mentioned, getting ISO certified can be a lengthy process that requires attention and careful planning in order to be successful. With diligent preparation and planning, however, you can conduct ISO audits effortlessly and reap the benefits – whether you choose to actually get certified or not.
The first step to success is to prepare and plan appropriately. The more you anticipate, the more issues you can prevent from happening. This leads to smooth operations and successful management.
It is equally important that you prepare your employees, and let them know about the steps you are taking and why so that the whole organization can work as one to implement ISO standards for better business, more safety and higher quality.
ISO stands for International Organization of Standardization and unites national standards bodies from 167 different countries across the globe. ISO standards and certifications carry a lot of authority, as the organization is an international body that acts independently and is non-governmental.
In order to get ISO certified, you need to perform ISO audits to control the quality of your products or operations (e.g. work on implementing a quality management system (QMS), regulating current practices in accordance with ISO standards, and work on management strategies regarding global challenges (e.g. environmental, data security, etc.).
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