ISO 9001
Quality Management
Quality management is the management and steering of an organization with an explicit focus on “quality”. The aim is to design and improve the quality of products and services so that they meet the wishes and expectations of customers. Quality management helps to increase customer satisfaction, to win new customers, and thus to increase competitiveness.
Quality management – Effective for Success
Professional quality management is by no means just about making a good impression on the outside. Rather, it is about managing and permanently improving your own performance – both internally and externally.
Efficient quality management (QM) helps you to realistically assess your organization’s own potential and to minimize costs incurred. Only if you succeed in being a little bit “better” than the competition, will you ensure the success of your organization in the future. This is precisely the small but essential difference when meeting the rising expectations of your customers. Because one thing is for certain: while it is good to correct mistakes, from an economic point of view it is much better not to make any in the first place.
ISO 9001 is defined as the internationally recognised standard for Quality Management Systems (QMS). It is the most widely used QMS standard in the world, with over 1.25 million certificates issued to organisations in 178 countries.
Steps to Certification
Step 1
Complete a Quote Request Form so we can understand you and your business. We will then use this to personally prepare a proposal for your certification and define what is known as your ‘scope of assessment’.
Step 2
We will then contact you to book your assessment with an NQA assessor. It consists of two mandatory visits that form the Initial Certification Audit. Please note that you must be able to demonstrate that your management system has been operational for a minimum of three months and has been subject to a management review and a full cycle of internal audits.
Step 3
Following a successful stage two audit, a decision is made. If positive, your certification will be issued by NQA, with both a hard and soft copy of the certificate awarded. Certification is valid for three years and maintained through surveillance audits (years one and two) and a recertification audit in year three.
Benefits of ISO 9001 Certification
Customer satisfaction
Deliver products that consistently meet customer requirements and a service that is dependable and can be relied on.
Reduced operating costs
Reduced operating costs
Continual improvement of processes and resulting operational efficiencies mean money saved.
Improved stakeholder relationships
Improve the perception of your organization with staff, customers and suppliers.
Legal compliance
Understand how statutory and regulatory requirements impact your organisation and its customers.
Improved risk management
Greater consistency and traceability of products and services means problems are easier to avoid and rectify.
Proven business credentials
Independent verification against a globally recognised industry standard speaks volumes.
Win more business
Procurement specifications often require certification as a condition to supply, so certification and verification opens doors.
The 7 Quality Management Principles
ISO 9001 is built upon a set of fundamental principles that guide an organisation’s approach to quality management and any organisation can benefit from it.
- Customer focus: Organisations must strive to meet and exceed customer needs and expectations, continuously monitoring feedback for improvement.
- Leadership: Top management plays a crucial role in establishing unity of purpose and direction, creating an environment where people are engaged in achieving quality objectives.
- Engagement of people: Competent, empowered, and engaged people at all levels are essential to enhance the organisation’s capacity to create and deliver value.
- Process approach: Managing activities as interconnected processes helps achieve consistent and predictable results more effectively and efficiently. This often ties into the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle.
- Improvement: Continuous improvement is a permanent objective of the QMS, enabling organisations to adapt to changes and enhance performance.
- Evidence-based decision making: Decisions should be based on the analysis and evaluation of data and information, leading to greater objectivity and improved outcomes.
- Relationship management: For sustained success, organisations should aim to manage their relationships with interested parties, such as suppliers, to optimise their performance.
