ISO 9001:

THE
ULTIMATE
BEGINNERS
GUIDE
A WHITE PAPER WRITTEN BY
THE BRITISH ASSESSMENT BUREAU

MARK0001 | V1 | 01.06.2016 | ISO 9001: THE ULTIMATE BEGINNERS GUIDE

THE ULTIMATE
BEGINNERS
GUIDE TO
ISO 9001
ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

WHY IS ISO 9001 SO POPULAR?

ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

WHY CHOOSE ISO 9001?

THE BENEFITS OF ISO 9001

CHOOSING A CERTIFICATION BODY

HOW LONG DOES CERTIFICATION TAKE?

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN CERTIFICATION?

ONGOING CERTIFICATION

10 REASONS TO HAVE ISO 9001

10 STEPS TO CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR?
ISO 9001
OVERVIEW
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

04 WHY CHOOSE ISO

9001?
1 It’s a Quality Management System
(QMS) Standard

05 THE BENEFITS OF ISO

9001
2 Published by the International
Organization of Standards (ISO)

06
Provides guidelines for the
CHOOSING A
CERTIFICATION BODY
3 development, implementation and
management of a QMS

07 HOW LONG DOES

CERTIFICATION TAKE?
4 It’s the world’s most popular ISO
Standard

08
1.6 million ISO 9001 certificates
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
5 have been issued across 178
countries

09
It’s updated every 5 years, and
ONGOING
CERTIFICATION
6 2015 is the most up-to-date
Standard

10 7 It’s applicable to any business, of

10 REASONS TO HAVE any size, anywhere!
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
WHY IS ISO 9001
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR? SO POPULAR?
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS
Quite simply, because the standard has the reputation

04
of being the way that an organisation proves its quality
credentials. That’s why ISO 9001 is requested in so many
WHY CHOOSE ISO public and private sector tender situations and is so
9001? important to become certified, especially in the UK.

05 THE BENEFITS OF ISO

9001
The British Assessment Bureau’s (BAB) own research in
the 2016 Client Satisfaction Survey revealed that ISO
9001 had in fact over-delivered. When asked for their

06
motivation for implementing the standard, 43% of clients
CHOOSING A said their motivation for ISO 9001 certification was to win
more business. Having achieved certification, 62% said
CERTIFICATION BODY ISO 9001 had successfully led them to winning work.

07 HOW LONG DOES

CERTIFICATION TAKE?
A breakdown* of the benefits of ISO 9001 is below:

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
76% 62% 24% 13%
09 ONGOING
CERTIFICATION
IMPROVED QUALIFIED
INTERNAL FOR, OR
ABLE TO RETAINED
TENDER CONTRACTS

10
PROCESSES WON NEW FOR MORE WITH
AND BUSINESS NEW EXISTING
10 REASONS TO HAVE EFFICIENCY BUSINESS CLIENTS
CERTIFICATION

11
*Percentages equal more than 100% as some clients cited more than one benefit

10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR? ISO 9001

03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS THE FACTS

04 WHY CHOOSE ISO
9001?
Many have heard about ISO 9001, but still aren’t sure about
the relevance to them. Simply put, it can improve your

05
management systems and help you win new business! ISO
introduced ISO 9001 in 1987 to replace British Standard
THE BENEFITS OF ISO BS 5750.
9001

06
It’s a truly international standard, having had input from
159 national standard institutes. Committees within
CHOOSING A these institutes have representatives from all sectors
CERTIFICATION BODY and industries. Their aim is to keep standards fresh and,

07
on average, ISO standards are updated every 5 years -
requiring 75% support from the world network to make
HOW LONG DOES changes.
CERTIFICATION TAKE?

08
ISO 9001 is a QMS and is a generic Standard. This means it
can be applied to any organisation, across any sector, large
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN or small and irrespective of whether it produces products
CERTIFICATION? or is a service related business.

09 ONGOING
CERTIFICATION
It has already been implemented by more than 1.6 million
organisations across 178 countires. Unlike many industry

10
or national standards, ISO 9001 is recognised worldwide
and is especially popular with public sector and large
10 REASONS TO HAVE companies.
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR? WHY CHOOSE
ISO 9001?
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

04
It would be fair to say that most organisations’ motivation
WHY CHOOSE ISO for gaining ISO 9001 is to win new business. But once
organisations start, they quickly find huge benefits in terms
9001? of improved internal processes, more consistent delivery

05
and less re-work. Successful implementation can result
THE BENEFITS OF ISO in a dramatic reduction in costly errors and the resulting
consequences for clients.
9001

06 CHOOSING A
CERTIFICATION BODY 9 9
07
“We sought ISO “Implementing ISO
certification to improve the certification has improved
HOW LONG DOES quality and consistency of our internal processes
CERTIFICATION TAKE? the services we offer to the and awareness of how we

08
people we serve.” operate.”

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN Stephen Hawkins

Age Concern Hounslow
Peter Keast
ADA Network
CERTIFICATION?

09
We find a lot of organisations apply for ISO 9001
ONGOING certification because it is a stipulation for public contracts.
It’s government policy to define standards in central and
CERTIFICATION local government tenders to make sure that the supplier is

10
fit for purpose. As you’d expect, it’s particularly important
10 REASONS TO HAVE that government bodies are able to show they are spending
taxpayer’s money wisely.
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02
ISO 9001 is often a requirement in the private sector too,
particularly when applying to become part of a large supply
WHY IS ISO 9001 SO chain, where the main contractor has ISO 9001 in place.
POPULAR?

03
It’s clear that many organisations, who originally sought
ISO 9001 to qualify for work, are pleasantly surprised to
find just how much of a positive influence it had on their
ISO 9001 - THE FACTS whole organisation.

04 WHY CHOOSE ISO

9001? 9
05
“The value that our clients hold of ISO is really quite
huge - in all of our tenders there is now a requirement
THE BENEFITS OF ISO for ISO certification and some quite specifically ask for
9001 ISO 9001. Although we previously had quality systems in

06
place, there were processes that were often ‘lost’ and we
maybe weren’t as organised as we could be. ISO 9001,
CHOOSING A in particular, has allowed us to really develop our existing
CERTIFICATION BODY processes and as a result we are much more organised and

07
ready for our planned growth.”
HOW LONG DOES Lawrence Hargreaves
Nicoll Curtin
CERTIFICATION TAKE?

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?

09 ONGOING
CERTIFICATION

10 10 REASONS TO HAVE
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR?
THE BENEFITS
OF ISO 9001
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

04 WHY CHOOSE ISO

9001? Benefits can be huge; Virtually all businesses

05
improving internal point to dramatic changes
processes, achieving for the better. Even small
THE BENEFITS OF ISO greater consistency and companies benefit from
9001 happier customers! These implementing ISO 9001. It

06
benefits mean improved helps their growth, as it lays
profitability as efficiency the ideal foundations for
CHOOSING A and productivity increases. the future.
CERTIFICATION BODY

07 HOW LONG DOES

CERTIFICATION TAKE? Improving your processes Apart from bidding for

08
and the way your public sector work, the
organisation works boosts credibility of ISO 9001
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN not only productivity, but throughout the business
CERTIFICATION? employee motivation too. world gives a clear

09
Replacing bad, or even competitive advantage to
non-existent methods with companies who have the
ONGOING functional, documented standard. It’s not just about
CERTIFICATION processes invariably leads winning new business, it’s

10
to a more confident and about added value to your
driven workforce. ISO clients too. Attracting and
10 REASONS TO HAVE 9001 instils a model for keeping hold of clients is
CERTIFICATION continuous improvement. more important than ever.

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR?
WHAT OUR CLIENTS
ARE SAYING...

03
Did you know
that ISO 9001 is
ISO 9001 - THE FACTS part of a group

04 9
of management
standards? As
WHY CHOOSE ISO well as quality,
covered by ISO “We have received recognition
9001?

05
9001, there is from business partners on the
a standard for quality of our products and
THE BENEFITS OF ISO Environmental services and feel our reputation
9001 Management has been enhanced as a result!”

06
(ISO 14001), Mario Theodosiou
Information Omega Lettings
CHOOSING A Security
CERTIFICATION BODY Management

07
(ISO 27001) and
Health and Safety
HOW LONG DOES Management
CERTIFICATION TAKE? (OHSAS 18001).
9
08
They share
many principles, “In more and more commercial
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN so choosing situations, having ISO
CERTIFICATION? an integrated certification has helped us to

09
management differentiate ourselves from
system can save competitors.”
ONGOING you money as
Peter Keast
CERTIFICATION well as provide

10
ADA Networks
across-the-board
benefits.
10 REASONS TO HAVE
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO

POPULAR? CHOOSING A
CERTIFICATION
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS
BODY
04 WHY CHOOSE ISO
9001?

05
When you achieve ISO 9001 certification through a
Certification Body, you have proven that an independent
THE BENEFITS OF ISO third party has verified that you meet all requirements
9001 of the standard. This is a powerful message to both new

06
clients and current clients.
CHOOSING A Not all Certification Bodies are equal. It’s important
CERTIFICATION BODY to compare costs carefully. Pay particular attention to

07
ongoing fees. Some will charge ‘annual management or
administration fees’, others don’t. An annual re-audit is
HOW LONG DOES mandatory but some Certification Bodies may insist on
CERTIFICATION TAKE? visiting (and charging) you more than once a year.

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
Certification Bodies, like BAB, carrying out certification
to ISO management standards will be following ISO
17021:2011 - requirements for bodies providing audit

09
and certification of management systems. In order to
ONGOING remain objective and impartial, this means they cannot
write documentation for you or provide consultancy
CERTIFICATION

10
in conjunction with certification. What they can do is
provide ISO training, which can be a useful exercise before
10 REASONS TO HAVE committing to the implementation of a standard.
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

HOW LONG
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
DOES CERTIFICATION
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS TAKE?

04 WHY CHOOSE ISO

9001?

05 THE BENEFITS OF ISO

9001
As you might
expect,
You’ll need a
designated
You don’t have
to appoint a

06
implementation representative designated
of ISO 9001 who takes ‘Quality
CHOOSING A can take longer responsibility Manager’; just
CERTIFICATION BODY depending on within the someone who

07
the size of the organisation and is the main co-
HOW LONG DOES organisation. will drive you to ordinator.
CERTIFICATION success.
TAKE?

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?

09
In most cases, Before you For most
ONGOING the principles of know it, the organisations,
CERTIFICATION ISO 9001 will processes in ISO the process

10
soon become 9001 will just will take 3 - 6
integrated become the way months from
10 REASONS TO HAVE within the you do things! the first visit to
CERTIFICATION organisation. the awarded

11
certificate.

10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR? CERTIFICATION?
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS The process starts with what’s known as a ‘Stage 1

04
Audit’. This is where your Lead Assessor will review your
business and prepare a gap analysis report. This identifies
WHY CHOOSE ISO the actions required to meet the standard. This becomes
9001? your helpful action plan, so don’t worry if you think you’re

05
under prepared.

THE BENEFITS OF ISO Some organisations find they already have lots of required
9001 processes in place; they just need better documentation

06
and communication of what processes are mandatory and
who has responsibility for what.
CHOOSING A
CERTIFICATION BODY

07 HOW LONG DOES

CERTIFICATION TAKE?
9
“Externally we’ve built a better reputation with clients.
Internally we have a much stronger structure, and valuable

08
processes to find areas to improve the business.”
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN Martyn Redstone
CERTIFICATION? G4S Policing Solutions

09
Once you’ve filled the gaps highlighted in the Stage 1
ONGOING report, your Auditor will come back to carry out the ‘Stage
CERTIFICATION 2 Audit’. This will reveal the effectiveness of your QMS

10
and whether it meets all the requirements of the standard.
If you are fully compliant, you will be recommended for
10 REASONS TO HAVE certification by your Auditor. The Auditors’ report will then
CERTIFICATION be checked via an approvals process and if no anomalies

11
are identified, certification is officially awarded. If you’re
not quite ready, you’ll receive a free re-audit from BAB.
10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW

ONGOING
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
CERTIFICATION
03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

04
Now you’ve worked hard to get your certification you’ll
want to make sure you keep it! It is mandatory to have at
WHY CHOOSE ISO least one surveillance audit visit per year to ensure you
9001? are continuing to meet the requirements. They sample

05
the ongoing effectiveness of your quality management
system. You’ll receive a written report with the results.
THE BENEFITS OF ISO These might include major or minor non-conformities and
9001 observations. Should a major non-conformity be identified,

06
you’ll be given a set time period to rectify the situation.

CHOOSING A Every 3rd year a full re-certification audit is undertaken.

CERTIFICATION BODY This will identify key strengths and weaknesses, and we will

07
work with you to identify opportunities for improvement.
These third year audits are more extensive than annual
HOW LONG DOES surveillance audits and some certification bodies may
CERTIFICATION TAKE? charge extra to undertake them.

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
Whilst we work with our clients, UKAS - the United
Kingdom’s official, government approved accreditation
service - insists we maintain our objectivity and impartiality.

09
So, we can’t undertake improvements for you but we can,
ONGOING and will point you to recognised best practice and answer
questions with sensitivity and understanding.
CERTIFICATION

10
Ultimately, BAB want to help you gain the most from
10 REASONS TO HAVE certification and reap the benefits that a commitment to
continuous improvement can offer.
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
10 REASONS
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
TO HAVE CERTIFICATION

03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

1
04 WHY CHOOSE ISO
9001?
IT INCREASES CHANCES OF WINNING PUBLIC
SECTOR TENDERS

05
Government bodies continue to stipulate Quality Management Systems in their
THE BENEFITS OF ISO tenders. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognised standard, with certification
9001 ensuring organisations meet a high level of quality. By asking for ISO 9001 from

06
contractors, the public sector can prove it is spending tax payer’s money wisely,
whilst not having to waste time checking an organisation’s credentials. With ISO
CHOOSING A 9001 certification from a UKAS accredited body, the certificate does the talking!

CERTIFICATION BODY ISO 9001 is revered within government. It’s no surprise that without ISO 9001,

07
many clients simply wouldn’t have won the work.

HOW LONG DOES

CERTIFICATION TAKE?

08 WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
2 3
CERTIFICATION? IT INCREASES CHANCES IT HELPS MEET LEGAL

09
OF WINNING PRIVATE AND REGULATORY
ONGOING SECTOR TENDERS REQUIREMENTS
CERTIFICATION It’s not just the public sector that Many industries have specific legal

10
deems ISO 9001 so important. As and regulatory requirements that you
major organisations realised the must adhere to; some you may not
10 REASONS TO benefits of ISO 9001, they started be aware of.
HAVE CERTIFICATION to demand it of their suppliers too.

11
By making ISO 9001 a requirement Going through ISO 9001
throughout the supply chain, it implementation ensures you meet
10 STEPS TO ensures quality is at a consistent high all current legislation, saving any
level, reducing risk. potential embarrassment.
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
10 REASONS
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
TO HAVE CERTIFICATION

03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

4 5
04 WHY CHOOSE ISO
9001?
IT CAN LOWER
INSURANCE
IT IMPROVES CUSTOMER
SATISFACTION

05
PREMIUMS
An integral aspect of ISO 9001 is customer
THE BENEFITS OF ISO Complying with legislation satisfaction. It focuses on the customer instead
9001 of course lowers your of purely business goals by gaining feedback and

06
potential risks. analysing it. The standard will help you improve
the quality of your service, adopting a ‘right first
CHOOSING A Many companies find that time’ attitude.
their insurance premiums
CERTIFICATION BODY

07
are therefore reduced when The message ISO 9001 certification sends
they have ISO 9001, partly out to customers is an important one too.
thanks to the additional An independent verification of your quality
HOW LONG DOES aspect of having third party management system demonstrates your
CERTIFICATION TAKE? verification for their quality commitment to quality, customer service and

08
management. continuous improvement.

WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
6
09 ONGOING
CERTIFICATION IT IMPROVES OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

10
Over the years, organisations can develop a variety of processes and ways of doing
10 REASONS TO things. ISO 9001 encourages well defined and documented procedures that improve
the consistency of your organisation’s output, by replacing any current practices
HAVE CERTIFICATION that are obsolete or inefficient. With procedures in place for when problems occur,

11
corrective action is then taken. Over time, this efficiency of process leads to fewer
mistakes, and those that do occur, are caught earlier.
10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
10 REASONS
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
TO HAVE CERTIFICATION

03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

7 8
04 WHY CHOOSE ISO
9001?
IT REDUCES RE-WORK PROMOTE CONTINUAL
IMPROVEMENT

05
Greater efficiency means fewer
errors, which means less re-work, A fundamental part of all ISO
THE BENEFITS OF ISO product scrap and rejections. You management standards is continual
may find you already had processes
9001 improvement, challenging you to

06
in place for many business functions, strive to make regular improvements.
but ISO 9001 helps improve or
eradicate obsolete processes that are
CHOOSING A counter-productive. The standard
CERTIFICATION BODY
10
introduces better process control

07
and flow, improves documentation of
processes, and creates awareness of
HOW LONG DOES quality amongst employees.
CERTIFICATION TAKE? INCREASE EMPLOYEE

08
MOTIVATION
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
CERTIFICATION?
9 It is fair to say, that with proper
processes in place, staff will feel
more at ease with their job roles,

09
leading to greater job satisfaction
IT INCREASES PROFIT and motivation, especially when they
ONGOING MARGINS are made aware of how quality and
overall success depends on them.
CERTIFICATION

10
With improved management
processes, the greater efficiency Of course, achieving certification to
gained from implementing ISO
10 REASONS TO 9001 can lead to an improvement
an internationally recognised quality
management standard is something
HAVE CERTIFICATION to the bottom line. With improved to be proud of, so becoming certified

11
processes leading to less overall should be celebrated! Including your
work, this results in cost savings staff throughout the process is key to
10 STEPS TO when delivering the product/service. getting both buy-in and motivation.
CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
10 STEPS
02 WHY IS ISO 9001 SO
POPULAR?
TO CERTIFICATION

03 ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

01
MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICE
The first step for any organisation is making sure that the standard

04
you’ve chosen is the right fit for your organisation, right now. It’s
worth noting that you must have been operating for at least 3
WHY CHOOSE ISO months to become certified. This is so you have some processes in
9001? place that can be assessed.

05
We recommend engaging with any industry or professional
THE BENEFITS OF ISO associations that you may be actively involved in, to see how ISO
certification has worked for other members. You could also speak
9001 to certified clients or suppliers, as well as using local and national

06
government resources for a wealth of information on ISO standards.

CHOOSING A

02
CERTIFICATION BODY REVIEWING THE STANDARD

07
As part of the standard requirements, you’ll need to purchase a
copy of the standard from ISO themselves, which includes all of the
HOW LONG DOES requirements you must adhere to. Along with the support from your
CERTIFICATION TAKE? Account Manager and Assessor, this will help you on your way to

08
learning the internationally recognised quality management system.

03
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN
COMMUNICATING THE GOAL
CERTIFICATION?

09
Implementing an ISO quality management system needs to be
an organisation-wide target developed by senior management.
Ongoing effort will be needed to ensure good habits are maintained
ONGOING throughout the process, so a ‘champion’ will be needed - or a
CERTIFICATION dedicated team if you work in a larger organisation. This person

10
or team will also need to be responsible for developing the actual
Quality Management System.
10 REASONS TO HAVE
CERTIFICATION Getting buy-in is one of the biggest challenges whilst on the route

11
to achieving certification. We have published numerous articles
focusing on the benefits of all of the main standards which can help
10 STEPS TO communicate exactly why your organisation is taking these steps.

CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
04
ESTABLISH TRAINING REQUIREMENTS

02
If you’re completely new to ISO standards, then a training course
could be beneficial to improve confidence and skills to help in
WHY IS ISO 9001 SO the implementation process. Even if you are fairly experienced, a
refresher course ensures you’ll get the most out of the standard.
POPULAR? External and bespoke in-house courses are available. Our open ISO

03
training courses are held throughout the UK on a monthly basis.

05
ISO 9001 - THE FACTS
USING A CONSULTANT

04
We cannot provide consultancy services as it would affect their
impartiality. It is acceptable to independently source a consultant
WHY CHOOSE ISO to help you along the process. They can help on an implementation
9001? strategy, and a good consultant should increase the value of the

05
process. The use of a consultant doesn’t remove your responsibility
for establishing and implementing your ISO standard. It is in your
THE BENEFITS OF ISO own interest that you and your management are actively involved
with the consultant throughout. Beware of any ‘ready-made’
9001

06
management systems which may not suit your organisation.

06
CHOOSING A SELECT A CERTIFICATION BODY
CERTIFICATION BODY It’s important to know what you’re signing up to when agreeing to

07
proceed with a Certification Body. The popular ISO management
standards are based on a 3-year cycle. Some CB’s will expect you to
HOW LONG DOES sign up to a minimum 3-year contract to suit. Whilst only an annual
CERTIFICATION TAKE? visit is required, there are some who will insist on seeing you more

08
frequently. It’s important you clarify this when obtaining quotes and
check for other hidden costs such as ‘registration’ and travel fees.
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN

07
CERTIFICATION? DEVELOPING A MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

09
The ISO management standards are designed to be generic,
ONGOING applicable to organisations of all sizes and industry sectors. While
the standards provide a framework for good management practice,
CERTIFICATION specifying things that need to be included, they do not tell you how

10
to do them.

10 REASONS TO HAVE The fundamental part of achieving certification to an ISO standard

CERTIFICATION is forming a Management System; a Quality Management System

11
(QMS) for ISO 9001. The Management System is formed of processes
for management activities, provision of resources, production
10 STEPS TO realisation, measurement, analysis and improvement.

CERTIFICATION
01 ISO 9001 OVERVIEW
08
THE STAGE 1 AUDIT

02
The process starts with a ‘Stage 1 Audit’. This is when your Auditor
reviews your business and provides a gap analysis report identifying
WHY IS ISO 9001 SO the actions required to meet the standard. This can be used as a
helpful action plan, so don’t worry if you think you’re under prepared.
POPULAR? Some organisations find they already have some required processes

03
in place; they just need better documentation and communication
of them. It’s important to remember, with BAB you can’t fail!
ISO 9001 - THE FACTS

09
04
THE STAGE 2 AUDIT
Once your organisation is ready and has filled the gaps highlighted
WHY CHOOSE ISO in the Stage 1 report, your Auditor will visit you again to carry
9001? out the ‘Stage 2 Audit’. This will reveal the effectiveness of your

05
management system and whether it meets all the requirements of
the specific ISO standard you wish to be certified to (e.g. ISO 9001).
THE BENEFITS OF ISO If you are fully compliant, you will be recommended for certification.
The auditor’s report will then be checked via an approvals process,
9001 and if no anomalies are identified; certification is officially awarded.

06 CHOOSING A
CERTIFICATION BODY
10
MAINTAINING THE MANAGEMENT SYSTEM
The maintenance of your management system is where the hard

07
work really starts. Continued buy-in from everyone is important for
implementation to succeed, and for you to gain the true benefit of
HOW LONG DOES becoming certified.
CERTIFICATION TAKE?

08
In-house communication and training should be carried out regularly
to ensure ongoing awareness and engagement with staff. More
WHAT’S INVOLVED IN formally, internal audits should also be carried out to ensure the
requirements of the standard are continually met. A management
CERTIFICATION? review should then be held to set out corrective actions as required.

09 ONGOING
CERTIFICATION

10 10 REASONS TO HAVE
CERTIFICATION

11 10 STEPS TO
CERTIFICATION
 If you’re interested in finding out the costs of
achieving ISO 9001 certification, BAB can provide
a fixed price, no-obligation quote.

Please get in touch using the British Assessment

Bureau’s online enquiry form on the website, or call
free on 0800 404 7007.

If you'd like to find out more;

Visit our website

www.british-assessment.co.uk

Call us on 0800404 7007. We're looking

forward to talking to you.

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