ISO CERTIFICATION

Implementing an ISO Management System

Step 1: Ensure you have the necessary resources in place. This includes, tools, equipment, software and most importantly, people.

Step 2: Train your staff to your ISO management system requirements and specific operational requirements.

Step 3: Implement your new ISO system. Basically, you now need to do what you said you were going to do in the documentation you created.

You have to be able to show through objective evidence that you have an ISO Management System that is operational.

This is a usually a fluid process. As you create procedures, work instructions, forms, etc. you will want to put them into practice. ISO systems are not a set it and forget it system. They are meant to be a living, breathing system that is constantly changing and improving.

Before you can start implementing though, you’ll need to ensure you have the necessary resources in place. This includes, tools, equipment, software and most importantly, people.

Verifying ISO Management System Effectiveness

The last step before ISO Certification is to verify the effectiveness of your ISO management System. This simply means that we must make sure our ISO management system does two things:

1. Properly controls our business
2. Meets the requirements of the ISO standard

If either are not being met, you will need to identify opportunities for improvement to add / change to your ISO management system, implement those changes and re-verify that the system is now effective.

Achieve ISO Certification

Once you have established, implemented and verified your ISO management system, it’s now time for certification. ISO certification audits happen in two stages:

1. Stage 1 Audit: Documentation review to ensure you are ready for the main event
2. Stage 2 Audit: The main event. Auditors will review evidence, interview employees and verify that you meet the requirements of your ISO standard.

Once ISO certification is achieved, your certificate will be valid for a 3 year period. You will be required to have at least an annual audit and recertification audit at the end of the 3 year period.