The ISO (International Organization for Standardization), as its name suggests, is a non-governmental organization that produces international standards like ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, but it is not involved in ISO certification and does not issue ISO certificates. The ISO certification procedure is carried out in India by external certification bodies. We shall examine the ISO Certification procedure in-depth in this article.
The purpose of ISO certification
The goal of receiving ISO certification is to increase the standardisation of an organization’s technology.
ISO Certified Benefits
- Credibility on a global scale: The organization’s ability to establish trust in international trade is greatly aided by ISO certification.
- Consumer satisfaction : The goal of ISO standards is to improve how businesses service their clients, hence raising client satisfaction levels.
- Government Contracts: To submit a bid for a government tender, ISO certification is absolutely necessary.
- Efficiency in business: Getting ISO certification helps organizations function more efficiently. Work instructions and SOPs (Standard Operating Procedures) can be created with the assistance of the ISO Certification Agency. An organization’s resources are managed effectively when ISO is implemented.
- Product Excellence: The risk of product order rejections due to defective items is decreased by gaining ISO Certification, which ensures that the product quality meets up with worldwide standards.
- Marketability: ISO certification boosts a company’s credibility and directly assists with marketing.
Charges for ISO Certification
Each organization in India pays a different fee for ISO certification. The ISO certification organization will calculate the cost for ISO certification by taking into account the many factors listed below:
- Dimensions of a company
- Number of employees
- Organizational Processes
- Degree of risk related to the organization’s service range
- The management system’s complexity
- The number of shifts that are worked
Processing Time for ISO Certification
The processing period for ISO certification differs from organization to organization as well. After determining the size of an organization, the ISO certification authority will notify the specific processing time for ISO certification completion.
India’s ISO Certification Procedure
The steps required to become ISO certified in India are detailed below:
Submit an Application
Once the business owner or applicant has decided on the ISO standard and ISO certification body, they must submit an application in the format specified (depends on the ISO registrar). The application should specify the parties’ rights and obligations, including liability concerns, access rights, and confidentiality obligations.
Review of Documents by Registrar
All quality manuals and papers pertaining to the various policies and procedures being used in the organization will be examined by the ISO certification authority. The ISO registrar will be able to find any potential gaps between the current works and the requirements stated in the ISO standards by reviewing the existing works.
Determination of Pre-assessment Needs
Pre-assessment is a preliminary review of a firm’s Quality Management System to identify any significant shortcomings or omissions. The Registrar will offer the company a chance to resolve the issues before the regular registration assessment is conducted.
Create a plan of action
The applicant or business owner must create an action plan to close any deficiencies that the ISO registrar has identified in the organisation. The action plan should include a list of the actions that must be completed in order to comply with the Quality Management System.
