With ISO certification, companies, institutions, and authorities prove that they comply with standards for management systems such as ISO 9001 for quality management, ISO 27001 (information management system), or ISO 56002 (innovation management). The best-known and most popular is ISO 9001 certification. But what is ISO certification? How does it come about? Who can do it? And how can you save up to 70 percent time and costs with the help of digital ISO 9001 certification? In this article, you will find out.
Definition ISO certification
ISO certification describes the process by which a company, institution, or authority obtains proof of conformity that confirms that the standard is being met. ISO certification can be carried out for sub-areas, individual locations, or entire organizations.
For companies, but also self-employed people and freelancers, an important question arises at the beginning of the certification process: How can I quickly and easily start using the advantages of ISO certification for myself? The digital certification process from the Digital Institute for Certification of International Standards (DICIS®) is particularly suitable if you are just starting. With the help of an innovative digital approach, you can develop all requirements online. You can use the level 1 certificate free of charge for 30 days.
Who carries out ISO certification?
The International Organization for Standardization, or ISO, doesn’t provide certificates. As an international organization, it focuses on developing standardized norms, compliance with which is usually voluntary. Through a so-called “First Party Audit” (conformity check by the company itself), you meet the requirements of Level 1 and receive a certificate. For level 2 certification, the documentation is somewhat more complex to develop. Compliance is then checked by an expert body such as auditors from the Digital Institute for Certification of International Standards (DICIS) in the form of a so-called “second-party audit”. Based on this, an independent review can be carried out in level 3 by an accredited certification body (so-called “third party audit”).
- The first stage is a certificate based on a so-called first-party audit: companies develop the requirements of the standard online. You will develop your quality manual and receive an ISO 9001 Level 1 certificate within a very short time.
- The second stage is based on this: the implementation of the measures from the standard check as well as a review by external parties, such as customers or experts. Through the so-called second-party audit, companies and organizations can have the implementation of a quality management system according to ISO 9001 confirmed by an expert body.
- The third stage, the so-called third-party audit, is carried out by accredited certification bodies. Level 3 certification is subject to stricter requirements, which are generally only necessary for larger companies, public tenders, or companies in security-relevant industries. ISO certification by accredited bodies also involves significantly higher costs.
Not every company needs all three levels. When it comes to digital ISO certification, companies and organizations take the path step by step.
Benefits of ISO certification
What does ISO certification bring? The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has published a publication online in English. The main advantages of certification are:
- Higher customer loyalty through a company that meets customer needs in an excellent way
- Faster customer acquisition through structures that are geared toward growth
- Greater efficiency through clear processes and procedures
Ultimately, ISO certification is an economic decision. Accordingly, the most important question for companies just starting is: Why do we need certification? And how much are the costs?
- An accredited certification means high investments in the four to five-figure range – without knowing whether the additional investment will bring the expected return.
- A non-accredited certification – for example, the online certification from the Digital Institute for Certification of International Standards (DICIS) – allows you to meet the standard requirements and demonstrate this to customers with little risk and a manageable investment.
For 90 percent of all companies, non-accredited certification is sufficient. It can be expanded to include accredited certification at any time – if customers request it.
Examples of ISO certifications
Most ISO standards are known by their number: ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management), ISO 26000 (sustainability management), ISO 27001 (information security), ISO 50001 (energy management), ISO 45001 (occupational safety), etc. By introducing an integrated management system, organizations can implement several of these standards at the same time. Compliance ensures competitive advantages. Companies, organizations, and authorities can demonstrate that they act by the standards set by ISO. The most well-known ISO certification is described below.
ISO 9001 quality management certification
The most well-known and popular certification in the world is ISO 9001 Certification. According to the annual ISO Survey, 878,662 companies and more than one million locations were ISO 9001 certified in 2018.
ISO 9001 regulates the establishment of a so-called “quality management system” by companies. It is a management system that enables companies to do this through
- A Process Management,
- Consistent Document Control,
- Regularly Carried Out Supplier Audits
- Continuous Improvement,
- Knowledge Management
and other principles to achieve a high level of customer orientation.
There is a philosophy behind ISO 9001: Companies that rely on clear processes, access to knowledge, and continuous improvement are more successful in the competition than those whose success rests only on the backs of a select few outstanding performers.
Until 2015, ISO 9001 certification was often quite complex and formalistic. With the revision of the standard, ISO 9001:2015 has given companies significantly more freedom in establishing a quality management system.
Due to advancing digitalization, it is now possible for the first time to carry out ISO certification online. In the first step, you create an action plan with the help of a standards check. You can then implement this within a few days with the help of digital assistants and templates.
Who is allowed to carry out ISO certification?
There is no legally required standard for ISO certifications. ISO itself has defined requirements for certification bodies in the already mentioned ISO 17021 standard.
Essentially, the standard is about expertise and neutrality. It must be ensured that certification is carried out by people and institutions who do this at a high professional level and in an unbiased manner.
- The certification institutes do not issue an ISO certificate, but rather a confirmation of conformity for a specific ISO standard.
- This confirmation records the areas of a company, organization, or institution for which the certificate is awarded.
- National accreditation bodies such as Reliable the ISO Certification Company in the UK, for example, certify neutrality and expertise.
- However, all of this is voluntary. Theoretically, you could have any person or company attest to your compliance with ISO standards. The central challenge here is credibility.
- Since ISO certifications help companies to position themselves as a reliable partner in the competition, the credibility of the certifying body plays a major role. The digital certification from the Digital Institute for Certification of International Standards (DICIS) relies on the principle of transparency: the seal of quality that companies include on their website leads to an online profile. This documents the fulfillment of all standard requirements step by step.
- The advantage of large certification institutes such as Reliable is their proven many years of experience and the recognition of their brands. The disadvantage is the high investment – without knowing whether it will pay off.
Digitalization has created new possibilities for ISO 9001 certification. With the first digital certification process, DICIS offers simple and fast ISO certification. The advantage lies in the drastic savings: instead of months of projects, customers can create their quality management system in just 45 minutes. After a 30-day free trial, the monthly cost is 49 Pounds.