Information on ISO 9001:2008
The International Organization of Standardization, (ISO) is a worldwide organization that develops many different kinds of Standards.
ISO 9001 is a series of documents that define requirements for the Quality Management System Standard. ISO 9001 is one of the documents in this set; it contains the actual requirements an organization must be in compliance with to become ISO 9001 Registered.
ISO 9001:2008 is the current version of the Standard. It was revised in the year 2000. Past versions of ISO 9000 included ISO 9002 and ISO 2003, but those are no longer in use. Companies are now only Registered to ISO 9001.
Visit our FREE online "Basics of" ISO 9001 Tutorial
Why do companies want ISO 9001:2008
Market Pressure
Many organizations decide to Implement ISO 9001 and obtain registration because it assures customers that the company has a good Quality Management System (QMS) in place. An organization with an effective QMS will typically meet customer expectations better than an organization that does not have an effective QMS. Many organizations require their suppliers to have ISO 9001 Registration.
Internal effectiveness and productivity benefits
Other organizations implement an ISO 9001 QMS because it has proven over the years that it leads companies to better operations, improved performance, and improved profitability.
Information on the Benefits of Becoming ISO 9001 Certified
What do we need to do to become ISO 9001:2008 Registered?
Learn about ISO 9001
You will need to get some general training on ISO 9000 so you understand what you need to do in your company to meet the requirements of the standard.
Develop and document your ISO 9001 Quality Manual and Procedures
The biggest portion of the project is looking at your current processes, and redesigning them to address all of the requirements in the standard. Once you have modified or developed processes to meet the standard, you will need to control those processes. Documenting the processes as Quality System procedures is part of this control.
Use and improve your QMS
Once your system is developed and documented, employees will follow the procedures collect records and make improvements to the system. For approximately three months or more, your organization will run the QMS, collecting records. This prepares the organization for an Audit by a Registrar.
Achieving Registration
To get your Registration, you will need to select a Registrar and they will come and perform your registration audit, and then regular surveillance audits. During these audits, the Auditor will be looking at your QMS to make sure that it meets the requirements of the standard. If they find that there are pieces of your QMS that do not meet the requirements, they will document a "Nonconformance". Your registration will be dependant on your correcting any nonconformances that are found.
Free Beginner's Guide
Not sure where to begin? We recommend that you start by reading our free ISO 9001 for Beginners Guide in the Quick Start Kit. Subscribe to our free newsletter and then download this kit. It explains the steps you will need to take to implement ISO 9001. There are presentations you can use to present ISO 9001 to your company. You will also receive informational newsletters about ISO 9001 and occasional special offers.Presentation packet and 26 page guide to get you started. The kit includes:
- Implementation Steps
- Project Plan
- Meeting Agendas
- Useful Forms & Tables
- Employee Newsletters
- 3 PowerPoint Presentations to share with your company.
Sign up for our FREE ISO 9001 Newsletter and in addition get our free ISO 9001 Resource KitThe Most Effective and Cost Effective Way to Registration
Use our All-in-One Documentation and ISO 9001 Training Package and implement your system yourself. It includes what you need to save time and money and to be successful.