There are many different standards that industry can be judged by from BSB kite marks through to ISO9001. These standards have been established in order to ensure that the consumer is not only protected, but also to ensure that health and safety retains a prominent position in commerce.
What is ISO9001?
ISO 9000 which is the forerunner of ISO9001 came into being in 1987 and replaces the UK Standards BS5750. From this it will be seen that industry has been regulated, and also self regulated, for many years. The purpose of ISO9001 is not just one objective, but a series of objectives that aim at increasing the overall performance of a business. It is a formal statement from management in respect of quality policy that is closely allied to the business and marketing plan and has a direct relation to customer needs. It will set measurable standards within the business and thus ensure that there is a consistency of standards and of quality.
In order to be able to retain the ISO9001 approval there must be a constant audit of the internal systems that will ensure the standards are being retained. The use of this standard and the publication of it on company documents and products will allow for customers to have confidence in the products and services that your are selling.
How to achieve the standard
The award of the certification is not an automatic process. It is awarded by certification bodies that are authorized to do so. The body will attend the business site and conduct extensive sampling of functions, products, services and processes. If the company produces a number of different products then the certification, if awarded, will apply to a particular product and a particular site if there is more than one manufacturing site.
To maintain the certification both external and internal audit inspections will be carried out on a regular basis.
External assistance
There are many companies that will train your staff and assist you obtaining the certification and there services are invaluable as if you fail in your application it will set your business back some way so these people should not be viewed as a cost.
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