What Is ISO Registration?
ISO registration represents a formal approval of corporate compliance to one of the industry standards issued by the International Organization for Standardization. Typically, this expression refers to the granting of the ISO 9001 certification, the most adopted set of guidelines from ISO that describes a quality management system focusing on customer satisfaction.
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International Organization for Standardization
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The International Organization for Standardization plays the role of harmonization between countries with various industry standards and develops common sets of rules that support interoperability between products developed in different nations and a set of management practices that facilitate international partnerships. This non-profit Swiss organization opened its doors in 1947. With the help of 163 countries, ISO has since then developed in excess of 18,000 standards that have been deployed globally.
Registration
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Although ISO takes a leadership role in the definition of the standards, this group does not warrant certificates of compliance. It relies on a large industry of accreditation an auditing to help companies be ISO certified. A company seeking certification typically contacts one of the accreditation agencies in the country where the manufacturer resides. This registration group then hires independent auditors who visit the plant. A company must pass the audit in order to receive the certificate from the accreditation organization.
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Audit
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Accreditation firms may send one or multiple auditors to a site, depending on the size of the company. Auditors charge between $1,000 and $1,500 a day to assess the company's performance and may spend several days auditing the company. This evaluation concludes with a report that states how well the manufacturer complies with the intent of the standards and lists the gaps that were noted. Typically, this list groups important disconnects into major gaps, and the rest into minor deviations. Major problems must be corrected before the accreditation firm issues the certificate of compliance. Minor issues are granted a one-year grace period.
ISO 9001
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ISO 9001, also referred to as ISO 9000, the name of its predecessor, has been adopted in 700,000 companies and 170 countries. This popular set of standards presents a management philosophy focused on improving a company's ability to meet customer expectations by improving product and service quality. David Levine, Professor at the Haas School of Business at University of California, Berkeley, noted a 9 percent increase in sales over a period of 11 years specifically attributable to the endorsement of ISO 9001.
Other Popular ISO Standards
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ISO registration may also refer to other popular standards. Currently, two standards align well with the societal interests. ISO 14001 sets some guidelines to deal with corporate decisions that may affect the environment. ISO 13485 represents a recent addition and addresses medical standards for developing medical products. It promotes patient safety and integrates some of the countries' regulatory requirements.
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References
- International Organization for Standardization: Discover ISO
- International Organization for Standardization: Founding
- International Organization for Standardization: ISO 9001:2008
- Harvard Business School: "Quality Management and Job Quality: ISO 9001..."; David I. Levine; 2010
- International Organization for Standardization: ISO Management Benefits
Resources
- Photo Credit ISO9000 in white background image by Garfie cat from Fotolia.com
