Tags Posts tagged with "ISO certification"

ISO certification

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export-isoupdate-blog

Written by John Wick of Aurion ISO Consultants

The Export business is a very lucrative sector with numerous small and medium companies operating in the sector. There are few large Multi-National Companies too in the export sector, but mostly it is a very fragmented and decentralized sector globally.

The Export sector facilitates the supply chain for a wide range of industry verticals like automotive, food, engineering, and more.

Getting ISO Certification for your export house could add value and raise your brand image globally. It will help you in finding new market opportunities easily and grow your market fast.

Having an Internationally Accredited Certification for the export house will help you gain acceptance fast as a quality first brand in the international markets.

Ideal ISO Standards for your Export Business

ISO 9001:2015 Certification

ISO 9001 Certification provides guidelines and frameworks for building a Quality Management System (QMS).

The QMS Certification will transform your organization’s business processes and daily operations.

International Business and Global Trading

Getting ISO 9001 Certified will enhance the brand image and product quality to international standards.

Successful implementation of ISO 9001 Certification and the Quality Management System will help organizations streamline their business process.

Continuous Improvement and Implementation of Industry Best Practices

It will help businesses to implement continuous improvements and best practices to enhance product quality.

The quality standards will be applicable in all divisions of the company like procurement, operations, sourcing, manufacturing, etc.

Thus, only products, parts, and services that are compliant to international standards would be delivered by the brand.

It in turn results in reducing overhead costs, enhance product quality and save overall expenses in the long run. ISO 9001 Certification also ensures the standardization of products.

Hence, the products manufactured or locally sourced could be made available to international markets by standardizing the technical specifications of product manufacturing.

Ensuring Consumer Safety and Satisfaction

Customer Satisfaction is a top priority for ISO Certification Consumers trust ISO Certification and the brands associated with the Certification are deemed to be perceived as a quality first brand.

ISO 14001:2015 Certification

To further strengthen the brand image and also part of the social responsibility of every brand is to keep the environment clean.

ISO 14001 Certification will help organizations to reduce the dependence on natural resources, save energy, and reduce the environmental impact.

Organizations could implement ISO 14001 Standards and streamline their procurement and supply chain.

Eliminating raw materials or products that are non-degradable, non-renewable, etc., and finding alternatives to packaging, designing, and manufacturing that results in reducing environmental impact is the key to ISO 14001 Certification.

The reduction of waste and efficient use of resources is the key theme of ISO 14001. It helps in gaining the competitive advantage and trust of stakeholders.

The EMS Standard will enable an organization to comply with the legal requirements and government regulations on environmental protection

Thus, it helps the organization to not violate any government laws and also protect the environment. At the same time, grow into a sustainable business establishment by minimizing the impact one environment and emphasize on building quality products and services.

ISO 45001:2018 Certification

The Occupational Health and Safety Management System consists of a framework for managing health risks and safety standards.

Reducing workplace incidents and enhance the safety of employees is the key focus of ISO 45001 Certification.

Large and small export companies who have warehouses and manufacturing units could get ISO 45001 certification to secure their workplace from any unprecedented incidents and enhance worker safety.

ISO 45001 Certification lists down a systematic process of risk management, regulatory compliance, promotion of safe work practices, continual improvement, etc.

Integrating Health & Safety Standards into the organization’s overall management system helps in achieving long term sustainability.

It helps better employee engagement and builds trust among stakeholders and partners. It also will add to the brand image and competitive advantage of the export company.

ISO 22000 Food and Safety

Export companies specialized in Food Stuff Trading, food processing, packaging and shipping, ISO 22000, and HACCP Certification is a must-have.

The food manufacturing and allied sectors are governed by strict regulations and guidelines by the government. There are also specific import-export inspection and certification systems for the food industry.

The Food Safety Management System provides guidelines on food safety practices, regulatory requirements, specification of food chain customers, quality assurance policies, etc.

ISO 22000 Certification includes the guidelines of HACCP (Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points).

It provides a preventive approach in which each step in food processing, storage, and distribution is analyzed for potential hazards.

Food Safety Standard is a crucial standard required for all food manufacturers and exporters, as the consequences of unsafe food are serious and would invite hefty fines especially when involved in international trade.

ISO 222000 Certification will ensure a global certification and ensure safety with 100% quality assurance on a global level.

To know more about ISO Certification for your export company, talk to our expert team right away!

About the Author

John Wick is an ISO Consultant working with Aurion ISO Consultants in Dubai. Likes to write on ISO Training, ISO Consulting, latest changes in ISO Standards, industry-wise benefits from getting ISO Certified. Reach
out for expert consultation on any ISO related queries.

About Aurion ISO Consultants

Aurion ISO Consultants, Dubai offers world-class ISO Services such as Training, Consulting, Certification, Implementation, and Audits in Dubai, UAE and Worldwide. Aurion ISO Consultants is an Award-Winning Consultant firm in Dubai, UAE and one of the fastest growing ISO Service provider in the UAE and GCC region. We have assisted 1800 clients across several countries globally. We provide you with a Single-Window Solution with ISO Consulting, ISO Training, and ISO Implementation and ISO Audit Services. With our ISO Certification, you can transform your business into quality first one.

Contact Us: Aurion ISO Consultants | 0097142504150 | contact@aurioninternational.com
|#213&214,6E-A Dubai Airport Freezone, Dubai

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cost-of-iso-certification

What is the cost of becoming ISO Certified?

The complexity and size of an organization largely determine and influence the ISO certification cost.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) publishes requirements that Certification Bodies (CB) must follow to determine the audit time for your management systems audit. These requirements consider the number of employees you have working in your organization, the complexity of your activities and the number of sites from which your organization operates.

If you have contacted numerous CB’s for a quote for certification, you may notice there are discrepancies between them. These differences are often due to administrative cost variants and the audit day rate.

Day rates can vary between CB’s, as can the charges for audit prep and report-writing.

Travel expenses are billable to you, the client, and variations in cost can also occur depending on if the CB has a qualified, local auditor or if they will need to send in an auditor from a different location.

What is the cost of NOT becoming ISO Certified?

Most organizations today are in a race of relevancy, consumer demands, and customer expectations.

Obtaining customers is a difficult task, especially in today’s competitive marketplace, but retaining customers is often just as difficult with one wrong move or bad product potentially ruining your reputation.

Following are some of the costs of not becoming ISO certified:

Unmet customer requirements:

Consider, if an organization is focusing on short term payoffs and not working towards understanding and meeting customer requirements, it will negatively impact the organizational brand name and customer loyalty in the long run, which will also have an adverse effect on the company’s reputation.

Greedy and bottom-line driven organizations can face customer backlash from scandals, scathing reviews, and a bad reputation from the masses, which is extremely hard to overcome and bounce back from.

Implementing an ISO management system helps an organization consider long term goals, strategic direction, policies that are in line with goals and objectives, and risk-based thinking methodologies that are specifically designed for the organization to maximize efficiencies and, in turn, profits.

Product quality:

Like customer expectations, product quality is essential to today’s consumer.

Your customers expect that the goods and services you provide will meet their expectations. They purchase your product with an end goal in mind, and you must deliver on that promise – be it one time, or thousands of times.

Each product or service you deliver should be consistent with these expectations, if not exceeding them. Any deviation in this quality output can be the reason for a customer complaint or the loss of a customer and your reputation in their mind and circle.

Maintaining this quality day in and day out should be your main objective as an organization, and ISO Standards set out to achieve this through manageable, measurable quality systems designed specifically for your organization to ensure quality outputs on consistent bases and measures to remedy deviations before they reach the consumer.

Company objectives:

ISO certification requires the company to identify and describe various processes and objectives using business metrics. Therefore, not having an ISO Certification can leave customers and suppliers ambiguous about the organization’s goals and outcomes.

Especially for customers and suppliers who operate in other parts of the world and are purchasing overseas, purchasing from ISO Certified companies is often a requirement to satisfy their own company protocols.

Because ISO Certification is the same worldwide, companies can rest assured they are getting a quality product overseas when they purchase from ISO Certified organizations.

Employee morale and company culture:

With an ISO Certification, employees of an organization benefit from documents and clearly specified objectives, strategies and operational processes that are made specifically for them and in the easiest method for everyone to understand.

ISO makes it a point to ensure companies speak directly to their employees on how they can better the organization, work towards a strategic direction and quality plan, and how to do their job at their most efficient.

With these plans in place, employees build confidence in their abilities in their roles and the company’s active interest in their well-being.

Employees who feel confident in their job, employer, and career direction are more likely to enjoy their position and therefore build good groundwork for a sustainable and ideal company culture. It is up to your organization to build a good company culture with good people and good practices, and an ISO Certification can provide a great foundation to build on.

Monetary cost:

You can expect an average ISO Certification to cost around $3000-$5000 annually, with cost savings coming from a decrease in travel expenses and extra costs coming from the size of your organization.

The costs of an audit vary between CB’s, but typical costs include the audit time, administrative costs, and travel expenses.

While certification may seem expensive, the opportunity cost of no certificate is much greater.

Consider the number of deals you’ve lost without certification, the level of inefficiencies you run from wasteful practices and processes, and the associated long-term costs.

ISO Certification asks you to operate at your peak, work using risk-based thinking, and continuously improve.

These are all business benefits that will contribute to your long-term success.

International recognition:

Since ISO Certification is an internationally recognized standard of quality and management systems and used by millions of organizations around the world, being certified is an accomplishment that is recognized worldwide.


It is an accomplishment to be proud of, and one that not every organization can achieve, but all should strive for.

The cost of not being certified is to your international credibility and loss of potential business.

With the growth of databases that consumers and suppliers have access to verify companies’ active certifications, the consumer is more knowledgeable than ever and that is something all organizations should consider when looking to the global marketplace.

Proving your capabilities with an internationally recognized management system can help boost your credibility and trust on the world stage, and sometimes it is the only way you can compete internationally.


Want to find help with your certification? Visit our Directory Resources to find the help you need!

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What is ISO Certification - ISOUpdate.com

What does it mean to be ISO Certified?

Even if you’re relatively new to the quality business, you might have heard of “ISO” being frequently namedropped especially in the context of quality management. Far from a simple buzzword, it’s quite a big deal in the marketplace and as an aspiring new business, a business person looking to grow your business, or even an entrepreneur looking to set your business up for long-term success, you need to be informed about ISO Standards and standardization.

ISO Certification

ISO is the International Organization for Standardization – It’s an independent, international organization that produces various standards spanning throughout the business sector that help improve and ensure quality, efficiency, consistency, and safety of operations and their consequent products and services.

Relevant business sectors include health and safety, information security, energy management, environmental management, aerospace and defense, medical devices, and many more. The standards are deliberately made to be both comprehensive yet generic enough to be incorporated into any business regardless of size, sector or context.

It is important to note here that ISO cannot certify you themselves. ISO develops the standards, but the certification process is performed by external certification bodies and ISO cannot certify a company or organization directly.  Despite this, their committee on conformity assessment (CASCO) has produced a set of guidelines and standards that these external certification bodies are expected to use as a reference to help adequately measure conformance and quality during the certification process.

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized and trusted quality management system that has been adopted by companies all over the world to help achieve standardization and quality assurance. The first step to ISO 9001 Certification is to understand the standard. You will want to download the standard document first to get familiar with the requirements of certification. The ISO 9001 standard is basically a rule book stating what you need to have or do. The standard is generic in nature, allowing any organization in any industry to benefit from it. ISO 9001:2015 is currently the most recent version of the standard and is the version you should be using to develop your quality management system.

By following these requirements you are “compliant with the ISO 9001 Standard and therefore can be recommended for certification by your Certification Body.


Purchase the ISO 9001:2015 Standard Here


When choosing a Certification Body (CB) to provide certification and auditing services to your company, verify that they are accredited. This simply means the CB is compliant with their own set of standards for being a CB, specifically ISO 17021. Check out our video on “requirements for certification bodies” to learn more.

Complying to ISO 17021 means the demands of the standard are assessed by an external agency called an Accreditation Body that is a member of the IAF-MLA in the CB’s region. Consider this a license to issue certificates or a degree to do a certain job, without which you are not qualified. To issue a certification of compliance to ISO 9001:2015, your CB should be accredited to ISO 17021.

What does it mean to be ISO Certified?

Being ISO 9001 Certified means your organization has a quality management system in place that utilizes international best practices to standardize your processes and system using the ISO 9001:2015 standard to ensure you consistently produce products and services that meet and exceed your customer’s expectations.

Since the guidelines of ISO 9001 are quite comprehensive and the process of implementing a system, having multiple audits, and maintaining compliance is quite stringent, achieving certification is recognized as an impressive feat and speaks volumes about your company’s commitment to providing your customers with high-quality service.

What Next?

If you are considering ISO 9001 certification, but do not have relevant experience, check out these resources to help you get started:

What is ISO 9001?

Tips for Implementing the Standard

Choosing a Certification Body – Choosing the best Certification Body for your Business

Tips for Audits:

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ISO 9001 as a Strategic Planning Model - ISO Update

Written by Kashif Mumtaz

Regardless of the other terms used in ISO 9001:2015, the term, Strategic Direction has not been defined in ISO 9000:2015 Quality Management Systems – Fundamentals and Vocabulary. However, ISO 9001:2015 contains the following strong linkages to the strategic direction of the organization:

  • Clause 4.1 – External and internal issues must be relevant to the Strategic Direction of the organization.
  • Clause 5.1 – The Quality Policy and Quality Objectives must be compatible with the Strategic Direction of the organization.
  • Clause 5.2 – The Quality Policy must support the Strategic Direction of the organization.
  • Clause 9.3 – Management Review Process must ensure the suitability, adequacy effectiveness and alignment of the Quality Management System with the Strategic Direction of the organization.

Strategic Direction as we believe is the organization vision of where the organization wants to be in the future and the development of an overall Strategic Plan is affected by various internal and external factors. Refer to the clause 4.0 of ISO 9001:2015 Context of the Organization which states that the organization shall determine external and internal issues relevant to its purpose and its strategic direction and those affect its ability to achieve the intended results of its Quality Management System. ISO 9001:2015 further elaborates in Notes (1 – 3) of the clause 4.1 that issues can include positive and negative factors or conditions for consideration – Understanding the external context can be facilitated by considering issues arising from legal, technological, competitive, market, cultural, social and international, national or regional economic environments. Understanding of the internal context can be facilitated by considering issues related to values, culture, knowledge and performance of the organization.

The strategic planning process is a continual process and if we look at the traditional strategic planning process, it very much resembles with the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) Cycle of which ISO 9001:2015 is a big promoter to apply this cycle to all organizational processes and the Quality Management System as a whole to implement plans to achieve objectives including strategic.  In addition, various functions within the organization having their own strategies can closely be aligned and integrated within the Context of the Organization which is basically overall strategic plan of the organization highlighting all internal and external factors with their resulting impact on the organization along with the approaches to managing risk(s) at the functional and company-wide levels for the achievement of larger mission of the organization.

Having said that, we can say that framework provided by ISO 9001:2015 can be used by the organizations for strategic planning but when the management rejects QMS as strategic planning model and make intuitive decisions then ISO 9001:2015 cannot address or contribute in the overall strategic planning process.

About the Author

Kashif Mumtaz is serving as QA Manager at Omrania in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and has more than 17 years’ experience in quality assurance & management systems. He is Chartered Quality Professional (CQP) and holds a master’s degree in Quality Management from UK

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Understanding ISO 21041 and Unit Pricing - ISOUpdate.com

With ISO 21041, consumers can now make better and easier buying decisions that allow them to compare the values of related products and decide accordingly which one to spend their valuable dollars on. Following ISO 21041 and its protocol is not only beneficial for the consumers but also for the retailers through unit pricing.

Did you know: ISO 21041 is the result of an international effort that was led by a team of experts from Australia?

What is ISO 21041?

ISO 21041:2018, namely, Guidance on unit pricing, sets down several prerequisites that will allow consumers to compare the prices of similar items to make more informed buying choices.

ISO 21041 guides store owners and retailers on an effective way to display unit pricing on all the products in their stores, regardless of whether they are on shelves or in packages, as well as in the advertisements for these products and demonstrates how important it is to educate and provide clarity to consumers to maintain transparency.

What is Unit Pricing?

Unit Pricing, also known as comparative pricing, is the way of pricing products or services such that the price displayed shows the price of one standard unit of measure. This way, consumers can easily determine which product provides more value.

For example, if one milk company offers milk in a liter pack and another company offers milk in a half liter pack, then unit pricing demands that the prices of both companies be displayed according to one liter. This way, consumers can easily decide which company to opt for instead of having to perform calculations.

Understanding ISO 21041 and Unit Pricing Labels - ISOUpdate.com

Why is Unit Pricing Necessary?

Inconsistent pricing methods can lead to a confusing shopping experience for consumers, which can lead to purchase trade off, where a potential customer determines your product is less than a competitor based on value. Even worse, this confusion can increase their decision avoidance, where a purchase could have been made but was bypassed to avoid emotional costs of making the decision. – Source

This level of confusion leads to distrust among the consumers for the retailer. By opting for an easy to understand and evaluate method of pricing, retailers can demonstrate that they believe in transparency and aiding their consumers. This is because price transparency is one of the most effective ways to gain the trust of consumers as it makes it easier to make purchasing choices.

This relationship between consumer trust and pricing transparency was apparent in a study conducted by Australia’s Queensland University of Technology, where consumers remarked that unit pricing helped them make easier purchasing decisions so that they could shop with a higher confidence.

The research also showed that adopting unit pricing also led to a positive change in the attitudes of the consumers towards retailers.

Unit Pricing and Global Consumerism

Standardized unit pricing will also make it easier for consumers to make more informed buying decisions on a more global level.

By adopting ISO 21041 ambiguity and confusion around the pricing system can be nearly eliminated.

Summary

“ISO 21041 includes guidance on the provision of unit price, their units of measure used to express unit price including weight, length, volume, count, area and other forms of measure. ISO 21041 also highlights guidance on the display of unit price, and the implementation, communication and education of consumers.

ISO 21041 is applicable to any retailer, including supermarkets, hardware stores, pharmacies, convenience stores, automotive parts suppliers and pet product suppliers.

Note: ISO 21041 is applicable to packaged and non-packaged food and consumer products where the price is displayed, including

— at point of sale, including in-store and online, and

— when relevant communications about the product are released (including advertising by electronic and printed formats).

Note: ISO 21041 excludes services and merchandise, such as clothing and electronic goods sold as a single item.”  – Source

In short, adopting ISO 21041 and standardized unit pricing not only helps the consumers make better choices but is also beneficial for the retailers as it promotes positive consumer attitudes and increases customers trust in your brand.

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ISO 45001 is the first International Standard for occupational health and safety written by ISO. Formerly OHSAS 18001; ISO 45001 was published in March 2018 and encompasses work safety in Global supply chains that are effectively and accurately improved through the set of processes. You might be wondering, “Do I need ISO 45001 Certification?”

You might consider the need of an effective organizational health and safety management system vital for your companies growing success. But, is certification worth your effort?

Who needs and will benefit from ISO 45001?

Does your small business need ISO 45001?

The key feature of ISO 45001 is that no matter what size is the organization, it is designed to aid all. The aim of ISO 45001 is to reduce workplace injuries and illnesses globally, and companies of all sizes can benefit from the proactive approach outlined in ISO 45001.

Does demonstrating that your company is fully compliant matter to you?

ISO management systems are designed to aid organizations in creating and enforcing best practice. However, in order to endorse complete compliance and demonstrate impeccable reliability to the external parties, Certification is an absolute must. Simply following the standard is not enough to prove to external parties you are compliant, you must maintain active certification. ISO 45001 certification will allow other parties to trust you on acting upon the best practices of health and safety at workplace. Once certified, you can also advertise your certification to future clients and employees, giving them added trust in your capabilities and forward thinking.

Does your company wish to improve performance?

Through ISO 45001 Certification, your company will benefit from a structured guide, step-by-step, that will enhance your organizations performance. ISO audits goal is to not only find non-compliances, they actively seek to improve inefficiencies, with the end goal of making your organization more productive, improve performance, and satisfy your bottom line.

Does employee protection matter to you?

The standard set out by ISO 45001 management allows company owners and higher ups to determine what requirements need to be achieved to provide a safe and reliable environment for their workers and contractors. Once ISO 45001 is implemented, the Certification availed by the company thus proves the company to be safe to work at for the outer sources. Moving forward as ISO 45001 becomes more integrated into companies and their best practices, this standard could become a requirement for suppliers, contractors, etc. to do business. Like ISO 9001, companies may demand your compliance to ensure your organization is treating employees with similar standards to theirs, as are the goal of international standards.


Are you focused on improving productivity?

The implementation of ISO 45001 management allows a way towards less workplace injuries and illnesses through a proactive approach to organizational health and safety. By being proactive, a company can improve its productivity by manifolds. With ISO 45001 Certification, companies prove that they have taken every necessary measure to protect the workers, eliminating inefficient practices, and proactive measures and guides in place, employees deliver more in less time due to effective systems in place.

Do you wish to prove a commitment towards employee health and safety?

The acquirement of ISO 45001 Certification demonstrates a company’s interest towards their workers and their safety. This is a challenging aspect of many industries, especially if the work involves great physical challenges; oil refineries, factories, warehouses, etc., need to take great care to implement effective solutions to workers safety, and ensure while the job is dangerous by nature – necessary steps have and are being taken to make the workplace as safe as possible for employees and contractors.

An ISO 45001 Certification indisputably proves your company cares and will has the employees’ interest at heart, and all the precautionary measures have been taken to ensure their safety.

Do you wish to reduce workers’ insurance premiums?

With ISO 45001 implementation and Certification, companies can reduce insurance premiums. By maintaining a proactive system to reducing hazardous environments in the workplace, insurance costs will reduce, allowing your company to continue running as usual, but reducing costs associated with insurance.

The ISO 45001 Certification has several other benefits including workplace cultural change and employee job satisfaction, knowledge, and participation. ISO 45001 focuses on employee participation, and the context of Organization and Leadership points out the roles played by employees in developing occupational health and safety management system parallel to mid-level and management.

Does your company need ISO 45001?

The decision to earn your certificate for compliance with ISO 45001 is dependant on many factors, and as the decision maker in your organization, it’s your decision to make. However, it’s important to note that organizations wishing to work internationally or who want to show compliance with global standards of Health and Safety in the workplace will need to implement and obtain ISO 45001 Certification.


What are the Differences between ISO 45001 and OHSAS 18001?


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What is a Pre-Assessment Audit? - ISOUpdate.com

The implementation and certification process of a management system based on ISO 9001, ISO 14001 or any other standard requires an enormous amount of effort by everyone in an organization. Therefore, after finally obtaining the desired ISO certificate the organization will surely want to tell the world about it!




There are many ways an organization can advertise that their management system(s) comply with a specific ISO certification and that they have a certificate that proves it! Here are some ideas on how to do it:

Within the organization:

  • It is important to let all the organization’s employees know that their effort paid off. They can be rewarded with items such as mugs, coolers, t-shirts with the organization’s logo and a message such as “ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system”.
  • A breakfast or brunch can be organized in recognition of the ISO certification achievement.
  • Sending an e-mail to all employees announcing the achievement.
  • The certificate may be displayed in the organizations front lobby.
  • A flag or banner can be displayed on the organization’s main entrance to promote the certification.

Outside the organization:

  • A press release can be distributed to the local media, industrial magazines and other newsletters to announce that the organization’s management system has been certified.
  • A letter or e-mail can be sent to customers and suppliers and even a reception can be organize to celebrate the achievement.
  • The achievement can be announced on the organization’s website, Facebook and Twitter account.
  • Messages announcing the certification can be added on the graphics of the organization’s vehicles.

There are many other ways to advertise the organization’s certification of their management system.

However, there are many mistakes organizations make when promoting their certification. An organization has to seek guidance from their Certification Body (CB) in order to avoid these mistakes. Here are some of the most common ones:

  • The International Organization for Standardization’s logo can not be used under any circumstance.
  • If it’s necessary, the advertisement should mention the scope of the certification (in the cases where one site or one process of the organization has been certified)
  • Phrases such as “ISO Certification” should be avoided; it’s essential to be specific about which standard has the organization’s management system been certified to (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, etc)
  • The organization’s certification logo can not be used in their products. These certifications certify management systems, not products nor services.

Organizations should feel proud of achieving certification of their management system and with their CB’s guidance they should find the right and the best ways to promote it.