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ISO Update aims to provide information, resources, and updates around the Standards and Certification industry. We believe that organizational standards can help businesses of all shapes and sizes become more efficient and successful on a local, federal, or global scale.

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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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ISO Certifications in the Medical Field - ISOUpdate.com

Written by: Aurion ISO Consultants

The Healthcare Industry is driven by a set of standard instructions and regulations from the medical associations and governing bodies.

Achieving quality excellence, optimizing process flows, and effectively managing daily operations is the aim of every hospital management.

To streamline the daily hospital operations, and embrace the global best practices, ISO Certification is the right choice.

ISO Standards – Must-Have Certifications for Healthcare Providers

Following ISO Standards are must-haves for a Medical or Healthcare Providers

  • ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management System Certification
  • ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Standard
  • ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management Standard
  • ISO 45001:2018 Health and Safety Standard
  • ISO 27001:2013 IT Security Management Standard
  • ISO 13485:2016 Medical Devices Certification
  • ISO 17025:2017 Laboratory Testing Standard

The ISO 9001:2015 Standard provides specific requirements for a quality management system that will enhance the ability to deliver care that will meet the requirements of the patient.

Importance of ISO 9001:2015 Certification in the Medical Field

Also, ISO 9001 Certification enables the hospital to comply with the statutory and regulatory guidelines for the governing authorities.

Benefits ISO 9001:2015 certification will bring to the hospitals

  • Periodic Management Reviews & internal Audits
  • Measurements and control of suppliers
  • Conduct frequent customer feedback survey and ensure preventive measure are taken
  • Standardized and formal corrective action procedures
  • Risk management and assessment to avoid unprecedented events.
  • Continual improvement through process optimizations and productivity enhancements

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Standard in Hospitals

To reduce the environmental impacts in the hospital sector, ISO 14001:2015 standards play a significant role.

From the number of goods and services purchased to the consumables used, there will be a vital environmental impact.

To reduce and mitigate the risk of environmental impact and transform the hospital operations into a greener and environmentally friendly, ISO 14001 environmental management system comes handy.

The EMS System will ensure the hospital functions in full swing but by keeping a check on the levels of environmental effects at all stages.

Benefits to the hospitals from ISO 14001:2015 Standards

Effective Supply Chain Management – Keeping a track of the purchase quantities, materials, consumption patterns, waste treatment, etc.

Eliminating Waste and Reducing the Impact

Hospitals have huge amounts of food, food containers, plastic drink containers, medical supplies, etc., The daily waste generated will be enormous in a large hospital. Hence, correct recycling is very important. There has to be a full-fledged waste treatment plant and a recycling unit that adheres to environmental policies.

ISO 14001 Standard and the implementation of the environmental management system will help in monitoring the waste treatment and recycling and reduce instances of reducing the environmental pollution in any means.

Lowering Energy Consumption

The EMS System ensures the overall level of energy consumption is kept low. The power consumption is very high for a hospital. ISO 14001 helps in optimizing power usage. As an ISO 14001 compliant hospital, adhering to the ISO standards and follow power-saving practices will result in great cost savings as well as environmental protection.

Compliance to the Environmental Laws

There are a couple of environmental laws a hospital has to comply with. The regulations are spanned from using the right gas in the air-conditioning units to emissions from the site, there are checks to be done.

Also, fire and safety, the process of water usage and treatment, waste management, cleaning, and maintenance, all have to give importance to environmental protection.

ISO 14001:2015 implementation and practising will result in huge cost savings and reduction of waste materials and water. The supply chain will be more effective and help in lowering the environmental impact as a whole.

Empowering the hospital staff and employees on the need for environmental protection is essential to achieve long term sustainability.

ISO 50001:2018 Energy Management Standard

ISO 50001 Standard complements the environmental standard by offering a specialized system for energy management.

It helps hospitals, medical device manufacturers, etc., to reduce their operating expenses and improve overall energy efficiency.

ISO 45001 Health and Safety Standard is a vital standard for healthcare. It helps in avoiding workplace hazards and accidents.

Keeping the hospital clean, enhance hospital staff engagement, provide awareness training on health & safety, take corrective actions to ensure non-occurrence of incidents, etc., are few areas of focus for ISO 45001 Standard.

ISO 27001:2017 IT Security Standard Certification

As medical devices are getting connected and technologically advanced there is a high risk of data breach and healthcare information loss.

Hence incorporating best cybersecurity practices is the need of the hour. Minimizing the risk of stolen data and system hacks has become a key focus for the healthcare sector as a whole.

ISO 27001 is based on internationally recognized best practices in cybersecurity and is not restricted to any single healthcare platform or medical software. It also helps in mitigating the risk of data loss and enhances cybersecurity measures.

ISO Certification for Medical Devices & Laboratory Testing

Product conformity is a crucial part of the design and manufacturing of medical devices. ISO 13485:2016 Standard helps medical devices manufacturers in designing quality systems to test their devices at all stages of production, and in the design phase.

Similarly, the ISO 17025:2017 laboratory testing standard helps in calibrating and testing laboratory equipment.

 It will ensure the laboratory follows top-rated testing practices in line with global practices. It also reduces re-testing and saves the customer’s cost. It helps in improving the brand value of the testing laboratory too.

With these certifications and testings in place, ISO always keeps an updated version of ISO 14971:2019 standard in place to minimize risks (see Risk Management – ISO 14971:2019 infographic).

About the Author

John Wick is an ISO Consultant working with Aurion ISO Consultants in Dubai. John 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

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 | www.aurioninternational.com

While you are planning to implement ISO Certification Standards for your organizations, to know more about the ISO Certification standards and all ISO related services from Aurion ISO Consultants, you call us right away!

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quality-culture

Writted by: Qooling

Quality management is a field that is important for every organization. Although we see more emphasis on Quality when an organization works based on a standard, whether it be ISO or any other. In order to support all the Quality related activities, companies build up Quality departments. These departments are key in maintaining the Quality of the products and services. More often than not, we see that the Quality department becomes responsible for everything related to Quality. However, in the end, every employee that is involved in the processes to produce the product or service has an impact on the Quality and, therefore, should be responsible for that part of the process. The Quality department cannot be responsible for the Quality of every product and service the company delivers or produces; it should be more distributed within the organization.

Quality Department

In the new world, the Quality department is more like an internal consultancy department helping the different departments continuously improve. This way, each department is responsible for the Quality of the output they deliver, while the Quality department helps them improve processes. Making this switch isn’t easy for the company, as Quality departments have been holding this responsibility sometimes for decades. On the other hand, this switch isn’t easy for the different departments either. They are used to having the Quality department solving all the problems. With this new approach, they can no longer do this and they have to step up their game. Fortunately, slowly but surely, more and more companies are embedding this approach to Quality management. In order to do this, transparency is key.

New Approach

When moving towards this new approach to Quality management, it is important that the company has the right solution to support this. It requires a lot more transparency throughout the organization. The people operating the core processes need to create the NC reports themselves in order to give the consultative Quality department data to help improve the processes. This can only be accomplished if easy-to-use and intuitive solutions are provided. This way, more data will flow into the improvement processes.

The other way is that the Quality department helps with setting up the CAPAs. They can do some CAPAs, but shouldn’t own them all. The responsibility is with the process owners. This way, ownership will be equally distributed instead of being only with the Quality department. Next to the CAPA and NC management, the operational people should be handed the tools to bring Quality to the next level. Great examples are mobile apps for all kinds of checklists and to manage the actions they have to do. This way they can contribute to the management system on the go without much impact on their daily activities. Providing data for the management system becomes a seamless process and part of their normal job.

About Qooling

Qooling enables organizations to improve their quality, safety and security through data. Leverage all the tools on one platform to improve quality and safety culture. Learn more

Want to learn more about Management Systems & Quality? Read our blog!

Follow Qooling on Twitter @QoolingQuality

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Difference Between AS9100 and AS9120 Certification

Aerospace standards are not only meant to work towards customer satisfaction but also help with providing improved quality and timely delivery. They are also used for problem identification and risk mitigation. Moreover, these standards help to reduce the overall cost of projects by cutting risks and potential for error by developing sound business processes that ensure quality outputs are consistently achieved. Both AS9100 and AS9120 work towards streamlining and reducing the number of required audits along the aerospace supply chain and include aspects of the ISO 9001 standard plus specific areas of importance related to quality for the Aerospace industry.

Important Note: Differentiation is made between the new information added in the AS Standards by Bold and Italics.

The true difference between the two AS standards and the reason your organization should be certified to one over the other lies in the type of aerospace organization that you operate – whether you create products and services or whether you distribute products within the aerospace industry.

AS9100 and AS9120 are internationally recognized standards for quality management for the aerospace industry that are operated by IAQG or the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG).

When discussing the benefits of these standards, it must be kept in mind that these standards facilitate and monitor continuous improvement but also open market opportunities. The standards help demonstrate and validate transparency and traceability through a supply chain network which helps reduce costs, increase efficiency and ultimately save time, money and resources. They also help ensure that a system is monitored and supported by the regulatory authority which helps engage, motivate and involve the staff. Moreover, certification helps with trade as it is often considered a requirement in the aerospace industry.

Important Note: While AS9100 mentions several guidance standards that do not require certification, these only provide guidance and specifications.

What is AS9100?

QMS for quality assurance in design, development, production, installation, and servicing

AS9100 is an international standard containing requirements for establishing and maintaining a quality management system for the aerospace industry. Its official name is AS9100 Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations and it is intended to be used by organizations that design, develop, and produce aviation, space, and defense products and can be applied throughout the supply chain.

Because the aerospace industry has high standards of customer satisfaction and strict laws imposed by regulatory authorities AS9100 focuses on how the products are made to ensure the organization produces and continuously improves products that meet these high industry standards. This standard establishes the elements that a quality management system must have for companies to consistently provide safe, quality products that are delivered on time.

The design and implementation of this standard will be influenced by the size and organizational structure of the company, its needs, its objectives, processes and the products it provides.

What is AS9120?

QMS for quality assurance in stockholding and distribution of aerospace/defense parts

AS9120 is a standard that specifies the requirements for a quality management system (QMS) for stockist distributors in the aerospace industry. The standard addresses chain of custody, traceability, control, and availability of records. AS9120 was developed for stockist or pass-through distributors of aerospace commodity items. This standard is part of the AS9100 series, and it includes all of the ISO 9001 requirements, plus specific requirements related to aerospace distributors.

Distributors of aerospace commodity items directly impact the performance of these items if they are mishandled or traceability is lost between the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and final customer. AS9120 has been developed to help distributors minimize the occurrence of anything that could negatively affect the performance of their commodities.

This certification is intended for organizations that procure parts, materials, and assemblies, and sell these products to a customer in the Aerospace industry. This includes organizations that procure products and split them into smaller quantities. This standard is not intended for organizations that rework or repair products.

Summary & Notes

It is important to note that the AS Standards mentioned in this article are not product standards since they do not define product quality. They only ask you to control processes in order to meet customer requirements for your outputs. Since these are not personal standards, an individual cannot become certified to them, they can only become a third-party auditor of the standards.

An organization can become certified to the AS standard through a 3-year process with annual audits conducted by internal and external auditors and recommendation for certification by an accredited certification body. This is done to ensure an organization’s processes and quality management system are inspected by an impartial third-party at regular intervals to ensure compliance with the AS Standard.

With various representatives for departments of aviation, space, and defense companies in the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe, AS9100, AS9110 and AS9210 standardize not only quality management system requirements but can be used at all levels of the supply chain by different organizations around the world, in order to ensure improved quality, reduced costs, consistent outputs, and improved delivery performance.

This is accomplished through the reduction or elimination of organization-unique requirements, effective implementation of the quality management system, and wider application of good practices.

The benefits of AS9100 AND AS9120 include not only market acceptance but the opening of international opportunities as both the standards are endorsed by all major aerospace bodies and regulators including Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

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Types of Audits - ISOUpdate.com

Looking to become certified to ISO 9001? Not sure what to expect from the process, and from ISO Audits? It’s a good idea to prepare yourself and your organization for what to expect from an auditor, what is needed from you, and what will happen at each stage of the certification process to have a smooth and stress-free experience. In this article, we will briefly explain the different types of audits an organization can expect to go through when seeking their first certification to ISO 9001 and subsequent audit cycles once you are certified.

If you have never been certified to ISO 9001 before, you should expect a long road ahead of you. The first step to certification is implementation. This can be done in house with your own people, or with a consultant. Learn more about how to implement ISO 9001 and what to expect [LINK]. It may take your organization a few months to fully implement your Quality Management System and have it effective and ready for a certification audit. While the standard is generic and concise, it can be quite overwhelming, so ensure you are asking questions and reaching out to professionals at every step.

One specific requirement of the standard is Internal Audits, that is the act of evaluating your own processes internally and recording evidence to report to your management, company and certification auditors.

Internal Audit:

Internal audits are self-examination done by the company itself at least once per calendar year. They are performed on-site and are useful in determining conformity, effectiveness, and opportunities for improvement. By going through internal auditing your organization will be able to compare your quality management system to the required standard(s) and prepare for the certification audit. There are no “stakes” with an internal audit, they are completed to meet a requirement of the standard and serve as a learning opportunity for your organization. It is during this process that you want to find as much as you can so you know what your certification auditor will see and so that you can be prepared with ways to improve. Your certification auditor, or external auditor, holds a lot more power in a sense because this is the person who is a representative of your certification body and will determine if you achieve third-party certification to ISO 9001.


Want to learn more about Internal Audits? Check out ISOUpdates Article on ISO Internal Audits Explained Iso here!


External Audit:

An external audit is performed by a third-party auditor associated with your hired Certification Body. The external auditor will conduct a certification audit or surveillance audit at least once during each calendar year to determine if your organization should be recommended for ISO certification or continue to hold your current certificate. An external auditor must perform audits based on a set of rules from their own ISO Standard for auditing best practices and must obtain strict qualifications set by the certification bodies. Auditors must also be selected by a certification body with consideration to the organization’s industry, the auditor’s understanding of their industry and the specific industry codes the auditor must hold to conduct the audit.

An external audit scope may include any number of processes, and the scope will be detailed to you ahead of time in an audit plan so you and your people can be prepared and present. In the 3-year cycle of certification, each process must be audited during the initial certification or recertification audit and at least once per the 2-year surveillance cycle to evaluate effectiveness.

Let’s go deeper into the different audits involved in obtaining and maintaining an ISO Certification:

Certification Audit:

A certification audit is conducted once every 3 years to verify the effectiveness of the whole QMS against the ISO 9001 standard. A third-party certification audit is conducted by an IAF-MLA signatory member Certification Body accredited to ISO 17021 – the standard for Management Systems Certification Bodies. The certification audit is broken down into 2 stages, a stage 1 audit and a stage 2 audit:

Certification audits consist of two stages

STAGE ONE audit is used to determine if your company is ready for stage two. A certification body will detail the minimum requirements your organization must meet to ensure you’re ready for a stage 2 audit, going through your documentation and comparing it to the requirements of the standard to assess compliance and readiness for an audit. It is best to be sure your organization is ready because, during a stage 2 audit, your certification body can raise non-conformities and other issues with your system that may require the auditor to return to audit your system, resulting in additional costs.

STAGE TWO is an on-site audit where a third-party auditor will review your documents, your processes, interview your employees and review your operations to determine compliance with the ISO 9001 standard. Your Certification Body will submit an audit plan ahead of the arrival of your auditor to allow you to prepare your documents, schedule the availability of relevant employees and allow for any necessary preparations. If your organization has more than one shift, the audit will be planned accordingly to sample as much evidence from each shift as needed to prove compliance. During the audit, you can expect the auditor or audit team (depending on the size of your organization) to hold an opening meeting which will detail their audit plan and schedule, after which the audit will begin. The scope and timeframe of the audit are dictated by ISO 17021. Certification Bodies cannot change the number of days the audit needs to be on-site, that is a predetermined guideline which is based on the number of employees at your organization and the level of risk associated with your QMS. Be upfront about how many employees you have, full-time, part-time and contract employees. If this number changes, inform your certification body as this may change your audit schedule.

Surveillance Audits:

In the 3-year cycle of an ISO Certificate, you will receive 2 surveillance audits, once each calendar year after your certification audit the first year of your cycle. Once you receive your ISO certification, the next 2 years will include smaller surveillance audits, with the auditor only auditing select processes and departments. The length and duration of these audits are again dictated by ISO 17021. Between the time of your certification audit and your surveillance audit, you will need to ensure you are continuing to meet the requirements of ISO 9001, for example holding internal audits, management review meetings, etc. within the timeframes dictated by the standard. You will also need to continue upholding the internal requirements your organization has documented as part of your QMS, i.e., hiring processes, performance reviews,  etc. Failure to meet the requirements of your own system or the standard will result in non-conformances being raised during your external audit.

Non-conformities:

As mentioned in this article, failure to meet the requirements of ISO 9001 will result in a non-conformity which must be addressed and resolved via corrective action within a certain timeframe before your organization can be granted certification. The timeframe given for resolution is dependent on the severity of the non-conformance. Non-conformances can be Major, Minor, or an Opportunity for Improvement.

Summary

The road to Certification for ISO 9001 can seem long and daunting, but the payoff is well worth it. Setting your business up for long term success by utilizing ISO 9001 and the world’s leading quality management system to effectively and efficiently run your business is just good business. Ensuring your organization has rules and processes in place that ensure you produce exactly what you say you will make good business sense. Having a third-party come in to verify this once a year holds you and your staff accountable to your rules and processes as well as the standard. Holding an accredited ISO 9001 certificate is outward proof to your customers that you hold their values and hopes for the quality of your products and services to the highest standard, the ISO Standard. Being ISO 9001 certified proves to your customers, your suppliers and your stakeholders that you care about the quality and consistency of your work above anything else, and you care about the longevity of your business practices. It may seem like a long road when you first embark on it, but the hardest step is always the first step. Once you have created momentum and movement within your organization of quality first, your organization will see the rewards that certification brings.

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Improving Root Cause - ISOUpdate.com

When analyzing a problem and determining its root cause, you need to apply logical and critical thinking, analytical skills and calculations to fit pieces together like a puzzle to present a picture that makes sense to the beholder. When fixing a problem, it shouldn’t be enough to just use a band-aid solution – if you fix the symptoms only, the problem is more likely to occur again. You should want to determine the root cause of the problem to ensure that it never happens again. Determining a root cause can be an easy few questions and answers, but here at ISO Update, we want to help you improve your ISO 9001 Root Cause Analysis to ensure your organization is performing at its best.

Read the full article here.

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ISO 14001 Explained - ISOUpdate.com

ISO 14001 is the international standard for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It is a tool to assess organizational goals and performance and can be integrated with multiple other standards, such as ISO 9001. The standard focuses on optimizing an organization’s processes based on the international standard to ensure the organization is operating in a manner that will consistently produce products with no negative environmental impacts and strives for a positive impact on the environment. ISO 14001 was revised in 2015 and as of the ISO Survey Results released in 2018, ISO 14001 has been utilized by over 300,000 companies with over 440,000 physical sites certified around the world. These guidelines are all-inclusive and generic such that they can be applied to any industry and can be adopted by any organization regardless of its sector, location or size. 

2015 Revision

ISO 14001 was first established in 2004 and its most recent revision was released in 2015. The initial standard was confined to a narrow scope of environmental concerns and included only bigger enterprises. The revision brought about significant advancements including a high-level structure, expansion in the scope of environmental management services, expanded operational requirements and inclusivity of companies of all levels and sizes. Moreover, it also covers an extended array of domains concerning environmental management systems. It includes performance evaluation, improvement, support, operation, management, leadership, and support. 

Industrial Scope

ISO 14001 facilitates the environmental performance and operations of organizations and enables them to gain the trust of the stakeholders. The standard forms a basis for a continuous system of improvement and caters to stakeholder relevant environmental issues such as waste management, resource utilization and management, air and water pollution, and climate change alleviation. Properly utilizing ISO 14001 also works towards minimizing energy wastage and optimizing resource usage and efficiency, leading to decreased costs and increased operational savings. ISO 14001 aims to address the environmental concerns of organizations in a holistic pattern and provide companies with a competitive edge in the market. 

Benefits for Organizations

Companies have reported multi-faceted perks directly as a result of implementing ISO 14001 such as:

  • increased engagement of employees,
  • financial advantage,
  • better market image,
  • the confidence of stakeholders, and
  • competitive advantage

It was observed through research that SMEs are reluctant to adopt standards, with the most common reason being a lack of capital required for its adoption. ISO 4001 is specifically made to include both larger enterprises and SMEs on a similar set of regulations, meaning your larger competitors would be held to the same standards as you are if government entities were to move to mandate ISO 14001. Having a system in place before growth also sets your organization up for success as you grow, allowing your system to utilize best practices from the start without the costly need for external help after the fact. Preparing now will be a more cost-effective solution than fixing, evaluating, researching, and implementing a solution later on.

ISO 14001 is largely meant to enable your organization to minimize hazardous impacts to the environment. In this way, the companies abide by the environmental regulations alongside specific performance and operational indicators to ensure continual improvement. ISO 14001 also allows you to consider local, regional, and international regulations in an effective manner, to ensure your organization is compliant with all laws and regulations of every market you are present in, and any you wish to enter. Because of this, certification not only drives market compatibility but also brings about positive changes in the internal dynamics of your company.

Integrating ISO 14001

If you are interested in becoming certified to ISO 14001, you will need to first implement the system in your business effectively. This is done through properly understanding the standard, its requirements and an understanding of your organization and its capabilities. Proper implementation and certification to ISO 14001 is possible without certification to any other standard, or alongside other standards like ISO 9001:2015. It is our recommendation that any organization, no matter what industry can benefit from more than one standard certification. You may want to consider adopting both ISO 9001, the standard for quality management systems, and ISO 14001 and consider standards like ISO 45001, the health and safety management system, and ISO 27001, for information security management. At ISO Update, we believe strongly in the benefits that utilizing standards brings to companies.

The following approaches are effective for all ISO Standard management system implementations, just ensure the people you utilize have the correct credentials and experience.

Internal Implementation

Utilizing internal resources such as a quality management team or department is a great implementation method. Internal quality representatives with insider knowledge allow your management system to be truly unique and effective for your personal processes. It is also arguably easier to be held accountable to your EMS when it is internally developed and familiar.

Utilizing an internal quality team to develop your implementation plan, execute your new system, and monitor its effectiveness is encouraged within the requirements of ISO 14001 and most management systems for the purposes of demonstrating leadership and promoting the adoption of the standard and its best practices effectively. However, not all organizations have the capacity to dedicate personnel to this role or no personnel have the training or knowledge immediately to prepare a system well enough. Many Certification Bodies offer training for internal systems management, internal auditing, and informational sessions on each standard, so be sure to investigate what is available in your area.


Learn more about courses available in the ISOUpdate Training Directory.


External Implementation

Many organizations benefit from external implementation or consultants. An ISO Consultant works as an extension of your organization to become your “internal auditor”, without being a full-time employee. Consultants are typically ISO Auditors who have been working within the standard for several years and are hired by organizations like yourself to evaluate, critique and help you implement a management system that is completely tailored to your organization. An effective consultant should understand your industry, have valid industry codes, and experience you trust. It is important to utilize your typical hiring methods when looking to hire an ISO Consultant, considering your corporate culture, its needs and how your new consultant will work within your organization. This auditor should be an extension of your company, just like any other employee, and should be a person you trust and respect.

Consultants have the bonus of personal experience with External Auditors, the auditors that will come into your organization once per calendar year to evaluate your systems for certification. Consultants often have years of experience working with or for Certification Bodies and understand how to navigate you and your system through an effective audit and prepare your organization for success.

Consider: Your organization can have it all. Consider adopting both implementation approaches for the most benefit to your organization. Having internal personnel or a team dedicated to your management system with insider knowledge and experience of your company and the added experience in ISO and Auditing of a consultant to aid them periodically is immensely beneficial to your system and your company. Consider contacting a few CB’s and Consultants in your area to determine their recommendations based on your current capabilities, resources, your current management systems, and size of your company.

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ISO Certifications Construction Industry - ISOUpdate.com

Written by Aurion

ISO Certification is always beneficial for industries as it helps in achieving business productivity. It also helps organizations to enhance customer satisfaction and improve product quality

ISO Certification consists of certain guidelines, standard practices, and requirements. It will help to transform organizational culture.

The organization will embrace the process of :

  • Practising quality first business processes
  • Optimizing business operations to continue, and,
  • Achieve higher business productivity.

ISO Certifications ideal for the Construction Industry

The most beneficial ISO Certifications for the Construction Industry are:

  • ISO 9001:2015 Certification for Quality Management System
  • ISO 14001: 2015 Certification for Environmental Management System
  • ISO 45001: 2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Standard

Implementing ISO 9001:2015 Standard in Construction Industry

SO 9001:2015 is the ISO Standard is a globally accepted certification. It insists on implementing a Quality Management System (QMS) to enhance operational efficiency.

The Quality Management System Certification focuses on 7 key areas:

  • Customer Focus
  • Leadership,
  • People Management,
  • Process Optimization,
  • Continuous Improvement,
  • Evidence-based Decisions, and,
  • Relationship Management.

ISO 9001:2015 Standard in the Construction industry helps in :

  • Improving Employee Training
  • Employee Development, and,
  • Overall Corporate Communication

It helps employees increase job satisfaction, streamline business operations and enhance productivity.

Learn more about ISO 9001 Certification from Aurion International

Key Areas where ISO 9001:2015 Certification will be beneficial for the Construction Industry

You can evaluate supplier performance by leveraging practices of relationship management.

The Quality Management System framework can be used to assess the suppliers. Also, it improves the overall supply chain performance.

Companies can pitch to more Public Sector and Large Private Sector Clients.  They can demonstrate the practices of continuous improvements and business process optimizations.

Practising quality in business proceedings will attract international clients.  ISO 9001 Certified supplier will be trusted by international companies. They will be more likely to establish a long term partnership

ISO 9001:2015 Certification helps you to easily comply with the legal regulations. The QMS requires the organization to follow and practice certain regulatory requirements.

ISO 9001:2015 certification also helps in managing the risk effectively. Especially in case the construction contracts, often the budgets go up due to lack of planning.

QMS system ensures proper measures are taken to ensure the project is managed well. It helps in flagging any deviation from the scope and budget.

Additional Benefits for Construction Industry by getting ISO 9001:2015 Standard

  • Continuous improvements and practice industry best practices
  • Reduce Construction cost significantly to both builder and customer
  • A pre-requisite for participation in tenders of large Multi-National & Government Projects
  • Gain higher client and stakeholder confidence by being ISO 9001 Certified
  • Higher customer satisfaction due to streamlining of business process and product/service quality

Implementation of ISO 14001:2015 Standard in Construction Industry

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System (EMS) ensures environmental protection.   The organization at every stage of the construction operation follows environmentally-friendly measures.

The Environmental Management System Standard is vital to ensure the environment is protected.

The organization ensures that there are no harmful elements are discharged to nature. No activities hinder the environment is undertaken by the company.

ISO 14001:2015 Certification specifies the requirements for building an Environment Management System.

It is to protect the environment, inspect and test systems and comply with environmental protection.

The organization must meet the environmental expectations of customers and the government. They must incorporate environmental management elements into organizational business processes.

Key benefits from implementing ISO 14001:2015 Standard

  • Improve resource efficiency
  • Reduce waste and drive down costs
  • Measure environmental impacts and rectify
  • Transform supply chain design into an environment-friendly one
  • New business opportunities from large companies
  • Build stakeholder and customer trust

ISO 14001:2015 will help in reducing the organization’s role in impacting the environment. It helps in understanding the effect the environment will have on the progress of the business.

It will save the consumption of materials and energy during construction projects. It reduces the overall cost by efficient waste management

ISO 14001:2015 will Improve environmental performance over the years. It will reduce harmful impacts on the surroundings. A system for continuous environmental support will be developed and maintained.

ISO 45001:2018 Standard in Construction Industry

Occupational Health and Safety Management System will take care of employee safety and health. Employee safety plays a significant role in the construction industry especially. It will prevent various incidents and accidents in the workplace that lead to serious injuries.

ISO 45001:2018 Standard is a globally recognized ISO Standard with external accreditation. It will help gain trust and get new business by showcasing to clients the compliance to ISO 45001:2018. It will ensure a safer workplace environment. Some of the large clients specify the ISO 45001:2018 Standard as a requirement for participating in the tendering.

ISO 45001:2018 helps organizations to reduce:

  • The overall occurrence of worksite incidents
  • Downtown and cost of disruptions due to health hazards
  • Cost of insurance premiums
  • Employee turnover rates

ISO Standard Certification helps organizations across industry verticals to achieve enhanced business productivity, boost product quality and achieve customer satisfaction.

About the Author

John Wick is an ISO Consultant working with Aurion ISO Consultants in Dubai. John 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

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 | www.aurioninternational.com

While you are planning to implement ISO Certification Standards for your organizations, to know more about the ISO Certification standards and all ISO related services from Aurion ISO Consultants, you call us right away!

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Developing an ISO 9001 Implementation Plan - ISO Update

Once companies have made the decision to implement a Quality Management System (QMS) like ISO 9001:2015, they are usually faced with a multitude of new considerations and issues to sort through. If you are currently running a successful business, chances are you are complying with a large percentage of the standard, it’s only a matter of being able to prove this to an auditor and document your processes effectively. By developing an implementation plan, you will give yourself goals and action points that will help you and your team efficiently tackle the objective of achieving certification. Working on a thorough implementation plan will not only help break the process down but will also give you a rough idea of the resources and time needed to start implementing the standard.

A bit of preplanning is also required. You will need to determine what your timeline and end goals are and whether they can reasonably be attained. Aim for realistic and practical goals and estimates and consider using generic checklists and “Gap Assessments” that will help you move in the right direction.


Want to learn more? Read the full article here.

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ISO Internal Audits Explained - ISOUpdate.com

An ISO Audit is the systematic process of collecting and evaluating information about an organization’s processes to determine their level of compliance with the standard they are being audited against. Audits are completed to check the effectiveness of measures in place and to determine if the organization is operating at full capacity within the requirements to achieve certification and continue to grow. Within an audit cycle, which is typically 3 years, an organization will have both ‘internal’ and ‘external’ audits completed at least once per the calendar year, with the scope of the audit and the scale of the audit dependent on who is conducting it and its purpose. 

Internal auditing is carried out independently by an organization, utilizing internal personnel or an ISO Consultant with experience and knowledge of your organization and industry. It is an appraisal of the efficiency and effectiveness within certain departments or the organization. External Audits are done to evaluate your organization and recommend certification to the standard you are compliant with. External audits are performed by third-party auditors affiliated with a Certification Body. Internal audits are a requirement of ISO Standards, but cannot grant you an ISO Certificate.

Goals of Internal Audits:

The purpose of an ISO internal audit is to assess an organization’s efficiency as measured by the level of its quality and risk management systems and its overall business practices against one or more ISO Standards. Companies and organizations conduct internal audits to evaluate and improve the efficiency of their business practices capabilities by highlighting any existing flaws or shortcomings and ensuring plans are in place to properly address them.

While conducting regular and effective internal audits of your management system is a requirement of the standard, it’s also a requirement for a reason. Internal audits are a chance for your organization to truly see the progress you are making, and a chance for your employees to show off their skills and voice any concerns. Some of the major ways an organization can benefit from an internal audit:

  • To review and evaluate the reliability and soundness of its internal control system;
  • To ascertain the degree of compliance with established standards, policies and procedures;
  • To minimize losses and maximize profits;
  • To ascertain whether the information generated in an organization is accurate and reliable;
  • To ascertain the level of integrity of the data provided to management;
  • To provide informed advice and feedback to management on next steps and growth opportunities;
  • To seek opportunities for improvement in the existing systems.

Internal auditing is based on several guidelines that are dependent on the organization’s specific vision and strategy. To be beneficial, it should provide appropriate and unbiased information that the organization can utilize in the enhancement of its performance. This means that auditing should be undertaken while keeping in mind the specific requirements and criteria of the organization and the environment within which it operates. While you might be tempted to download and follow a checklist, don’t use these as a one-stop-shop for the perfect internal audit, utilize them as guidance and tailor them for your specific needs.

Principles of Internal Auditing:

Following are some of the basic principles of auditing that should be universally applicable regardless of the size, scope or industry.

Objectivity: An internal audit should be an objective activity. All internal auditors must maintain objectivity in their judgment. Consider if you are auditing your peers, to not hold previous judgement or past experiences against an individual or team, audit within your scope, do not audit with an objective of proving a point. Audit with the objective goals of bettering the organization and providing a value-added practice to the organization.

Ethics: Like all other business practices, internal audits should also be done within the confines of morals and an ethical code. (link)

Confidentiality: Auditors have access to sensitive information about the organization and its employees. It is very important to ensure the highest level of confidentiality to avoid possible misuse of such information.

Competence: Auditing is a complex procedure. It must be done by skilled, experienced and competent auditors. When selecting an auditing team, consider their questioning skills, and their listening skills. An auditor must be prepared to ask questions that will give them the information they need, without causing stress for the auditee. Consider offering employees ISO Training to help reduce stress and increase engagement.

Planning: The audit process should be thoroughly planned to avoid confusion at later stages. Once an audit plan is in place and dictated to the auditees, do not stray from the scope of the audit. This will avoid issues with timing and employee engagement.

Documentation: It is important to maintain proper documentation of the audit process. Internal audits conclude with a closing meeting where findings are shown to management and you must provide a detailed report promptly after the audit is completed. By ensuring you are documenting your findings effectively, you will have much more success in your closing meetings and when you create your report.

Integrity: The audit reports must accurately depict the facts discovered during the audit process. The integrity of the audit findings is essential.

Selection of Auditors:

Internal auditors should be carefully selected. An internal audit team must be adequately staffed in terms of both numbers and experience. They should also be properly trained to ensure that the needs of each audit task are fulfilled. The success of the internal audit largely depends on the quality of the audit team that is determined by the level of their training and expertise. 

Internal Audit Process:

The internal audit process should be planned well beforehand so that objectives are clearly defined, and priorities are established. You will need to provide the audit plan in advance to ensure you are able to talk with those you need to and can access the documents or processes needed to complete the audit on schedule. The planning process should include setting a schedule for each activity and setting deadlines. All tasks that need to be performed must be clearly defined. An audit plan should be made with a thorough understanding of the organization and its environment and presented clearly at the opening meeting. 

The internal audit process must be continuously supervised by a designated audit team leader. The Lead Auditor will ensure that the audit process is proceeding according to the plan. The performance of the audit team should also be reviewed just like that of other employees and members of the organization. A comprehensive report should be issued once the internal audit is complete with findings communicated promptly and concisely. These findings must be presented in a way that makes them helpful for management in deciding their course of action. 

The findings of the internal audit must be supported by ‘Audit Evidence’ which provides reasons for the conclusions of the internal audit team. This evidence must be easily understood and articulated in your reports to allow the external auditors to come to a similar conclusion during any third-party audit activities.

If done correctly, internal audits can have a very positive impact on the overall organizational performance of any company and be a value-added experience your company will benefit from.