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ISO Implementation Process

Preparing for an ISO implementation process of any ISO standard can be overwhelming and stressful for organizations of any size. How an organization prepares for an ISO implementation process will depend on factors such as size and complexity of its processes, the current knowledge and culture related to the standard; i.e., quality, environmental, safety, etc; the maturity of any other existing systems related to the standard wishing to implement, and many others.

6 Tips to Facilitate the ISO Implementation Process

Despite the differences there may be between organizations, there are a few tips that will facilitate the ISO implementation process of any management system.

Know the Standard

It is essential that some personnel knows the management system’s requirements. Everyone does not need to be an expert on the requirements of the specific standard that will be implemented, but key workers need to fully know and understand all of the requirements of the standard.

Keep Everyone Informed

The implementation process is not a task of just a few chosen ones. Everyone needs to be involved in this process. Every worker needs to know what is being implemented, why is it being implemented, which are the benefits for the organization and for themselves, and how they will be involved in the process. When people are informed, they will be more open and willing to collaborate in the implementation.

Analyze the Organization’s Current Situation

Before starting to implement any ISO management system, an organization needs to know its level of compliance with the standard. This will allow the organization to understand beforehand its strengths and weaknesses regarding the ISO management system wishing to implement and estimate the time needed for implementation.

Map Your Processes

Establish and record current processes in order to know the relationships between departments and how the processes flow within the organization. This will allow organizations to plan their implementation by processes and not just by areas and departments.

Review Existing Procedures and Work Instructions

Many processes need written and documented information that will guarantee that activities are carried out in the correct manner. Organizations need to review which processes are documented and how many work instructions there are. It is not the same to develop a few documents and just review work instructions than to develop them from scratch. Organizations need to have an idea of how much time they will have to invest in developing and reviewing documents.

Review Current Training Programs

Evaluate existing training and awareness programs. Training and awareness are an important part in the implementation process and if an organization has not considered training its workers, it would be best to redefine these programs to make sure that a large percentage of workers are trained and informed about policies, procedures, regulations, etc that will be a part of their daily activities.

These are some recommendations that will help your organization prepare for the ISO implementation process of any ISO management system.

Note: Make sure that the whole organization is working for the same objectives and pulling in the same direction.

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Become a Third Party Auditor - ISOUpdate.com

An accredited registrar, also called an accredited certification body (CB), is an organization accredited by a recognized accrediting body for its competence to audit and issue certification confirming that an organization meets the requirements of a standard (e.g. ISO 9001 or ISO 14001). There are many benefits of using an accredited registrar when looking to obtain certification for your organization.

Accreditation means an independent, objective body recognizes that an organization is qualified to provide specific services. An accreditation body should assess a registrar’s facilities, procedures and staff against a set of criteria that define acceptable competence levels and capabilities.



There are many registrar companies that offer their services to audit and determine if an organization meets the requirements of a specific standard; however, not all registrars are accredited. An organization may decide to seek certification from any of these registrars, accredited and non-accredited. Nonetheless, choosing an accredited registrar can bring the following benefits to an organization:

  • Organizations can be assured of the registrar’s ability, since the accreditation represents an independent assessment of the registrar’s credibility to perform management system registration.
  • It provides assurance that the certification is based on conformance with internationally accepted practices and procedures, thus offering credibility to the certificate.
  • Many clients and customers require suppliers’ management system is certified by an accredited registrar.
  • Accredited registrars are prohibited to offer both consulting and registration services to one organization, in order to ensure that the value of the certificate will not be compromise due to conflict of interest; on the other hand, some non-accredited registrar do offer both services as one package in order to offer more competitive prices whilst jeopardizing the credibility of the certification.
  • Accreditation assures organizations that a registrar meets specific requirements on an ongoing basis.
  • Accredited registrars can assure that the auditors selected are properly qualified for the industry specialty, and that certification audits will be effective and objective.
  • Accreditation provides an added safeguard against improper and fraudulent activities.
  • In order to maintain accreditation, registrars are pressured to enforce internationally sanctioned registration standards and practices within its organization and among its auditors.
  • Accreditation registrar are often stipulated and supported by local governments.

Organizations that choose an accredited registrar and develop an active relationship with it will ensure the value of its registration certificate, and they can guarantee their customers and clients that their management system has been certified by an unbiased, objective and professional audit.



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Become a Third Party Auditor - ISOUpdate.com

Third party auditors are those who perform an external and independent audit of an organization’s management system to evaluate if it meets the requirements of a specific standard; if successful, this third-party audit will provide the organization with certification or registration of conformity with the given standard.

A third party audit is carried out by a Registrar/Certification Body (CB) hired by the organization; therefore, in order for someone to be a third-party auditor, he/she needs to be employed by a CB.

Find a CB that is hiring in your area by visiting our Career Resources

All CB’s need to ensure that the auditor possesses the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve the intended results of the audits they are expected to perform. Standard interviews are typical.

  • Personal attributes that will enable them to act in accordance with the principles of auditing, which include ethical conduct, fair presentation, due professional care, independence, and free use of an evidence-based approach.
  • Knowledge on the contents of ISO 19011: 2011, Guidelines for auditing management systems.
  • Knowledge and skills on audit principles, procedures and methods, which will enable them to conducted audits in a consistent and systematic manner.
  • They should be able to exhibit professional behavior during the performance of audit activities, including being ethical, open-minded, diplomatic, observant, perceptive, versatile, tenacious, decisive, self-reliant, open to improvement, culturally sensitive, and collaborative.
  • Knowledge and skills on management system and reference documents that will enable them to comprehend the audit scope and apply audit criteria.
  • Sector specific knowledge which will enable them to comprehend the organization’s structure, business, management practices and the legal and contractual requirements applicable to the organization being audited.

As indicated in ISO 19011, someone pursuing to become a third-party auditor can acquired all these knowledge and skills by using a combination of the following:

  • Formal education/training and experience that contribute to the development of knowledge and skills in the management system discipline and sector the auditor intends to audit.
  • Training programs that cover generic auditor knowledge and skills.
  • Experience in a relevant technical, managerial or professional position involving the exercise of judgment, decision making, problem solving and communication with managers, professionals, peers, customers and other interested parties.
  • Audit experience acquired under the supervision of an auditor in the same discipline.

After acquiring all the necessary knowledge and skills and successfully being employed by a CB, third-party auditors must pledged to advocate a particular code of ethical conduct in the performance of an audit and they must abide the internal policies and rules of the CB that hires them. All these requirements must be followed in order to protect everyone involved in the audit process.

Find a CB that is hiring in your area by visiting our Career Resources.



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Difference Between Stage 1 & Stage 2 Audits - ISOUpdate.com

Organizations that have successfully implemented a management system may choose to seek certification by an independent third party audit from a registrar/certification body (CB). Certification can serve as a valuable tool to add credibility and to demonstrate to clients, customers and other stakeholders, that an organization’s management system meets the requirements of a given standard; thus, finding the right registrar is an important decision to be made.

When choosing a registrar, organizations should consider the following:

Accredited or non-accredited.

Organizations should decide if they will contract an accredited registrar or a non-accredited one. Accreditation means that an independent, objective body (an accreditation body) recognizes that an organization is qualified to provide specific services.  Accreditation is not an obligation, and non-accreditation does not necessarily mean that an organization is not reputable; however, accreditation provides confirmation of competence by an independent body.

If an organization is seeking certification as a regulatory or industry requirement, it is important to ensure if they are required to be certified by an accredited registrar; some clients and customers require their suppliers to do so. Organizations should ask the accreditation bodies in their countries for a lists of the registrar they have accredited.

Relevant experience and sector expertise.

There are many standards that an organization can be certified to (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22000, ISO 13485, AS9100, TS 16949, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 50001, etc.) and when choosing a registrar, organizations should verify the registrar’s experience in the relevant standard.

Also, it is important that the registrar has experience in the organization’s industry sector. Organizations need to ensure that the auditors know and understand the processes involved in their operations.

The cost is important, but…

Cost is an important factor for all organizations; however, not always the most inexpensive registrar is the most appropriate. It is possible that a certificate issued by a low-cost registrar, will not be recognized by clients, customers and other stakeholders. Therefore, even though the cost needs to be considered, it should not be the determining factor for the selection of the registrar.

Meet them before choosing them

Organizations should evaluate several registrar and schedule a meeting with them before making their final choice. This will allow them to “sense” if a good working relationship will be possible to establish. After the certification audit, the registrar auditors will visit the organization once or twice a year if they consider it necessary to maintain certification, so an active and reliable relationship will need to be developed between the two.

Choosing a registrar should not be a decision taken lightly. A good selection process will ensure the credibility and value of the certificate issued, which will ultimately provide a valuable asset to the certified organization.

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