In the field of industrial production and business, there are several international organizations that regulate standards. The most significant structure describing the operational and managing business processes is ISO (ISO). World standards are set out in several series. The most popular and extensive edition of the ISO 9000 code of rules is formulated by TC 176 (ISO Technical Committee). Among the documents, special attention is given to the certification of the quality management system ISO 9001 (national ISO 9001).
The receipt by a company or organization of a certificate confirming compliance of business processes with the current regulation of ISO 9001 is a recognition of the professionalism of management, a high level of technical equipment, and compliance with legislation in the field of safety and environmental protection. Obtaining a certificate of international standard opens the way for companies to new markets, gives them advantages over competitors.
ISO 9001
Certification of a quality management system (QMS) defines uniform rules and standards regarding the quality management of an enterprise. A fundamental principle is customer focus. The task of the QMS is not to control a single process or procedure. It is to minimize management and production errors. When developing the ISO system, it was supposed to form an approach to standardization, which was finally formulated by the experts of the technical committee in 2008. Further development took place, the formulated rules were supplemented, which were reflected in ISO 9001 (edition of 2011 and 2015). The new document significantly increases the basic characteristic of the enterprise - effectiveness.
The certification procedure for the quality management system implies the voluntary consent of the enterprise management to the implementation of ISO 9001 standards. However, in some industrial groups (engineering, metallurgy, medical and food industries), a number of requirements for the relevant industries are mandatory. On the territory of Russia, the ISO 9001 standardization system has been assigned national status. This ensures the success of its practical application for over twenty years.
What are the benefits of ISO 9001 for a company?
The certification of the quality management system ISO 9001 (ISO 9001) gives an advantage in the market. It is formed due to:
- Effective customer satisfaction.
- Optimal consumption of working time and production resources.
- Efficiency in making decisions and eliminating errors.
- Increasing the degree of employee involvement in the work process through an effective motivation system.
- Optimization and improvement of production technology.
- Opportunities for obtaining loans on favorable terms.
- The growth of loyalty to the enterprise of regulatory authorities, investors and consumers.
- Ensuring the best quality of manufactured products, provided services.
The implementation of the QMS and further adherence to the requirements of the standard result in the growth of a consumer audience, access to new sales markets, expansion of production capabilities, positive results of prequalification of the largest companies (both in the Russian and foreign markets), participation in government tenders.
Certification Bodies: Requirements
If the management of the company decides to start the certification procedure, first of all, the appropriate body is selected. According to the approved rules, an organization planning to participate in public procurement should be monitored exclusively by a national appraiser. In turn, all national authorities that certify the quality management system are registered with the federal agency FATRiM.
In order to verify the accreditation of a company issuing national certificates ISO 9001 (ISO 9001), you should check the following nuances:
- The presence of an accreditation certificate provided by Rosstandart (FATRiM). An approved document and form must be submitted.
- The form is certified by the seal and signature of the official.
- The certificate indicates the period of validity of the rights to assess conformity and issue a document.
If the certificate of the certification body has expired, the documents issued by it are recognized as invalid.
National certification of quality management system: work procedure
The methodology for conducting checks for compliance with the requirements of the national standard ISO 9001 (international ISO 9001) consists of the following steps:
- Preliminary audit.
- Analysis of company documentation for compliance with the QMS requirements.
- Monitoring the effectiveness and efficiency of the regulations implemented at the enterprise within the QMS.
In the case of a positive assessment of the auditors, a certificate is issued for compliance with ISO 9001 (ISO 9001). But that is not all.
All assessment work is carried out by a certification body for quality management systems by its own auditors. The composition of the team is proposed by the head of the relevant body, which confirms their competence and valid accreditation according to EA codes (industry classification codes in Russia).
Preliminary audit
A preliminary audit is a preparation for the assessment of company documentation and implemented regulations. The controller analyzes the measure of compliance with the requirements of the standard. Based on the results, he decides on the appropriateness of the further verification steps. Preliminary inspection consists in the analysis of company documents according to the implemented quality standards. The so-called auditor gets acquainted with production instructions, technological maps, etc. A preliminary audit should identify weaknesses in the regulatory documentation (according to the QMS), as well as problems in the practical implementation of the requirements of the quality management system.
The results of the preliminary assessment are transmitted to the head of the applicant company. Fixation in the report on preliminary audit is carried out only with the consent of the customer. After that, the certification of the ISO 9001 quality management system begins. A preliminary audit is carried out in order to help the management of the enterprise evaluate its readiness for verification. The nature of the audit is agreed upon by the party initiating the audit.
Analysis of company documentation for QMS compliance
A group of auditors verifies the documents of the applicant company within the QMS, assesses the location of the enterprise, checks the specific working conditions. The auditors conduct an interview with the management to make sure that the customer understands the rules and norms of the ISO 9001 standard. The specialists of the certification organization collect information on production processes and the scope of the QMS regulations. An audit determines the compliance of the customer company with the requirements of national law.
Performance and Efficiency Analysis
The plan for verifying the effectiveness of the implemented QMS standards is transmitted for verification to the customer and approved by him. The auditors, in addition to analyzing the performance of the enterprise according to the ISO 9001 system, take into account possible comments and complaints to the QMS. The objective of the enterprise is to demonstrate during the inspection the practical application of all the regulations, norms and rules provided at the stage of documentary verification. At the end of the audit, the customer is notified of the results.
Certificate Provision
Based on the positive decision made by the certification authority officials, a document of the established form is issued. The certification of the organization’s quality management system confirms the conformity of the business processes of the customer’s enterprise, the requirements of the national standardization system ISO 9001 and international ISO 9001. Also, the customer is informed of the timing of the audit.