WHAT IS ISO, FIND OUT WHICH STANDARDS YOU CAN BE CERTIFIED IN
What is ISO, find out what Standards you can become certified in
In several articles we have talked about different standards, such as ISO 9001 (quality management systems) or ISO 14001 (environmental management systems), however, the time has come to tell you a little about the history of ISO, what it is, what kind of standards exist and how you can achieve certification.
ISO HISTORY
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a non-governmental organization that brings together experts from different countries to develop international and voluntary standards to provide solutions to global challenges in different industries, as well as to support their innovation.
This organization was created by 25 countries in 1946, which met at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London with the purpose of facilitating the unification of standards internationally, as well as achieving better coordination. However, it was not until February 23, 1947 when ISO officially began its operations.
Currently, there are 164 member countries, which make up 779 technical committees and subcommittees, who are responsible for creating these standards and updating them when required, thus ensuring that these standards are compatible in the member countries.
ISO STANDARDS
To date, more than 22,761 international standards have been published that are focused on the various industries that exist globally, such as the information security industry, technology, the food industry, transportation, and so on.
Below, we show you which are the standards with the highest demand worldwide, how many certifications this standard has and which country has the highest number of certifications:
- ISO 9001 : this standard refers to quality management systems , it is the most known and certified ISO standard. Its current version is 2015 and currently has 883,521 certificates issued, with China being the first place with 280,386 certifications issued. It is recommended that this standard is the first one you certify to, as it is compatible with the various ISO standards that exist and is a good start in the world of certifications.
- ISO 14001: this standard refers to environmental management systems and is the second most requested standard. Its current version is 2015 and currently has 312,582 certificates issued, being again China the first place with 134,926 certifications issued. If your organization has processes that impact the environment, ISO 14001 is definitely a viable option for you.
- ISO 45001 : this standard refers to occupational health and safety management systems, its current version is 2018 and there are currently 38,65 companies certified in this standard, as it is a recent creation and replaced the OHSAS 18001 standard, which was not compatible with all ISO member countries.
- ISO 22000: this standard refers to food safety management systems and is the third most demanded standard. Its current version is 2018 and currently has 33,505 certificates issued, with China in first place with 12,144 certifications issued. If your organization is dedicated to food manufacturing or is focused on the food industry, this standard can add a lot of value in the market.
- ISO 13485 : this standard refers to quality management systems for medical devices. Its current version is 2016 and currently has 23,045 certificates issued, with the United States being the first place with 3,354 certifications issued.
- ISO 27001: this standard refers to information security management systems. Its current version is 2013 and currently has 36,362 certificates issued, with China in first place with 8,356 certificates issued.
- ISO 50001: This standard refers to energy management systems. Its current version is 2018 and currently has 18,227 certificates issued, with Germany in first place with 5,786 certifications issued.
CERTIFICATION PROCESS
In order to certify your organization in any of the standards mentioned above or any other of your interest, the first step is to implement your management system, that is, to comply point by point with the requirements of the standard.
The time it takes for an implementation process varies depending on the size of the organization, the industrial sector to which it belongs, the number of processes, the standard to be implemented, among other issues, but the average period is 6 months.
Do you want to know more about ISO standards? Contact us and our staff will provide you with all the information you need. At QAlliance, in addition to helping you start your certification process in the standard you want, we will provide you with a service tailored to your needs.