ESSENTIAL
GUIDE TO
ISO 9001
Discover the key facts you need to know
about the world’s most popular quality
management system standard
CONTENTS
WHAT IS ISO 9001? 3
THE 7 PRINCIPLES OF ISO 9001 4
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ISO 9001? 6
HOW DO I OBTAIN CERTIFICATION FOR MY BUSINESS? 8
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO OBTAIN CERTIFICATION? 9
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE 10
BRITISH ASSESSMENT BUREAU
2 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
WHAT IS ISO 9001?
ISO9001 is the internationally-recognised standard that specifies requirements for a quality
management system (QMS).
In the most simple terms, a quality management system is a clearly defined set of business processes.
Together with the relevant documentation, it defines your commitment to creating products and
services that meet customer and regulatory requirements, consistently. A good QMS should include
detailed information about processes and responsibilities within an organisation.
An effective QMS ensures that your business delivers to a consistently high standard, together
with a plan to continually measure and improve every aspect of the business operations, within the
appropriate regulatory framework.
An effective QMS ensures that
your business delivers to a
consistently high standard
Click here to view our FREE ISO9001 online training course
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 3
THE 7 PRINCIPLES OF ISO 9001
There are 7 principles that relate to ISO 9001 and these define the norms and rules for the
day-to-day operation of your business. We explain each of these principles below.
Principle 1: customer focus
1
As you might expect, customer focus is the first principle, right where it should be. It covers
both customer needs and customer service. This principle stresses that a business should
understand its customers, what they need and when. While trying to meet, but preferably, exceed
customers’ expectations.
As the business’ ability to spot new customer opportunities and satisfy them improves —
customer loyalty increases, revenue rises and waste is then reduced. More effective processes
result in improved customer satisfaction overall.
Principle 2: leadership
2
Without clear and strong leadership, a business flounders. Principle 2, is concerned with the
direction of the organisation. The business should have clear goals and objectives, and ensure its
employees are actively involved in achieving those targets.
The benefits are higher levels of employee engagement and increased motivation to satisfy
customer needs. Research shows, if employees are kept ‘in the loop’ and understand the business
vision, they’ll be more productive. This principle seeks to rectify employees complaints about
‘lack of communication’.
3
Principle 3: people involvement
The process approach is all about efficiency and effectiveness. Well-managed processes reduce
costs, improve consistency, eliminate waste and promote continuous improvement.
By becoming a more efficient organisation, you will build confidence in your stakeholders by
optimising performance. Manage processes by making responsibilities clear and ensuring your
resources are used in the best way.
4 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
4
Principle 4: process approach
The process approach is all about efficiency and effectiveness. It’s also about consistency and
understanding that good processes also speeds up activities.
Great processes reduce costs, improve consistency, eliminate waste and promotes continuous
improvement.
Principle 5: continual improvement
5
This principle is very straightforward: continual improvement should be an active
business objective.
The benefits of this are clear: increased ability to embrace new opportunities, organisational
flexibility and improved performance. Especially in difficult economic times, the businesses that
thrive are those that can adapt to new market situations.
6
Principle 6: factual approach to decision making
A logical approach, based on data and analysis, is good business sense. Unfortunately, in a fast-
paced workplace, decisions can often be made rashly, without proper thought. Implementing the
Quality Management Principles we’ve discussed will allow decisions to be made with clarity.
Informed decisions lead to improved understanding of the marketplace as data is collated and
analysed, and the ability to defend past decisions.
Principle 7: mutually beneficial supplier relations
7
This principle deals with supply chains. It promotes the relationship between the company and
its suppliers; recognising it is interdependent. A strong relationship enhances productivity and
encourages seamless working practices.
The result is optimisation of costs and resources, improving and building long-term relationships
and the ‘flexibility of joint responses to changing markets or customer needs and expectations’.
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 5
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF ISO 9001?
Using a QMS such as ISO9001 can make your company very attractive to your potential
customers. It confirms that the promises made by your sales and marketing function can be
more than adequately fulfilled by your operational capacity.
It would be fair to say that most organisations’ motivation for gaining ISO 9001 is to win new
business. But once organisations start, they quickly find huge benefits in terms of improved internal
processes, more consistent delivery and less re-work. Successful implementation can result in a
dramatic reduction in costly errors and the resulting consequences for clients.
We find a lot of organisations apply for ISO 9001 certification because it is a stipulation for public
contracts. It’s government policy to define standards in central and local government tenders
to make sure that the supplier is fit for purpose. As you’d expect, it’s particularly important that
government bodies are able to show they are spending taxpayer’s money wisely.
“The value that our clients hold of ISO is really quite huge - in all of our tenders there is now
a requirement for ISO certification and some quite specifically ask for ISO 9001. Although
we previously had quality systems in place, therewere processes that were often ‘lost’ and we
maybe weren’t as organised as we could be. ISO 9001. in particular, has allowed us to really
develop our exisitn processes and as a result we are much more organised and ready for our
planned growth.”
Lawrence Hargreaves
Nicoll Curtin
ISO 9001 is often a requirement in the private sector too, particularly when applying to become
part of a large supply chain, where the main contractor has ISO 9001 in place. It’s clear that many
organisations, who originally sought ISO 9001 to qualify for work, are pleasantly surprised to find
just how much of a positive influence it had on their whole organisation.
6 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
1. Consistency 4. Evidence-based change
Companies that use a QMS have a very clearly Without clear results and statistics deciding
defined process for manufacturing products what changes to make in a business is complete
or delivering services that allows them to guesswork. A QMS will generate a real picture
cope with staff changes, breakdowns and of operational weak points and frailties. It will
even finding new outsource partners. Because provide the data that is required in order to
documentation is a key factor in the QMS, the reflect and inform meaningful change within
information is readily available to deal with the business.
changes. The company is no longer reliant on
individual skill and knowledge. 5. Continual improvement
Going forward, a QMS will provide a business
2. Reduction in failures with a simple framework for implementing
A good QMS should have an inbuilt reviewing change within procedures, complete with a full
process. Should a problem occur in a process, documentation process that allows businesses
or if a customer is not satisfied with a service, to plot the evolution of different approaches.
then the errors that have led to this failure can The continual refinement of the system
be identified and the causes examined. From allows organisations to pursue excellence at
the findings, the systems can be updated to every level.
prevent similar issues in the future.
6. Customer satisfaction
3. Prequalification for new business Ultimately every business needs to serve the
A QMS such as ISO 9001 demonstrates customer. It may be a maxim of business, but
your competency to new businesses and the customer is the most important entity
markets. Many types of organisation, from in any relationship. By using a QMS you are
those that work in the public sector through making a statement about your reliability
to international corporations, will take your and ability to deliver on your contractual
QMS as a mark of trust. Make sure you get responsibilities to your customer.
certification through the appropriate channels,
such as a UKAS accredited provider to
maximise this benefit.
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 7
HOW DO I OBTAIN CERTIFICATION FOR
MY BUSINESS?
The process starts with what’s known as a ‘Stage 1 Audit’. This is where your Lead Assessor
will review your business’ QMS and prepare a report (often referred to as a ‘gap analysis’).
This identifies the actions required to meet the ISO9001 standard. This then becomes your
helpful action plan, so don’t worry if you think you don’t feel prepared. Some organisations find
they already have lots of required processes in place; they just need better documentation and
communication of what processes are mandatory and who has responsibility for delivering them.
Once you’ve addressed the gaps highlighted in the Stage 1 report, your Auditor will come back to
carry out the ‘Stage 2 Audit’. This will reveal the effectiveness of your QMS and whether it meets
all the requirements of the standard. If you are fully compliant, you will be recommended for
certification by your Auditor. The Auditors’ report will then be checked via an approvals process and
if no anomalies are identified, certification is officially awarded.
The Certification Journey
Stage 1: Stage 2:
Recommended Certification
Initial Assessment Second
for Certification Decision
/Gap Analysis assessment
Our auditor will This audit is a If the second
review your more detailed and assessment is
organisation’s thorough review of successful our
management system the effectiveness auditor will
and assess whether of your QMS and recommend that To ensure that
or not it is likely to an assessment of certification the assessment is
meet the mandatory how well it has been is awarded. impartial and to the
requirements of implemented within required standards a
the ISO standard. your organisation. further review of the
Any gaps will be audit files and your
flagged in our follow QMS is undertaken
up report. by our Compliance
Team. Assuming
everything is in
order certification
will be awarded.
8 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO
OBTAIN CERTIFICATION?
The amount of time it takes to become administration fees’, others don’t. An annual
certificated very much depends on the size re-audit is mandatory but some CBs may insist
of your organisation and your readiness on visiting (and charging) you more than once
and ability to create or improve your QMS. a year.
Ideally, once the required standards have
been defined by senior management you’ll Can you help me to develop my QMS?
need a designated representative within UKAS-accredited
your organisation who takes responsibility Certification Bodies, like
for ensuring the necessary work is delivered. British Assessment Bureau,
You don’t have to appoint a designated carrying out certification to
‘Quality Manager’; just someone who is ISO management standards
the main coordinator for the project to have to remain objective
become certified. and impartial, this means
they cannot write
How do I choose a certification body? documentation for you or provide consultancy
When you achieve ISO 9001 certification in conjunction with certification. What they
through a Certification Body (CB), you have can do is provide ISO training, which can be
proven that an independent third party has a useful exercise before committing to the
verified that you meet all requirements of the implementation of a standard.
standard. This is a powerful message to both
new clients and current clients. However, be Another advantage of choosing a UKAS-
mindful that not all Certification Bodies are accredited body is the fact that they cannot
equal. Only Certification Bodies accredited by consult and offer certification (which would
UKAS are allowed to issue Certificates with effectively be ‘assessing your own work’).
the coveted ‘Crown and Tick’ and, in fact, the Therefore, both you and your stakeholders know
Government itself states that it “…encourages the assessment will be genuine and without
and recommends UK businesses, government, ulterior motives.
and local authorities that need third party
How much does it cost to become
conformity assessment services to use services
ISO9001 certified?
from conformity assessment bodies accredited
When you choose to obtain a quote from
by a national accreditation body. UKAS is
the British Assessment Bureau these will be
the body appointed by BIS to be the national
provided on a fixed fee basis, reducing your
accreditation body.”
worry about additional costs.
Read the full statement at:
The cost of certification will depend on:
http://bit.ly/UKASTheOnlyWay
• your organisation’s total size
It’s also important to compare costs carefully. • the sector you operate in
Pay particular attention to ongoing fees.
• the number of locations you operate from.
Some will charge ‘annual management or
Click here to get a quote online or call 0800 404 7007
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 9
WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE BRITISH
ASSESSMENT BUREAU (BAB)
We are UKAS-accredited Ongoing Support
UKAS-accreditation is the gold-standard of In addition to the online resources we
ISO certification in the UK and it is the only also offer a telephone helpdesk service
ISO certification recommended by the UK during office hours (8.30am – 5pm Monday
Government. You can read their statement to Friday).
here: http://bit.ly/ChooseUKAS
Excellent Customer Service
Peace of mind Offering a great experience is at the core of
Unlike some certification bodies we do not everything we do at BAB and therefore we are
tie you in to unnecessarily long contracts – constantly seeking ways to improve so we can
once you have achieved certification with us delight our clients. That’s why we subscribe to
you are free to stay with us or transfer your the independent review service, Feefo, where
certification to another UKAS-accredited we are almost always receiving 5-star reviews.
body without any charges or penalties. Take a look at our great reviews here:
http://bit.ly/BAB5Stars
Transparent Pricing
We do not have any hidden fees or expenses Training For You and Your Team
and all UK-based audits are charged on a Whether it’s one of our free online refresher
fixed-fee basis with all expenses included. courses, or one of our many cost-effective
Where overseas audits are required these e-learning courses, we have a range of
costs are agreed in advance, so there are no online solutions to address ISO standards
nasty surprises. and auditing knowledge gaps. We also offer
more in-depth classroom-based face-to-face
Our Market-Leading Client Area and training courses for both individuals and
Online Resources teams. Ask your adviser for more information
We pride ourselves on our ability to leverage or click the link to see the full range:
technology and to support our clients with a http://bit.ly/BAB-Training
range of useful guides, resources, online tools
and templates designed specifically to build Premium Branding
and maintain Quality Management Systems. Achieving ISO certification is something to
Our clients get access to these as part of their be proud of and it should be celebrated – that
ongoing relationship with us. is why we provide premium certificates and
BAB-branded ISO logos for you to use within
your business, both online and offline.
10 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 11
ISO CERTIFICATION
We offer a range of ISO certification services, the most popular of which are shown below.
Many of our clients start with ISO9001 and then add on ISO14001 or ISO27001 and eventually
ISO45001, however some of our larger clients add multiple certifications at once. Whatever
your needs, we help clients of all shapes, sizes and industries – from sole traders operating from
home to multi-national organisations with thousands of staff. If you’re unsure of your options
one of our friendly advisers would be happy to help you explore them.
ISO9001 – Quality Management
ISO 9001 Quality Management will help your business to:
• Improve efficiency and profit margins
• Win and retain business
• Stand out from your competitors.
ISO14001 – Environmental Management
Lead the way in environmental efficiency savings with our rigorous environmental management
system standard.
ISO 14001 Environmental Management will help your business to:
• Become environmentally friendly
• Manage compliance obligations
• Win and retain business
• Reduce waste and improve your public image.
ISO27001 – Information Security Management
Set yourself apart from your competitors with our rigorous information security standard.
ISO 27001 Information Security Management will help your business to:
• Implement a robust approach to information security
• Keep your clients’ data safe
• Win and retain business.
ISO45001 – Health & Safety Management
Stand out from the competition with the future of occupational health and safety management.
ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management will help your business to:
• Implement a system for managing health and safety
• Reduce risk of accidents, claims, costs and business interruptions
• Win and retain business.
12 Essential Guide to ISO 9001
TRAINING & E-LEARNING
Having helped thousands of clients to achieve ISO certification we have identified the
importance of having properly trained staff working on a business’ management systems. We
have therefore developed a range of convenient e-learning courses and intensive, in-depth face-
to-face training courses. We have included some of our more popular courses below, but you
can find the full range on our website: http://bit.ly/BABCourses.
E-Learning Courses Training
ISO 9001 – Knowledge and Awareness ISO Internal Auditor Training
This engaging course has been designed to An effective ISO management system requires
boost ISO 9001 knowledge and awareness and ongoing review and updating. This is the role
is appropriate for any employee who requires an of the Internal Auditor. They should be able to
overview. The course will take 10-20 minutes. plan and carry out successful internal audits and
report their findings to Senior Management.
ISO 9001 – Guide to Achieving Certification
This in-depth course has been specifically ISO 9001 Lead-Auditor Training
designed to guide users to achieve ISO 9001. Our ISO 9001 Lead-Auditor course covers
The course will take 50-60 minutes. the process approach to quality management
systems and auditing, the eight quality
GDPR Knowledge and Awareness management principles, the requirements of
This course helps ensure that organisations and ISO 9001 (and guidance in the accompanying
their staff comply with the new legislation and document 9004), and how to plan, complete
avoid risks of prosecution and fines. The course and report the audit of an entire quality
takes 60-90 minutes. management system.
Fire Risk Essentials Fast Track to ISO Certification
This essentials course has been designed Are you looking to achieve ISO certification as
to boost your fire risk awareness and is quickly and simply as possible? Then this fast
appropriate for any employee who requires track training to the internationally recognised
an overview of the risks associated with Fire quality management standard is for you.
Hazards. The course will take 20-30 minutes.
Essential Guide to ISO 9001 13
Issued: December 2019
British Assessment Bureau Limited
30 Tower View
Kings Hill
Kent
ME19 4UY
0800 404 7007
british-assessment.co.uk
