Answers to the most common ISO 9001 questions

Quality management ensures that products meet standards for functionality, safety, materiality, and other measures of performance. Whether you’re new to ISO compliance or a veteran, refresh your knowledge by reviewing the answers to these common ISO 9001 questions.

Basics of the standard

Before you can achieve compliance with any standard or regulation, you need to understand the concepts behind it. These questions deal with the basics of ISO 9001.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized quality management standard that allows companies to ensure the quality of their products and services. It provides a framework for creating and maintaining a successful quality management system (QMS), and the first version of it was published in 1987.

What does ISO 9001 mean?

ISO refers to the International Organization for Standardization which is an NGO comprised of members from 160+ countries around the world. “9001” is simply the number used to identify the quality management standard.

What is the purpose of ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 helps companies implement quality management systems that ensure the quality and safety of their products or services. By offering a standardized framework, ISO 9001 makes it easier for companies to integrate their strategies with other companies and across different locations.

What is the current ISO 9001 standard?

The current standard is ISO 9001: 2015 which was published in September of 2015. This version of the standard requires more accountability from executive leaders, greater flexibility of documentation, and a stronger focus on preventative measures.

What is ISO 9001 compliance?

ISO 9001 compliance simply means that a company has implemented the quality management system according to the standard guidelines.

ISO 9001 requirements

It’s important to note that while quality management standards can help improve your company’s strategy, they won’t work without continuous improvement. Once you fulfill the requirements of ISO 9001, you’ll need to regularly audit the system to ensure its effectiveness.

Is ISO 9001 mandatory?

Unlike regulatory requirements from OSHA, EPA, FDA, etc., companies are not legally required to comply with the ISO 9001 standard. Some companies, however, may require their suppliers to adhere to the standard, so it’s important to verify before signing any contract agreements.

What are the seven principles of ISO 9001?

The ISO 9001 standard is based on the seven principles of quality management, which include:

1. Customer focus
2. Leadership
3. Engagement of people
4. Process approach
5. Improvement
6. Evidence-based decision making
7. Relationship management

Why is ISO 9001 required?

Companies may require vendors and suppliers to have ISO 9001 certification, so they can verify that all products and inputs meet their quality standards. Because ISO 9001 is widely used, requiring it is a good way for brands to ensure that all their upstream and downstream partners follow the same quality management practices as they do.

ISO 9001 certification

Implementing the ISO 9001 framework has many benefits, not the least of which is proving to customers that your products or services meet rigorous quality standards. Pursuing certification is just another way to demonstrate this to anyone who values ISO compliance.

What is ISO 9001 certification?

ISO 9001 certification is a third-party review process to verify that a company’s quality management system meets the requirements of the ISO framework.

How do you obtain ISO 9001 certification?

The International Organization for Standardization doesn’t perform certifications itself. To get a certification, you must get it from a third-party certification provider.

How do I become ISO 9001 certified?

You can hire a third-party certification body to review your company’s QMS and verify whether it meets the ISO 9001 requirements.