Author: Bluewolf_admin

In today’s world, information has become the biggest asset of all businesses regardless of the size and niche. Yet, protecting sensitive business information isn’t easy from unauthorized access, theft, or manipulation. Sometimes, it’s also not easy to determine where you should start. This is where the ISO 27001 standard comes to help you. Besides protecting your business data, there are many other ISO 27001 certification benefits.

Let’s dive into the following blog post to know more about that.

How can getting your organization ISO 27001 certified help you in the long run?

ISO 27001 is the internationally recognized standard for ISMS (Information Security Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your business process helps you manage the security of your organization by addressing technology, procedures, and people.

One of the primary goals of the ISO 27001 standard is to ensure that organizations have a robust framework to manage their information security and comply with the information security rules and regulations.

The following are the benefits of achieving an ISO 27001 certification:

1.Attract new employees and customers:

Achieving the latest ISO 27001 certification can help your small business attract new employees and clients by ensuring that the IT system of your organization meets the industry standards.

It also shows your commitment to providing a high level of integrity, confidentiality, and availability to your consumers.

2.Lower the human errors:

Getting ISO 27001 certified helps your organization cut down the human errors to keep the brand safe from the fallout of wrong moves or mistakes.

The goal of this ISO certification is to keep most damage at bay and make your business operations protected all around.

3.Provide quality assurance:

Passing the ISO 27001 audit process can help your brand implement quality assurance procedures during the development, manufacturing, and installation of the product.

The ISO 27001 standard establishes a framework for quality management systems in the business by promoting a comprehensive approach to quality assurance across the organization.

This framework ensures that your organization has all the processes in place to meet the latest ISO ISMS requirements alongside customer expectations.

4.Prevent data breaches and related financial costs:

Getting the latest ISO 27001 certification can help you lower the financial costs and losses related to data breaches by protecting your business information.

These costs can be staggering, from losing business revenue to brand reputation.

5.Improve the organizational focus and structure:

Implementing the ISO 27001 standard in your business process helps you pinpoint the necessary security measures for your small business, which can further enable you to prioritize the overall improvement of your brand, beyond the security enhancements.

It can also help you facilitate better organizational focus and structure that can further assist you in creating value for your customers and returning what’s essential.

6.Save company time by efficient and rested procedures:

It’s a must to run regular audits to keep your organization safe from breaches.

Though it can be time-consuming and costly, implementing the latest ISO 27001 standard would be helpful. It can simplify the procedures by providing the employees with written processes they can follow.

Having an ISMS in place, individuals no longer have to assume or enquire about how something can be achieved, as all the necessary protocols and procedures will be there.

7.Mitigate loopholes in information security:

Getting your company ISO 27001 certified can help you address various security flaws, which are one of the most vulnerable aspects of ISMS.

Any security flaws can further lead to catastrophic breaches.

Implementing this ISO standard in your business process can help you install controls within your organization adhering to the best ISMS practices.

8.Ensure regulatory, legal, contractual, and business compliance:

Implementing the latest ISO 27001 standard in your business process can help you meet the latest compliance requirements with a comprehensive risk assessment to achieve the certification.

During this risk assessment process, you need to assess current procedures and identify gaps that can further stop you from meeting the regulatory standards.

After completing it, you’ll have a clear understanding of how closely your business aligns with the ISO 27001 requirements and look for areas for further enhancements.

9.Provide an independent opinion on the status of your ISMS:

Achieving ISO 27001 certification can help your organization get an unbiased assessment of how secure they are.

It can also ensure that your organization has put enough security measures by considering a few factors like how aware your organization is of threats and weaknesses, how you train your staff(s) to stop cyberattacks, and how you plan for emergencies.

10.Improve the business process and strategies:

Implementing the ISO 27001 standard in your business process can make it easier for you to test your current processes alongside strategies that can further help you improve them.

11.Increase confidence among consumers:

Getting your organization ISO 27001 certified ensures that you take serious measures to protect sensitive business and customer data, which can further increase confidence among consumers and offer you a competitive advantage over others.

Bottom line

Can’t decide how implementing the latest ISO 27001 ISMS standard in your business helps you? Well, there are many ISO 27001 certification benefits besides protecting your organization’s data. We hope this blog can help you to understand that.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) certifications are a testament to companies demonstrating their commitments to quality, excellence, and adherence to internationally known standards such as ISO 14001. Obtaining an ISO 14001 certification shows that your business cares for the planet and takes serious measures to reduce your carbon footprint. However, to maintain the relevance and validity of the ISO 14001 certification, regular audits are a must. The ISO 14001 audit frequency is a crucial aspect of the compliance strategy of an organization.

Let’s learn more about the frequency of the ISO 14001 standard audit in the following blog post.

What is the ISO 14001 standard?

ISO 14001 is an internationally known standard for EMS (Environmental Management Process).

Implementing the ISO 14001 standard in your business process provides you with a framework to design and implement EMS and improve your brand’s environmental performance continually.

Having ISO 14001 in place can help your organization to improve its environmental performance through the reduction of waste and responsible and more efficient use of resources, which, on the other hand, can benefit you with a competitive advantage and increase stakeholders’ trust.

Almost any organization, regardless of location, sector, or size, can benefit from getting ISO 14001 certified.

What is the frequency of the ISO 14001 standard audit process?

The ISO 14001 certification process requires organizations to complete a two-part audit process successfully to implement the ISO 14001 standard within the process.

However, it isn’t the end!

After completing the initial certification audit, businesses must also complete yearly surveillance audits along with a recertification audit every three years to maintain the ISO 14001 certification.

They are as follows:

1.ISO 14001 Audits for the Initial Certification

An organization undergoes this ISO 14001 audit process when it seeks the ISO 14001 certification for the first time.

This audit process includes a comprehensive evaluation process assessing whether the business’s management system meets the ISO 14001 requirements or not.

Upon successful completion, the organization receives its initial certification.

2.ISO 14001 Audits for Initial Surveillance

Following the initial ISO 14001 certification audit process, the organization enters the surveillance audit cycle.

These audits are periodic and conducted at defined intervals (normally annually) to ensure that the organization’s EMS is effective and continuing compliance.

Alongside that, the surveillance audits also verify that the organizational procedures are aligned with the ISO 14001 standard consistently.

3.ISO 14001 Audits for Annual Surveillance

The annual surveillance audits are the cornerstone of maintaining the ISO 14001 certification.

Accredited certification bodies conduct these annual surveillance audits to evaluate the ongoing compliance of the organization.

These audits also serve as a snapshot assessment of the business’s EMS, showing whether it continues to meet the ISO 14001 requirements.

The frequency of these audits offers a structured approach to ensure compliance allowing brands to identify and address any areas for further improvement in a timely manner.

4.Special ISO 14001 Audits in Response to Significant Changes

Besides the annual surveillance audits, organizations may also undergo special audits in response to significant changes (if any) within the business process.

These changes can be anything, including the following:

• Mergers

• Significant alterations to systems or procedures

• Expansions

• Acquisitions

Conducting these special ISO 14001 audits helps organizations to ensure that their EMS remains aligned with the ISO 14001 standard and effective even when facing substantial organizational changes.

5.ISO 14001 Audits for Recertification

Like other ISO certifications, the ISO 14001 certification also comes with a defined validity period, usually for three years.

To renew the ISO 14001 certification after this period, organizations undergo a re-certification ISO 14001 audit process.

This audit process is similar to the initial ISO certification audit process in terms of scope and rigor to evaluate whether the EMS is complying with the ISO 14001 requirements or not.

The ISO 14001 re-certification audit acts as a comprehensive assessment to confirm the organizations’ commitment to maintain compliance over an extended period.

Successful completion of this audit results in the renewal of the ISO 14001 certification.

6.ISO 14001 Audits for Continual Improvement

Even though they are not formally ISO 14001 audits, the ISO 14001 continual improvement audits should be conducted internally within the organization.

These audits are necessary for the ISO 14001 certification process, emphasizing the principles of continual improvement inherent in the ISO 14001 standard.

The ISO 14001 continual improvement audits help companies identify opportunities to enhance their EMS and ensure that it remains dynamic and adaptable to transforming business needs and environments.

How to find the right third-party ISO 14001 audit specialists for your organization?

Considering the following can help you find the right one:

• Expertise and reputation

• Knowledge of the ISO 14001 standard

• Understanding of the ISO 14001 requirements

• Client testimonials and portfolios on ISO 14001

• Estimated budget and timeline for the ISO 14001 certification process

Take away

Obtaining an ISO 14001 certification is indeed an important and responsible task. However, the responsibilities don’t end just there after getting your company ISO 14001 certified. Maintaining your ISO 14001 certification needs a structured approach to audits. We hope this blog post helps you understand the ISO 14001 audit frequency and when you should conduct them.

Are you wondering what will be the right way to improve your business process? Well, obtaining an ISO 9001 certification may help you. The ISO 9001 standard is globally acknowledged for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing the ISO 9001 standard in your business procedure shows that all the services and products your business delivers are safe and high-quality, meeting customer demands. Getting your organization ISO 9001 certified can benefit it in numerous ways. But how long to get ISO 9001 certification?

Well, if you’re considering leveraging the full benefits of the ISO 9001 certification, you may think about how long it needs to achieve and maintain it. Many businesses fail to achieve the ISO 9001 certification because they fear the process might be longer than they expect. Though the process for obtaining an ISO 9001 certification involves lengthy consultations, they all depend on your business process.

Want to know more about how long it’ll take for your organization to get ISO 9001 certified and if you can shorten the period? Let’s dive into the following blog post and learn more.

What are the factors determining the length of the ISO 9001 certification process?

Getting your organization ISO 9001 certified depends on numerous things.

The biggest one among them is how your organization is preparing for the audit process.

Obtaining an ISO 9001 certification involves different components, including building your QMS, implementing that across your organizational levels, and documenting everything about that.

Many organizations wonder about how long it takes to complete the entire process.

Well, it’d depend on lots of factors, including the following ones:

1.Your current QMS

To understand the status of your organization when implementing the ISO 9001 standard in your business, measure your company’s QMS against the ISO 9001 standard by conducting a “GAP ANALYSIS.”

It’s an audit performed to check what parts of the ISO 9001 standard your organization is already complying with and where the shortcomings are.

It can further help you plan the timeline for your ISO 9001 implementation project.

2.QMS scope complexities

The more complex your business’s QMS scope is, the more time it would take to implement the ISO 9001 standard.

Since the ISO 9001 standard is engineered to be implemented in every organization regardless of their types and sizes, there’s a possibility that not all parts of the standard apply to your organization and can be excluded (with a proper justification) during the implementation process.

If this is the scenario, it can eventually reduce the ISO 9001 certification time.

Alongside that, documentation is another factor.

If the paperwork for your brand is larger and more complex, it can make the ISO 9001 certification process lengthier.

3.Number of sites

The number of locations your organization has can also affect the time of ISO 9001 certification.

The more locations, the more time it’d take.

However, you can decide what locations to include in your QMS scope, but ensure not to exclude something just because you can do it.

You must carefully check the integrity of the management system beforehand.

4.Internal resources

Internal resources are also a big factor affecting the ISO 9001 certification time for organizations.

It includes the time your personnel can dedicate to specific tasks and projects surrounding your QMS.

If you can determine what internal resources you’ve got to implement the ISO 9001 standard in your organization, it’d give you a better idea of the estimated timeline for the process.

Employee training will also be beneficial to get the employee familiar with the ISO 9001 standard.

5.Assistance and tools

Looking for specific tools and assistance can also help you make the ISO 9001 certification process more effective and efficient.

A professionally documented and designed ISO 9001 QMS can save you lots of time that you might have to spend designing your QMS through several trials and documenting the system.

6.Availability of the registrar

Lastly, the availability of the registrar can also affect the time of the ISO 9001 certification process for your organization.

Usually, a certification body requires about 3 months of documentation to evaluate whether the QMS is running sufficiently or not.

Can you get your organization ISO 9001 certified within a short time?

Most companies wonder if they can shorten the estimated timeline for their ISO 9001 certification process.

Well, the short answer is, YES, YOU CAN.

However, you must meet the following conditions to speed up the ISO 9001 certification process for your organization:

1.Your business procedures must be relatively straightforward, not excessively complicated, as complex procedures take more time to implement the ISO 9001 standard.

2.The smaller the business, the less time it would take to implement the ISO 9001 standard.

3.Providing unrestricted access to all your personnel by allowing them to walk around the organization, develop, review, and implement the QMS without any interruptions and/or delays can also speed up the ISO 9001 implementation process.

4.Ensuring that the senior management team of your organization is totally committed to quality management, customer focus, obtaining the ISO 9001 certification, and continual improvement of the business process.

5.If the business is currently operating only from one location, it won’t take much longer to obtain the ISO 9001 certification. But if it has more than one operating location, it’ll take time to get ISO 9001 certified.

6.Conducting the ISO 9001 stage 1 and stage 2 audit processes consecutively can also reduce the time of the ISO 9001 certification process. However, to do this, the auditor must be confident in the QMS design of the company and ensure that it meets the latest ISO 9001 requirements without non-conformances.

7.Ensuring that your employees respond on time to any requests for information the ISO 9001 auditor may have, including the review and approval of documentation and updating applicable documentation with information specific to employee training or equipment tests.

8.If the certification body has an auditor available at short notice to conduct a certification body audit for the ISO 9001 QMS to check compliance, then it’ll be faster for you to obtain the certification.

9.Lastly, if your ISO 9001 auditor is ready to work after hours or on the weekends to review documentation, internal audits, and review meetings, then it’d be faster for your business to obtain the ISO 9001 certification. However, working without rest can also lead to errors!

Take away

Are you wondering what would be the right way to improve your business process? Well, getting your organization ISO 9001 certified by passing the ISO 9001 audit process may help you. The ISO 9001 certification can also benefit your organization in numerous ways. However, you should also consider how long to get ISO 9001 certification and the factors that might affect the estimated period for the ISO 9001 certification process for your organization. We hope this blog post can help you understand that.

Are you wondering what would be the best way to improve your processes and gain a competitive edge? Well, obtaining the ISO 9001 certification by passing the ISO 9001 audit process may help you. The ISO 9001 standard is internationally recognized for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Having ISO 9001 in place shows that all the products and services you deliver are high-quality and safe, meeting customer needs. However, you must go through three ISO 9001 audit procedures to get your organization ISO 9001 certified. So, what are the three types of audits in ISO 9001?

Let’s dive into the following blog post to learn more about the ISO 9001 standard audit process.

How do organizations conduct an ISO 9001 audit process?

Audits are the key component for getting your organization certified with the ISO 9001 standard.

There are 3 ways organizations conduct the ISO 9001 audit process.

The following are them:

A.On-Site ISO 9001 Audit Process

• This audit process is conducted in full days.

• The estimated number of days needed for conducting the on-site ISO 9001 audit depends on numerous factors, including the size and nature of your organization, the complexity of the QMS, and potential quality management risks.

B.Self ISO 9001 Audit Process

• This type of audit process isn’t always referred to as “internal audits.”

• Conducting this audit may eliminate the need to use the organizational resources while still offering assurance that they’re complying with the ISO 9001 requirements.

C.Remote ISO 9001 Audit Process

• This type of audit process can be conducted through teleconferencing, web meetings, or electronic verification procedures.

• This audit is significantly less common and typically not as effective as on-site ISO 9001 audits.

So, what is the ISO 9001 audit process and what should you know about it?

There are three main categories of ISO 9001 audits:

1.Internal ISO 9001 Audit Process

Internal ISO 9001 audits are performed by the organization and are a self-examination of the QMS of the organization, conducted on-site.

There are lots of benefits to conducting an internal audit for the ISO 9001 standard. One of them is helping your organization prepare for the external ISO 9001 audit process.

However, you must ensure that the internal auditor is independent of the things that are being audited to be sure about the result objectives.

Experts suggest having more than one internal auditor to ensure that no one is auditing the areas of his/her responsibilities.

Internal audits are a key ISO 9001 requirement and critical to the success of your organizational QMS.

Internal ISO 9001 audits are a must to evaluate the effectiveness of the QMS, assess conformity to the ISO 9001 requirements, and identify areas for improvement.

When performing an internal ISO 9001 audit, you must compare your QMS to the requirements of the ISO 9001 standard and evaluate if there are any non-conformities.

It’ll allow your organization to correct the QMS and ensure that your organization will meet the ISO 9001 requirements for the external ISO 9001 auditor and allow for the ISO 9001 certification.

2.External ISO 9001 Audit Process

The external ISO 9001 audit process includes the following:

• Customers

• Surveillance

• Supplier

• Certification

The “customer audit” is all about when one or more existing potential customers audit your brand to ensure that you can and/or are meeting their requirements.

If an existing supplier is auditing your organization for the same, it’ll be known as the “supplier audit.”

Suppliers audit can also be one of those methods utilized by organizations to comply with the latest ISO 9001 requirements “around control of external providers” (as per Clause 8.4 of ISO 9001).

3.ISO 9001 Certification Audit Process

The ISO 9001 certification audit will be conducted by your selected registrar to check whether your organization complies with all the ISO 9001 standard requirements before issuing the official ISO 9001 certification to your organization.

The ISO 9001 certification audit is broken down into 2 stages.

The ISO 9001 stage 1 audit is conducted to determine if the organization is ready for the ISO 9001 stage 2 audit process.

The process is often conducted remotely to save the additional costs on travel.

If the auditor confirms that your organization meets the minimum criteria for the ISO 9001 stage 1 audit process, then you’ll proceed with the ISO 9001 stage 2 audit process.

The ISO 9001 stage 2 audit is always conducted on-site.

During this audit process, the auditor will interview the employees and review the documented information (records, procedures, etc.) provided by the organization to ensure that you meet all the ISO 9001 standard requirements.

After getting your organization certified with the ISO 9001 standard, the registrar will occasionally check up on the QMS using “surveillance audits” to confirm that the organization is still upholding its QMS and the ISO 9001 standard requirements.

“Surveillance Audits” are mostly like “Certification Audits,” except for the factor of issuing or re-issuing the ISO 9001 certification.

These surveillance audits are conducted by the registrar typically once a year.

How to find the right third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm for your organization?

ISO 9001 has been a common differentiator among businesses.

Obtaining an ISO 9001 certification sets businesses apart from the market competition.

So, there is a constant demand for getting organizations ISO 9001 certified these days.

Thus, you may find lots of third-party ISO 9001 auditing firms across the country.

However, let us tell you that not all of them are similar, even though they offer similar services.

Hence, you must consider the following factors when looking for a third-party ISO 9001 auditing firm for your organization:

• Check the expertise and reputation of the third-party firm.

• Ask about how much they know about the latest ISO 9001 standard.

• Check the ISO certifications of the team and the qualification of the third-party auditors.

• Ensure that the team is well aware of the latest ISO 9001 requirements and guidelines.

• Check the testimonials from former and present customers on ISO 9001 implementation.

• Ask them about the customer portfolio and referrals on the ISO 9001 certification process.

• Enquire about the estimated budget and timeline for the ISO 9001 certification process.

Take away

Can you not understand how to improve your business process and gain a competitive advantage? Well, before spending all your money on promoting your business, think of obtaining an ISO 9001 certification for your organization. Having ISO 9001 in place shows that all products and services your organization delivers are safe and high-quality, meeting all the customer requirements. And, for that, you must pass the ISO 9001 audit process and understand what are the three types of audits in ISO 9001. Passing all these ISO 9001 audit processes is a must for organizations to get ISO 9001 certified. We hope this blog post can help you understand everything about the three types of audit processes for obtaining the ISO 9001 certification.

Are you planning to improve your business process and get more customers for your brand? Well, there are many ways to do so. You can provide lots of discounts and loyalty points to attract more customers to your brand. Promoting your brand through social media also works. However, have you ever thought of obtaining an ISO 14001 certification? ISO 14001 is a globally known standard for EMS (Environmental Management Systems). Implementing ISO 14001 in the business process shows that your brand cares for the planet and reduces the environmental impact of your brand. But why ISO 14001 is important for running a business?

The amount of interest in the ISO 14001 standard and EMS certifications continues to grow over time. And why shouldn’t it? The ISO 14001 standard provides a set of frameworks for organizations to implement sustainable practices and maintain them properly. Every business owner knows about sustainable practices not only because they’re a good thing but also because they can contribute to their brand reputation, employee engagement, and ultimately, to your business sales. Yes, that’s right! If implemented correctly, the ISO 14001 standard can improve your overall business process and improve your bottom-line numbers.

Do you want to know more about implementing the ISO 14001 standard in your business process? Let’s dive into the following blog post to learn more about the importance of obtaining the latest ISO 14001 certification for running a business.

How can getting your organization ISO 14001 certified help you with running your business?

Most businesses wonder whether getting their organizations ISO 14001 certified is necessary or not.

Well, obtaining an ISO 14001 certification isn’t a compulsory requirement to run a business in any country. However, ISO 14001 in place can help your organization in numerous ways.

The following are the top 10 of them:

1. Improving resource efficiency

Implementing the ISO 14001 standard in your business process can encourage your organization to reduce the consumption of resources such as water and energy.

It, on the other hand, can help you save lots of money and reduce your brand’s carbon footprint.

Part of it can also ensure that your organization has an efficient system to manage the EMS in one place so people can use it.

2. Enhancing brand reputation

Getting your organization ISO 14001 certified demonstrates that you commit to sustainability.

Hence, it enhances your brand reputation among your customers, employees, and stakeholders.

Alongside that, maintaining a more environmental approach, including lowering your noise levels, pollution, and resource consumption can also improve your relationship with your neighboring companies or office buildings.

3. Lowering the environmental impact

One of the most important reasons to invest in the ISO 14001 certification is that it can help your organization reduce its environmental impacts by identifying areas for emissions and waste and creating rigorous plans to minimize or mitigate them.

Tracing the CO₂ impact of your organization by recording how often you use them.

You can do it just by recording the run hours of the pump or other equipment(s) and the km your business’s delivery truck has traveled during business hours.

It can help you understand the CO₂ impact on your business and focus on the energy reduction program, which can further improve your bottom line.

4. Increasing employee engagement

Do you know that by reducing your organization’s environmental impacts, you also are allowing your team to research more environment-friendly options and activities?

Well, it, on the other hand, can increase your employee engagement.

Involving your employees in the implementation and management of the ISO 14001 standard can also increase their motivation and make your work environment look more positive.

5. Reducing waste production and increasing business efficiency

Implementing ISO 14001 in your process can help you identify areas of business inefficiencies and waste.

It, on the other hand, can help you streamline the procedures, improve overall efficiency, and reduce costs.

6. Gaining a competitive advantage over your competitors

ISO 14001 certified organizations can differentiate themselves from organizations that aren’t ISO 14001 certified.

It can help you gain a competitive advantage over your competitors and help you attract potential customers to increase sales.

Getting ISO 14001 certified may not allow you to charge more, but it can definitely help you land more projects, especially with government agencies and international customers.

7. Ensuring continual improvement

One of the major ISO 14001 requirements for organizations is to monitor their EMS performance and improve it continuously.

Doing so can help your company ensure that you’re always striving for efficiency and sustainability.

8. Complying with the latest environmental regulations

Implementing ISO 14001 in your organization can help you ensure that your procedures comply with the latest environmental regulations, which, on the other hand, can reduce your chances of getting penalties and fines.

You can use numerous tools to do so by listing the EMS requirements for your business, recording the environmental incidents (if any) and how you managed them, and understanding the potential EMS risks and procedures to avoid or mitigate them.

9. Identifying and addressing potential EMS risks beforehand

Having ISO 14001 in place can help you identify, address, and mitigate potential environmental risks.

It can further help you reduce the likelihood of various environmental incidents that could affect your business reputation negatively and result in expensive penalties.

Identifying these risks before they occur can help you develop rigorous plans to minimize or rid them, so you don’t have to go through any sort of expensive dangers.

10. Improving the supply chain management

Lastly, implementing ISO 14001 in your business process can help you manage your supply chain more effectively.

It can further help you ensure that all your business partners and suppliers are also committed to practicing sustainability alongside your organization.

It, on the other hand, can increase your customer satisfaction rate and increase your bottom-line numbers.

How to find the right third-party ISO 14001 specialists for your organization?

The ISO 14001 certification has become a common ISO certification for organizations.

So, you’ll find numerous third-party ISO 14001 auditing firms nationwide.

However, not all of them are the same.

Hence, you must check a few points before hiring someone.

Consider the following factors when looking for one:

• Expertise and reputation of the third-party ISO 14001 auditing team.

• Understanding of the ISO 14001 standard and its implementation.

• Knowledge of the latest ISO 14001 requirements and guidelines.

• Client testimonials and portfolio on ISO 14001 implementation.

• Estimated budget and timeline for the ISO 14001 certification process.

• ISO certifications and qualifications of the third-party ISO 14001 auditors.

Take away

Are you wondering what would be the best way to improve your business process and gain more customers? Offering loyalty points and numerous discounts will indeed work, but they can’t bring any long-term benefits, while implementing the latest ISO 14001 standard in your business would be an excellent way to bring those benefits. We hope this blog post can help you understand why is ISO 14001 important for running a business.

Corruption and bribery have become some of the most common problems in the business world these days. Besides hindering employee productivity, workplace bribery incidents can also be the reason behind the failure of a brand. However, obtaining an ISO 37001 certification may help you. But what is the ISO 37001 standard? Well, the ISO 37001 standard is globally recognized for ABMS (Anti-Bribery Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your organization shows that you take serious measures to keep your company away from corruption and bribery-related matters.

The ISO 37001 standard outlines several processes and policies on anti-bribery for organizations to help them detect and avoid workplace bribery as well as deal with it when takes place. Besides that, it also defines the steps companies should take to prevent workplace bribery while checking and addressing any instances of the practices.

The ISO 37001 criteria validate that a business has taken proper bribery prevention procedures, including training, financial & commercial controls, top-level leadership, bribery risk assessment, investigation, the sufficiency of due diligence, audit, and reporting.

Obtaining an ISO 37001 certification comes with a set of standards that organizations must follow for managing their anti-bribery systems and keeping corruption away.

Let’s dive into the blog to learn more about ISO 37001 and how it works in organizations.

What is the importance of ISO 37001 certification for ABMS?

They are as follows:

1. Achieving an ISO 37001 certification helps organizations ensure transparency by keeping all stakeholders informed of your organization’s stand on bribery and ethical business practices.

2. Implementing the ISO 37001 standard in the business promotes ethical business practices.

3. Obtaining an ISO 37001 certification helps organizations to sustain and take action against workplace bribery and corruption to protect the business from losing customers and goodwill.

4. The ISO 37001 certification acts as a hallmark of trust and quality services by making your organization comply with the legal regulations. ISO 37001-certified companies show more reliability and trust with potential customers and business partners.

5. Organizations pursuing an ISO 37001 ABMS certification refuse to pay any bribes and thus, save money by not dealing with expensive courses.

6. Having ISO 37001 in place provides a framework to identify, control, and address potential threats that can affect the company’s reputation for an effective and efficient ISO 37001 ABMS.

What are the principles of the ISO 37001 certification?

They are as follows:

1. Process Approach to understand and execute activities to increase delivery efficiency by understanding the capabilities of the company and determining the resource constraints before taking any action.

2. Customer Focus to improve the betterment of the customers and interested parties. It can also help companies sustain customers, ensure communication on their requirements by monitoring across the organizational levels, and increase customer base.

3. Improvement to maintain the brand’s current performance level and keep on developing it through proper training to employees and letting them know how everything happens with that track besides reviewing and audit planning, recognition and acknowledgment, and implementation, which can lead to improved process performance.

4. Leadership achieves quality objectives by establishing a unity of purpose that aligns their policies, resources, strategies, and procedures. It will then result in better coordination of your organization’s processes to develop a culture of integrity and trust, providing staff(s) with the required training, resources, and authority to act with accountability.

5. Relationship Management to achieve a well-managed supply chain by managing relations with relevant interested parties, including the providers. It won’t only provide you with a stable flow of products and services but also decide the relationship with the interested parties.

6. People Engagement to involve people efficiency across all levels by communicating with your staff(s) about their needs within the organization, recognizing people’s contributions, learning, and improvement, and sharing knowledge and experience.

7. Evidence-Based Decision-Making to make decisions by evaluating data and learning from previous mistakes to bring better efficient solutions.

How to find the right third-party ISO 37001 experts for your organization?

There are many third-party ISO auditing firms nationwide.

However, they are not the same, even though they offer similar services across the country.

Then how can you find the right one to implement ISO 37001 in your organization?

Well, consider the following factors when you are looking for a third-party ISO 37001 auditor:

1. Check the expertise and reputation of the team beforehand.

2. Ask the team about their understanding of the ISO 37001 standard.

3. Test the knowledge of the team on the latest ISO 37001 requirements and guidelines.

4. Ask about the estimated cost and timeline for the ISO 37001 implementation process.

5. Look for client testimonials and portfolios on the ISO 37001 certification process.

6. Check the ISO certifications of the third-party ISO 37001 auditing firm.

7. Ensure that the third-party ISO 37001 auditors are educated with valid certificates.

Take away

Bribery has become one of the biggest challenges in the world these days. Hence, implementing the ISO 37001 standard has become a necessary practice for organizations. We hope this blog can help you understand what is the ISO 37001 standard and how it works in organizations.

Are you planning to improve the quality of your business process? Well, achieving the latest ISO 9001 certification can help you with it. ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your business process shows that all the products and services you offer are safe and high-quality, meeting customer demands. But to pass the ISO 9001 audit process, you’ll need a third-party auditing team to help you with the audit plan for ISO 9001.

Want more info about it? Let’s dive into the below blog post to learn more about ISO 9001 audit plans.

What is the ISO 9001 audit plan?

The ISO 9001 audit plan is a document that outlines the resources, timing, and scopes needed for the audit process.

Alongside that, the document also defines the activities that need to be completed as a part of the ISO 9001 audit process.

One can build the audit plan from scratch. But you can also create one by adapting the existing strategy of another similar company.

This audit plan for ISO 9001 standards can help you verify if all the systems of your organization are up-to-date and comply with all the ISO 9001 requirements or not.

The ISO 9001 audit plan of your business must be developed with input from all the organizational stakeholders including the auditors, stakeholders, management, and other staff(s) who might be involved in the ISO 9001 audit process.

Why develop an audit plan to implement the ISO 9001 standard in your business?

An ISO 9001 audit plan is a crucial document to implement the ISO quality management standard in your business process.

It acts as a systematic approach to examine if the organization complies with the latest regulatory QMS requirements.

Developing an audit plan to implement the ISO 9001 standard in your business also comes with the following benefits:

1.It can help you lower the number of errors because of a better audit process and potential QMS threats with prior identification.

2.Having an ISO 9001 audit plan can help you prevent misunderstandings with employees or customers by establishing clear expectations of what will take place during the ISO 9001 audit process.

3.The management can use the ISO 9001 audit plan as a benchmark to assess vulnerabilities and risks of the organizational processes. The audit plan can also provide an overview of the level of risks your organization is dealing with. It can also help your ISO 9001 auditors check if you’re applying the appropriate controls to minimize the potential QMS risks.

4.It also minimizes the time spent on reading documents during the ISO 9001 audit process by clarifying the audit process to everyone involved in the ISO 9001:2015 audit process.

5.Having an audit plan for the ISO 9001 certification can help you boost organizational productivity by streamlining the processes in the audit plan.

6.It can also help you organize the ISO 9001 QMS audit process in a well-defined manner by defining the scope of the ISO 9001 audit process alongside who’ll do the audit, what’ll be audited, and how long it’ll take to complete the audit process. Preparing these before starting the ISO 9001 audit process can confirm that all aspects of the audit processes are planned for and well taken care of.

Should you DIY your company’s ISO 9001 audit plan or outsource it?

There are a lot of reasons why hiring professionals for developing the ISO 9001 audit plan may be ideal for you.

While some companies also consider doing it themselves.

Here are some considerations:

1.Domain knowledge:

Most organizations opt for one of the internal staff(s) to conduct the ISO 9001 audit process, as they will have both the understanding of organization procedures and the domain knowledge.

Alongside that, internal employees would also feel more passionate about planning the ISO 9001 audit plan with their understanding of the business.

However, the audit insights would be biased to the organization and missing loopholes, even if there are any.

Well, hiring a third-party auditor can help you develop the ISO 9001 audit plan and prevent these from happening.

2.Quality:

Having any of your internal staff(s) develop the ISO 9001 audit plan can look and feel easy because of their understanding of the business.

However, hiring a professional third-party auditing team to plan the ISO 9001 audit can help you conduct various types of audits, which can further lead to better decision-making to achieve higher-quality audit standards.

3.Costs:

Costs are a significant factor in most companies thinking of having internal staff(s) to develop the ISO 9001 plan.

But no employees are permanent in an organization. Thus, spending money to train them would be a waste, while hiring a professional third-party ISO 9001 auditing team can offer you discounts for long-term contracts.

Also, ISO 9001 audit planning should be a contract-basis task rather than a regular basis task.

Hence, outsourcing your ISO 9001:2015 auditing tasks to a professional third-party ISO 9001 audit specialist would be more beneficial than doing it yourself.

Bottom line

Are you planning to get your company ISO 9001 certified? Before you start preparing your brand, develop an audit plan for ISO 9001 certifications. We hope this blog post can help you understand that.

 

Most people tend to think that ISO 9001 certification is only required by large companies. If you’re also one of them, then let us tell you that any company regardless of their size can benefit from ISO 9001:2015. Even if you run a small interior design firm across an alley, utilizing ISO 9001 for small businesses can help you in many ways.

ISO 9001:2015 is the internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems). Implementing this ISO standard in your organization shows that you’re committed to the quality of your procedures and continual improvement. Aside from that, getting your company ISO 9001 certified can also help you enhance customer satisfaction while reducing costs and improving the company’s productivity.

But how can obtaining an ISO 9001 certification help your small interior design firm? Let’s discuss that in the following blog post.

Why should you consider getting your small interior design firm ISO 9001 certified?

As per data, there’re over 1 million organizations in over 171 countries across the world certified to ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard.

It comes with a strong customer focus, implication of top management, motivation, the process approach, and continuous improvement.

As an owner of a small interior design firm, getting your organization ISO 9001 certified can help you in many ways, including the following:

1.Making your organizational processes more structured:

One of the main benefits of implementing ISO 9001 in your small business is that it can offer your business operations a solid structure to enhance the effectiveness of the way your interior design firm works.

It can also help you make the system robust to teach innovative techniques to senior management and increase employee productivity by emphasizing good leadership, engagement, and relationships across the board.

2.Transforming your business procedures to be more cost-effective:

Implementing ISO 9001 in your small business model can help you improve the quality of the products and services you offer. And, doing so can help you cut down the costs as well as increase the profit margins to satisfy your customers and secure new deals.

3.Minimizing potential QMS risks in your interior design firm:

Nothing can be more devastating than QMS risks and dangerous slip-ups for small businesses, as they tend to have more to lose than larger enterprises.

Well, implementing ISO 9001 in your small interior design firm can help you identify the potential risks unique to your business through various risk assessments using risk-based thinking.

4.Improving your supply chain and maintaining a better relationship:

Getting your organization ISO 9001 certified isn’t only about employees but also making the best of your supply chain. And you can do that through regular surveys and feedback.

It, on the other hand, shows that you and all the people you work with comply with the latest ISO 9001 regulations to improve your industry and relationship with all the suppliers and vendors.

5.Offering your organization a competitive edge:

Being ISO 9001 certified can act as an international mark of quality on the name of your interior design firm, showcasing that you’re committed to best practice QMS and continual improvement.

It can give opportunities for your small interior design business to prove that industry leaders can come in all shapes and sizes.

6.Increasing the customer satisfaction level:

One of the basic goals for ISO 9001 QMS is improving the quality of products and services that can further go to your customers. It can further offer a positive impact and a good reputation for the brand.

Alongside that, ISO 9001:2015 focuses on continual improvement by continuously improving the products, processes, and procedures, which, on the other hand, can boost the customer satisfaction level directly.

7.Guaranteeing quality products and services consistently:

Implementing ISO 9001 standards in your small interior design business process can also help you bring consistency of quality to your products as well as services.

Consistency in product quality can also help you rise to higher levels and compete even with the large competitors in the interior design industry.

8.Unlocking new opportunities and achievements for your organization:

ISO 9001 is a globally recognized QMS standard. Thus, getting your small interior design firm ISO 9001 certified allows you to create valuable relationships with various international companies.

Obtaining the ISO 9001:2015 certification can furthermore open new markets, as most countries check and acknowledge the certification as a “sign of quality”.

Alongside all these, being ISO 9001 certified can also boost your business reputation, which can further help you improve customer experience and retain existing customers for your business.

Bottom line

ISO 9001:2015 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS but often misunderstood that only large companies can benefit from it. But, let us tell you that it isn’t true. If you think that ISO 9001 only helps large companies, then let us tell you that ISO 9001 for small businesses is equally important as well as ISO 9001 for large brands. It comes with many benefits for small businesses like interior design firms, etc. We hope this blog can help you understand that.

ISO certifications are expensive and time-consuming, but it shouldn’t be that way. Most business owners worry about ISO 9001 certification cost and time whenever they think of getting their organizations ISO 9001 certified.

Well, you aren’t alone!

Everyone wants to get ISO certified and improve their business processes at a discounted rate. But, before you think of how to reduce the costs for ISO 9001, you must know the facts that make the costs vary between businesses.

Let’s discuss that in the following blog post.

What is ISO 9001?

ISO 9001 is an internationally recognized standard for QMS (Quality Management Systems).

Implementing this ISO standard in your business process shows that all the products and services you deliver are high-quality, meeting all your customer demands.

Alongside that, ISO 9001 also promotes a culture of continual improvement in organizations.

How does the cost for ISO 9001:2015 certification vary from company to company?

When it comes to implementing ISO 9001 in your business, you must know that the cost and time vary significantly based on various things.

The following are some of the factors that may affect the cost of your business’s ISO 9001:2015 certification:

1.The size of the organization plays a crucial role in the cost and time of implementing ISO 9001 in business processes. If your company is large, it may have more stakeholders than small companies. Hence, it’ll take more time and cost to implement and develop the QMS.

2.The scope of the products and services delivered by the company also plays a significant role in determining the time and cost of the ISO 9001:2015 certification process. The larger the scope, the longer and costlier the process will be.

3.The availability of key personnel to provide input in ISO 9001 implementation also plays a crucial role. Unavailability of them will delay the process and make it costlier.

4.Most organizations may almost be there already, while some are just getting started. Depending on this, the ISO 9001 implementation process can be expensive and prolonged.

5.The commitment of senior management of organizations is also vital behind the time and cost of the latest ISO 9001:2015 certification process. If the culture of quality and continuous improvement doesn’t come from the top, it’ll eventually delay the process and make it more expensive.

Is there any way to reduce the costs of getting your organization ISO 9001 certified?

In the above, we’ve seen how the cost and time for implementing ISO 9001 varies from company to company.

But the question remains unclear!

Can you reduce the cost of implementing the ISO 9001 standard in your business process?

Well, YES, you can.

The following are some tips to lower your business’s cost for ISO 9001 implementation:

1.Internally conduct a gap analysis:

Gap analysis is the first step to implement any management system let alone the QMS.

To do so, you can hire an ISO expert to help you. Or, you can do it internally.

If you want a cost-effective way to implement ISO 9001 QMS in your business, doing it internally would be ideal.

There are many websites where you can find the checklists for ISO 9001 requirements. Following them can help you.

2.Train your employees:

Hiring an external ISO auditing firm would be the easiest way to comply with the ISO 9001:2015 requirements and complete all your documentation.

But yes, they’d cost you a lot.

Skipping this by training your employees with the knowledge of the ISO 9001 standards can save you a lot of money.

Having an in-house team with the latest ISO 9001:2015 certification knowledge can also confirm a more sustainable ISO implementation.

3.Use existing resources of your organization:

Did you know that most organizations already have the systems and procedures they’ll need for implementing ISO 9001?

Well, it’s true.

All you’ll have to do is identify them and utilize them effectively.

It, on the other hand, will also reduce the costs for your brand’s ISO 9001 certification significantly.

4.See ISO 9001 as an improvement tool not a mere certification:

If you see the need for implementing ISO 9001:2015 in your process as a requirement, it’ll always look expensive in your eyes.

Thus, you should see it as an opportunity for improvement.

The ISO 9001 standard is engineered for businesses, regardless of the size and niche, to improve their procedures and increase their efficiency, which will further increase your sales and customer satisfaction.

5.Measure the outcomes regularly:

Lastly, measuring the outcomes of implementing ISO 9001 in your business is essential to reduce further costs associated with the certification process.

By measuring the progress, you can easily identify areas that need improvement.

It can also give you an insight into areas where you can make more cost-effective adjustments.

Conclusion

When it comes to getting organizations ISO 9001 certified, most business owners worry about the ISO 9001 certification cost and time. Many assume that the ISO certification process is expensive, but there are a lot of ways you can reduce the cost of implementing ISO 9001:2015 in your organization. However, the quality of work may not be as professional as it could be with ISO experts.