ISO Certification Consulting

ISO (International Standards Organization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies comprising 140 members, one in each country. ISO aims to promote the development of standardised and connected actions in the world to facilitate the international trade of goods and services. ISO was conceived to formulate standards in technology, quality, and scientific procedures. ISO certification is ideal for all businesses. The purpose of obtaining ISO certification is to improve and standardise technology, quality, compliance, etc.

Difference Between ISO and IS Certification

The ISO stands for International Organization for Standardisation, while the term IS is used for Indian Standard. The ISO drafts standards globally with the assistance of experts from multiple countries. Indian Standards are made by the Bureau of Indian Standards (National Standards Body of India), also known as BIS. BIS adopts International Standards published by the ISO as it is or sometimes with minor changes to implement in India. Such Standards use the same number as the international counterpart, but the prefix id changed from ISO to IS/ISO. But still, the standards are majorly known as ISO and the respective number.

Who Issues ISO Certification?

ISO, the International Organization for Standardization, makes standards but does not provide certification. To provide certification, some third-party certification bodies operate as per the standards provided by the ISO. These Certification Bodies assess the applicant before granting them ISO Certification. Such Assessment shall also be done as per ISO Standards. For this purpose, there is CASCO which means Committee for Conformity Assessment. This committee makes standards for conformity assessment and updates them to meet contemporary standards. In India, there are BIS and some other private certification bodies that provide ISO Registration after due inspection of the standards being practised. If you are obtaining ISO Certification from a private certification body, ensure it is an ISO-accredited certification body for better credibility.

ISO Certification provides various benefits to businesses. Some major benefits are as follows-

• Better business practices are implemented to comply with the requirements as described in the ISO Standard.
• Customer satisfaction is met by providing the global level best quality in various sectors, boosting customer acquisition rates.
• Improved internal processes improve the efficiency of the staff.
• Efficient energy management results in better environmental health by decreasing GHG emissions.
• Compliance with an International Standard gains the trust of stakeholders and customers.
• Better and safer working conditions are maintained in the organisation to meet the ISO Standards, which reduces the possibility of workplace illness and accidents.
• ISO Standardisation is an effective system to maintain high standards in business management and customer satisfaction.

There are many ISO standards but some major types of ISO Certifications that businesses can obtain for quality management are as follows-

The following documents are required to obtain ISO Certification-

• Passport Size Photograph of the Applicant
• PAN Card of the Applicant
• Identity Card of the Applicant
• Address Proof of the Applicant
• Business Registration Certificate
• Incorporation Certificate (CIN)
• MoA and AoA of the Company
• PAN Card of the Company
• GST Registration of the Company
• Utility Bill of the Business
• Proof of possession of premises (Sale Deed/Rent Agreement etc.)

The procedure to obtain ISO Registration involves the following steps-

Step 1:- Application Submission

You must apply to a valid certification body concerning the specific ISO Standard Certificate you need. There are separate forms for different types of ISO Standards. Fill in all the requisite details, sign the declaration, attach all required documents and submit this form.

Step 2:- Scrutinising of Application

The certification body receives the application so submitted. It goes through the details mentioned in the application. After verification of the details provided and the documents attached, it accepts or rejects the application. If any corrections are required in the application, the certification body can reconsider the application after resubmission.

Step 3:- Inspection and Assessment

Once the application is accepted, the certification body inspects the premises to ensure the implementation of practices as declared in the ISO Standards. The conformity to the standard is assessed as per the standards prescribed by the CASCO.

Step 4:- Grant of ISO Certification Licence

After Conformity Assessment, the ISO Certification is granted to the applicant if he adheres to the standards specified in the ISO. Audits may be performed by the certification body to confirm whether you adhere to the ISO standards.

ISO Logo Usage Guidelines and Restrictions

The term ISO and the ISO Logos are trademarks of the International Organisation for Standardisation. They should not be used by organisations that have received ISO certification. The ISO prohibits even using the term ‘ISO-Registered’, ‘ISO-Compliant’ and ‘ISO-Certified’ as the certification is provided by the third-party certification bodies. Only ISO members and ISO Technical Committees can use the ISO short name and logo according to the ISO policies.

The cost of ISO Certification depends on the certification body you are approaching to obtain the certification and the Specific ISO Standard you need. Different ISO Standards prescribe different conditions to fulfil, so audits must be performed accordingly. Mainly the cost can be allocated in three heads- Application, Inspection, Audit, and Implementation. You may need several thousand rupees to file an application, request inspection and audit, and get a certificate of conformity and ISO Certification.

Validity and Renewal of ISO Certification

The ISO prescribes audits once every three years for the ISO-certified institutions to check whether they adhere to the ISO Standards. If not, then the ISO Certification lapses, or otherwise, the ISO Registration for the relevant standards is renewed for another three years.

Although this article clears most doubts regarding the procedure of ISO Certification, there is still some critical information you may need to understand before applying for the ISO Standard Compliance Certificate. Our team at Corpseed understands the need of the client. It provides personalised assistance to them, taking care of the applicable rules, regulations and guidelines in force. We conduct desk-based research, documentation, and coordination to ease the way of getting ISO Certification for you. Corpseed is a one-stop solution for all your business needs.