First steps to becoming certified
What's the process and where to start?
So you are not yet certified?
What are the first considerations for your business?
Firstly you need to make a key decision... accredited or unaccredited?
To find out more about this decision, please see our certification audit page.
Below you will find three key questions to answer which will help you to identify the initial requirements of the business to take up certification.
01
What is required of the business?
Are you able to allocate resources to looking into the standards and understanding the base requirements, or like many businesses, will you require the services of a consultant to guide you through the process and put the fundamental elements in place?
02
What systems are currently in place?
What systems does the business already have in place to work with when setting up your management system in line with an ISO standard? Do you use software packages to manage your operations? Do you already have objectives to hit? Do you already have set periods of time to reflect on business performance?
03
Who will be responsible for the system?
What resources can be applied to the management system and who will be responsible for the uptake of ISO certification. Depending on the size of your business, this will change. It may be an employee's entire role within the business or responsibilities may be interspersed within their current job. It is usually advisable to have more than one person responsible for the system.
Once you have clear answers to these questions, you should be in a position to take that first step. Although many companies will take a different approach depending on how the above questions have been answered, all should ensure one thing. Familiarisation with the chosen standard is a must! Whether this means getting a copy of the standard in house or employing a consultant to work alongside you to properly understand what is expected of the business.
The following steps will be guided by your current state of readiness and approach to the adoption of the standard. It may mean reviewing current documentation, process & procedures, allocating resources for the training of staff, or adapting current systems & processes to conform to the requirements of the chosen standard.