Achieving ISO 9001 certification for your business doesn't need to be a nightmare. Here's a simple step-by-step guide to the entire process:

• The first step is to get in touch with an ISO consultant such as those here at NPT Management Systems. Navigating the ISO certification process without expert assistance can be very difficult; an experienced consultant will walk you through the whole procedure, ensuring that you cover all bases and get certified on your first attempt.
  
  
• After an initial consultation, your ISO consultant will help you to review your current business processes and design a quality management system that suits your enterprise. Ideally, the proposed system will fit around your existing processes, requiring minimal upheaval on your part.
  
  
• The next step is to implement your quality management system. Again, a good ISO consultant will assist with this, ensuring that the new system is properly integrated at every step of your business's processes.
  
  
• Once your ISO-compliant quality management system is in place, your ISO consultant will help you to choose and liaise with a UKAS-accredited certification body. They will assess your new system and, if all standards are met, award you ISO 9001 certification.

The above process also applies to other ISO standards such as ISO 14001 and ISO 27001. If you would like to achieve any form of ISO certification for your business, contact NPT Management Systems and arrange your free consultation now.

The latest revision of the ISO 9001 standard is now in its final draft. The new standards are set to be officially published next month, so now seems like a good time to take stock of the changes that are just around the corner.

Here's what you can expect from the 2015 revision when it is published:

• More emphasis on leadership. Managers will need to demonstrate a solid understanding of any issues (internal or external) that could impact on their management system and customer satisfaction.
  
  
• A stronger focus on risk management. Risk assessment has always been an important part of the ISO 9001 standard, and it is expected to take an even more central role in the 2015 revision.
  
  
• Clearer requirements for your objectives and measurements. In order to meet the ISO 9001:2015 standard, your quality objectives will need to meet a stricter set of requirements, as will the methods you use to measure whether said objectives have been met.
  
  
• Renewed focus on communication/awareness. Managers will have to create and implement a communication plan, as well as ensuring that all workers are aware of the organisation's quality management system and how to meet its requirements.

If your company's quality management system is already certified to the current ISO 9001 standard, you will have a three year 'transition period' to migrate to the latest version and its standards. After that, all certification must be carried out to ISO 9001:2015 standards.

Do you need help getting ISO 9001 certified or migrating your current systems to the 2015 standard? If so, get in touch with NPT Management Systems today - our ISO consultants will make the accreditation process as smooth and as simple as possible.

LRQA are helping micro companies reduce certification costs by launching the ISO9001 certification scheme for micro companies.

ISO9001 certification by a UKAS accredited certification company is now mandatory for companies bidding for MOD contracts via FATS(4).

Take steps now that could help you prepare and transition to the next revision of ISO9001.