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In a global marketplace, checks and balances need to be in place. Otherwise, it would be difficult to maintain consistency and quality across industries and nations. International standards help to keep a level playing field, and one such organization is ISO.

ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies. ISO is a nongovernmental organization that comprises standards bodies from more than 160 countries, with one standards body representing each member country. For example, the American National Standards Institute represents the United States.

ISO members are national standards organizations that collaborate in the development and promotion of international standards for technology, scientific testing processes, working conditions, societal issues and more. ISO and its members then sell documents detailing these standards.

The ISO's General Assembly is its decision-making body. It consists of representatives from the members and elected leaders called principal officers. The organization has its headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland, where a central secretariat oversees operations.

What Is the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)?

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international nongovernmental organization made up of national standards bodies; it develops and publishes a wide range of proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards and is comprised of representatives from various national standards organizations.

The organization's abbreviated name—ISO—is not an acronym; it derives from the ancient Greek word ísos, meaning equal or equivalent. Because the organization would have different acronyms in different languages, the founders of the organization decided to call it by the short form ISO.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is an international nongovernmental organization made up of national standards bodies that develops and publishes a wide range of proprietary, industrial, and commercial standards.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

In addition to producing standards, ISO also publishes technical reports, technical specifications, publicly available specifications, technical corrigenda, and guides.

The ISO plays an important role in facilitating world trade by providing common standards among different countries.

Understanding the International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

The International Organization for Standardization was founded in 1947 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The organization began in the 1920s as the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISA). After being suspended during World War II, the United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee (UNSCC) proposed a new global standards body and the International Organization for Standardization was formed. The ISO works in 165 countries. Members of the organization are the foremost standards organizations in their countries; there is only one member per country. While individuals and companies cannot become members of ISO, there are various ways that industry experts can collaborate with the ISO.

Members of ISO meet annually at a General Assembly to discuss the strategic objectives of the organization. In addition, there is a 20-person council with rotating membership that provides guidance and governance for the organization.

ISO develops and publishes standards for a vast range of products, materials, and processes. The organization's standards catalog is divided into approximately 97 fields, which include healthcare technology, railway engineering, jewelry, clothing, metallurgy, weapons, paint, civil engineering, agriculture, and aircraft. In addition to producing standards, ISO also publishes technical reports, technical specifications, publicly available specifications, technical corrigenda, and guides.

The ISO plays an important role in facilitating world trade by providing common standards among different countries. These standards are intended to ensure that products and services are safe, reliable, and of good quality. For the end-user and consumer, these standards ensure that certified products conform to the minimum standards set internationally. The ISO has been credited with setting more than twenty thousand standards, ranging from manufactured products and technology to food safety, agriculture, and healthcare standards.

How are ISO standards developed?

The International Organization for Standardization has a six-stage process for developing standards. The stages include the following:

• Proposal stage. The first step in developing a new standard starts when industry associations or consumer groups make a request. The relevant ISO committee determines whether a new standard is indeed required.
• Preparatory stage. A working group is set up to prepare a working draft of the new standard. The working group is composed of subject matter experts and industry stakeholders; when the draft is deemed satisfactory, the working group's parent committee decides which stage occurs next.
• Committee stage. This is an optional stage during which members of the parent committee review and comment on the draft standard. When the committee reaches consensus on the technical content of the draft, it can move to the next stage.
• Enquiry stage. The draft standard at this stage is called a Draft International Standard (DIS). It is distributed to ISO members for comments and, ultimately, a vote. If the DIS is approved at this stage without any technical changes, ISO publishes it as a standard. If not, it moves to the approval stage.
• Approval stage. The draft standard is submitted as a Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) to ISO members. They vote to approve the new standard.
• Publication stage. If ISO members approve the new standard, the FDIS is published as an official international standard.

ISO participating members vote on standards approvals. A standard must receive affirmative votes from at least two-thirds of participating members and negative votes from no more than one fourth of participating members.

What is ISO certification?

As it relates to ISO standards, certification is a certifying body's assurance that a service, product or system meets the requirements of the standard. While ISO develops the standards, third-party certification bodies certify conformity with those standards.

ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for standardization and quality assurance. ISO (International Organization for Standardization) is an independent, non-governmental, international organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems.

ISO certifications exist in many areas of industry, from energy management and social responsibility to medical devices and energy management. ISO standards are in place to ensure consistency. Each certification has separate standards and criteria and is classified numerically.

ISO CERTIFICATION EXPLAINED

ISO standards have given us a layout of what needs to be done on every order. We know the standards that need to be met, and we have the tools in place to ensure quality, consistency, and safety. What we do, how we check for quality, and what's required of us is all laid out by ISO.

ISO certification standards also help keep our products and services relevant. When the standards change, we change along with them. When we work with new customers, we send them our certification details so they know they can expect ISO standards be met.

WHAT ARE THE TRAINING TIMELINES FOR ISO STANDARDS?

All in all, the training timeline will depend on numerous factors including the understanding of the requirements, the preparedness of an organization, and the size and complexity of the organization. Still, most can expect to receive their ISO 9001:2015 certification in three to six months.  

Remember, individuals cannot become ISO certified. Only businesses and organizations can. It's also worth noting that ISO doesn't provide the certification. Instead, certification is made possible through third party organizations.

When ISO 9001:2015 became available in September 2015, there was a three-year transition period for businesses and organizations to receive training and update processes, which allowed businesses of all shapes and sizes the time they needed to receive training and update processes.

What Does "ISO Certified" Mean?

To be certified by the ISO means that you have been audited by an independent 3rd party, and that you have demonstrated your business conforms to the requirements of the latest quality process standards set by the International Standards Organization. This certification signifies that your processes work efficiently and effectively, and are consistent with the international best practices (aka The Standard).  

This is beneficial for your company both internally and externally. Internally, because you are likely to build and ship better quality products that delight your customers and will arrive on-time.  And externally, because you can now market that fact to the outside business community, which would translate into higher sales levels with a better set of customers. Companies that have solid processes build high-quality products that arrive when needed, and those companies develop great reputations and followings.

There are numerous ISO certifications that are industry-specific, ranging from energy management and social responsibility to risk management and occupational health and safety. In addition to having its own specific criteria and set of standards, each ISO certification is classified numerically. For example, the ISO certification for quality management systems is ISO 9001:2015; which means that the standard number is 9001 and it was released in 2015.

According to the ISO, the phrase "ISO certification" should never be used to indicate that a product or system has been certified by a certification body as conforming to an ISO standard. Instead, ISO suggests referring to certified products or systems using the full identification of the ISO standard.

For example, instead of "ISO certified", ISO recommends using the phrase "ISO 9001:2015 certified." This fully identifies the standard being certified, including the version -- in this case, the version of ISO 9001 released in 2015.

While ISO does not do certifications, its Committee on Conformity Assessment works on standards related to the certification process.

How do businesses become ISO certified?

The process of getting certified for an ISO standard can be expensive, time-consuming and potentially disruptive to the business. Before taking any steps to get certified, determining the need for certification can be the most important step.

The first step in becoming certified is determining whether certification is worth the costs. Some reasons that organizations pursue certifications include the following:

• Regulatory requirements. Some businesses and products require certification that they meet common standards.
• Commercial standards. When certification is not a regulatory requirement, products and services that are certified to meet minimum standards are a necessity for some industries.
• Customer requirements. Even where there is an industry standard or regulatory requirement for certification, some customers such as government agencies, may prefer or require certification.
• Improved consistency. Certification can help large organizations deliver consistent quality assurance across business units as well as across international borders.
• Customer satisfaction. Enterprise customers that use a product or service in different contexts and countries appreciate consistent performance. Compliance with standards can also help the certified organization resolve customer issues.

The certification process for ISO standards varies, depending on the standard and the certifying body. For popular standards, organizations may need to first review and select a suitable certification body. Recommendations for the steps to follow to get certified in the ISO's quality management standard, ISO 9001:2015, include the following:

• Understand the ISO standard;
• Identify trouble areas, where operations do not meet ISO requirements;
• Formally document processes, procedures and plans to improve trouble areas;
• Implement ISO standards;
• Conduct an internal audit to check conformance with the standard before the official audit; and
• Undergo formal compliance audit or certification process.

How to Become ISO Certified?

Individuals cannot become ISO certified -- only businesses and organizations can. Additionally, ISO doesn't provide the certification; certifications are only made possible through third-party organizations. However, as you might expect, the ISO does have a Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) which manages the qualifications of the certification process.

When choosing a certification body, it’s important to evaluate a few agencies to select the best fit for your organization. One of the points to consider is if that agency utilizes the latest, relevant standards and if they are an accredited body. The timeline of certification training depends on numerous factors, including studying the requirements, level of preparation of an organization, and the size and complexity of the organization. Most can expect to receive their certification in three to six months.