Click Image for a Larger ViewThe Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle is the cornerstone of the ISO standards.  The ISO 19011 standard describes how organizations perform audits.  It  is designed to ensure that audits are conducted systematically, consistently, and are continuously improved.

This cycle is a core part of ISO management systems and applies to the management of an audit program as well. Here is a short description of the cycle:

Plan

1. Define Objectives: Establish the objectives and scope of the audit program to ensure it supports the organization’s policies, objectives, and performance.
2. Determine Resources: Identify and allocate the necessary resources for the audit program, including personnel, tools, and time.
3. Schedule Audits: Plan the audit schedule based on the risk and importance of the processes to be audited.
4. Develop Audit Plan: Each individual audit should have a plan that outlines its scope, criteria, duration, and resources required.

Do

1. Conduct Audits: Execute the audits according to the audit plan, using appropriate techniques to collect and verify information.
2. Gather Evidence: Collect audit evidence that is relevant, sufficient, and objective to support audit findings and conclusions.
3. Report Findings: Document the audit findings, including any non-conformities, and report them to the relevant management.

Check

1. Review Audit Results: Evaluate the audit findings and the effectiveness of the audit program against its objectives.
2. Management Review: Present the audit outcomes to top management for review, including the effectiveness of the organization’s management system and any need for improvements.

Act

1. Implement Improvements: Take corrective and preventive actions based on the audit findings to address non-conformities and improve the management system.
2. Update Audit Program: Based on the results and feedback from the audits, update the audit program to reflect changes in risks, processes, and organizational objectives.
3. Continual Improvement: Use the insights gained from the audits to drive continual improvement of the audit process and the management system as a whole.

To learn more take this short, cost effective ISO 19011 course.

Communicating the value of an ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) to your organization effectively is crucial for gaining management buy-in and ensuring successful implementation. Here are a few strategies to best convey the importance and benefits:

1. Align with Organizational Goals: Start by linking the benefits of the QMS to your organization's specific goals and objectives. Whether it's improving product quality, increasing customer satisfaction, reducing inventory or reducing other operational costs, show how a QMS can help achieve these goals.
2. Educate on ISO Standards: Provide presentations or materials that explain what ISO standards are, specifically focusing on the relevant ISO standards. There are a number of courses made for general staff, auditors, or other stakeholders. Highlight the international recognition of these standards and how they can position the organization competitively.
3. Highlight Customer Expectations: Many customers prefer or require their suppliers to be ISO certified. Emphasize how adopting a QMS can meet these expectations, open up new market opportunities, and enhance the organization's credibility and reputation.
4. Promote Internal Benefits: Beyond external advantages, stress the internal benefits such as improved efficiency, consistency in operations, and reduced errors. An ISO 9001 certification can create a culture of continuous improvement.
5. Offer Training and Support: Address concerns about the complexity of ISO standards by offering training and support. Show that the organization is committed to guiding employees through the process, making it as seamless as possible. See Online Training opportunities below.
6. Involve Stakeholders Early: Engage key stakeholders from various departments early in the discussion. Their early buy-in can facilitate smoother implementation and more robust support across the organization.
7. Use Visuals and Demonstrations: Visual aids, infographics, and demonstrations can help make the concepts and benefits of a QMS more tangible. They can be particularly effective in illustrating how processes will be streamlined.
8. Feedback and Continuous Improvement: Emphasize that ISO QMS implementation is not a one-time event but a continuous journey towards improvement. Encourage feedback and suggestions from all levels of the organization to foster a culture of quality.
9. Leverage Success Stories: Once you start seeing results, share these successes widely within the organization. Real, relatable stories of improvement can serve as powerful testimonials to the value of the ISO QMS.

Effective communication about the ISO QMS should be ongoing, not a one-time effort. It should aim to create a shared understanding of the value and benefits of quality management practices, fostering a quality-driven culture across the organization.

Reducing the cost of ISO certification requires careful planning and optimization of the certification process. Here are some strategies that organizations can implement to minimize expenses while still achieving ISO certification:

Pre-assessment and Gap Analysis: Before initiating the formal certification process, conduct a thorough pre-assessment and gap analysis. Identify areas where your organization already complies with ISO requirements and focus on addressing the gaps. This approach will help save time and resources during the actual certification process.

Train Internal Auditors: Instead of relying solely on external auditors, invest in training internal staff to become qualified auditors. Conducting internal audits can be more cost-effective and allows for continuous improvement.

Below is a list of ISO registrars and the standards they service.

Registrar		ISO Standards
ABS Quality Evaluations Inc.		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), TL 9000
Advantage International Registrar, Inc.		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS 9100, AS 9120
American Certification Group		ISO 9001
Advanced Certification Limited		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, EFfCI GMP, OHSAS 18001, ISO 22716, ISO 50001, ISO 22000, ISO 17100
American Global Standards, LLC		ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO27001, AS9100, 9120,9110, ISO13485, ISO15288, ISO17020, ISO17024, ISO17025, ISO18788, ISO2000--1, ISO20700, ISO21508, ISO22000, ISO22301, ISO24748-4, ISO26000, ISO26702, ISO27001, ISO28000, ISO31000, ISO37001, ISO41001, ISO45001, ISO50001
American International Accreditation Organization (AIAO-BAR)		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 19770, ISO 20000, ISO 22000, ISO 22301, ISO 27001, ISO 50001
American Management Technology Inc.		ISO 9001
American Systems Registrar		ISO 9001, IATF 16949, ISO 13485, ISO 45001, ISO 14001, AS 9100
American Petroleum Institute Quality Registrar		ISO 9001, ISO 14001
AMTec Registrar		ISO 9001-2015
Apave Certification		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, ISO 3834, EN 1090, ISO 22000, ISO 18788, ISO 27001, ISO 22301, ISO 22716, ISO 50001, EN 9100, ISO 19443
Asacert UK Ltd.		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 19770, ISO 20000, ISO 22000, ISO 22301, ISO 27001, ISO 50001, CE Marking/EN 1090, ISO 3834
AudIT3 LLC		ISO 9001, ISO 14001
Aviation Suppliers Association		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 9001
Bluestar Management Systems		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001
BQC		ISO 9001, ISO 22000, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001, ISO 50001, ISO 13485, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO 37001, ISO 29990, ISO 20000, HALAL
BMQR Certifications Pvt Ltd		ISO 9001,14001,3834,45001,50001,13485,16949,9000, 20000-1;22000,17025
BSI Assurance UK Limited		ANSI/AIHA Z10, AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, ASRP (ISO 14001), ASRP (ISO 9001), BS OHSAS 18001, CAAT (QMS), CSA Z1000, FSSC 22000, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), TL 9000
Bureau Veritas Certification Holding		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, ATFS, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), SFI, TL 9000
EAGLE Certification Group		AS9100, AS9120, BS OHSAS 18001, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 9001
Global Compliance Service		ISO 9001:2015, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 45001:2018, ISO 21401
Global Standards S.C.		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000
Government and Military Certification Systems, Inc.		ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001, ISO 20000-1, TL 9000, AS 9100/9110, OHSAS 18001
Great Western Registrar LLC		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, ISO 9001
InterConformity Assessment and Certification Company		ISO 9001, ISO 9004, ISO 10001, ISO 10002, BS 8477, PAS 99, ISO 20252, ISO 14001, ISO 14004, ISO 50001, ISO 22000, ISO/TS 22002-1, ISO/TS 22004, ISO 22006, PAS 220, PAS 223, HACCP, OHSAS 18001, OHSAS 18002, OHSAS 18001, BS 18004, AS/NZS 4801, AS 8003-2003, ISO 26000, ISO/IEC 27001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 90003, ISO/IEC 27003, ISO/IEC 20000-2, ISO 31000, ISO/IEC 27005, AS/NZS 4360, ISO 28000, ISO 22301, ISO/IEC 27031
Intertek		A variety of ISO standards including ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001
International Standards Authority Inc.		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 9001
IQS – Infinity Quality Services		ISO9001,ISO14001 ,ISO45001 ,ISO22000 ,ISO18788 ,ISO41001 ,27001 ,ISO17015 ,HACCP ,FSSC ,Organic Certifications ,Halal Certifications,Food Grade Certification,SA 8000 Social Accountability Certification,Certification of Fitness for Machinery
Qualitivity, Inc.		ISO 9001 for Quality Management Systems; ISO 27001 for Information Security Management Systems; among other popular standards
NSF International Strategic Registrations Ltd.		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, ATFS, BS OHSAS 18001, e-Stewards®, FSSC 22000, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 22000, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, R2, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), RIOS, SFI
NSAI Inc.		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO/IEC 27001, TL 9000
Orion Registrar Inc.		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, BS OHSAS 18001, e-Stewards®, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, R2, RIOS, TL 9000
Performance Review Institute Registrar		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, ISO 9001, ISO14001, OHSAS 18001
Perry Johnson Registrars Inc.		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, BA 9000, e-Stewards®, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, R2, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), RIOS, TL 9000
RONET International Certification Services Ltd		ISO 14001, ISO 9001
SAI Global		AS9100, AS9110, AS9120, e-Stewards®, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 50001, ISO 9001, R2, RC (RC14001 & RCMS), RIOS, SFI, TL 9000, IATF 16949
SRI Quality System Registrar		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 13485, ISO 14001, ISO 9001, ISO 45001, ISO/IEC 20000-1, ISO/IEC 27001, RCMS
The Registrar Company		AS9100, AS9120, ISO 14001, ISO 9001
World Certification Services Ltd.		AS9100, ISO 14001:2015, ISO 14001:2004, ISO 9001:2015, ISO 9001:2008, BS OHSAS 18001, ISO 22000, ISO/IEC 27001, HACCP

If you complete the Registrar Quote, you will receive a 50% discount off all online training courses at Ingentius.com.

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The ISO Scope statement, also known as the scope of the management system, is a crucial element of the ISO standard. It defines the boundaries and applicability of the management system that is being implemented and certified. The scope statement sets out the purpose, objectives, and limitations of the management system, and identifies the products, services, processes, and activities that are included within the scope of the system.

The scope statement should be clear and concise, and it should provide a comprehensive overview of the management system. It should specify the geographical location(s) and the organizational unit(s) where the system is being implemented. The scope statement should also define any exclusions from the system, such as processes or activities that are not applicable or that are being managed by a different system.

The scope statement is an essential part of the ISO certification process, as it provides a framework for the audit and assessment of the management system. The statement ensures that the auditors and assessors have a clear understanding of the organization's operations and can evaluate the effectiveness of the management system against the defined scope.

“The number-one mistake that companies make as they ready themselves for registration is that they over document their processes. When you write more procedures than you need, you can be stuck with a burdensome system forever.”

Many organizations choose to engage and outsource an ISO 9001 consultant to prepare for registration.  They want to jump start the process and reduce the overall cost and make the process more efficient.

There are many ISO consultants to choose from; so what factors are important when choosing one?

• Track Record - how many companies have they helped toward certification?
• Testimonials - does the consultant have a good number of customer testimonials?
• Industry Experience - does the consultant know your industry or do they specialize in only a few?
• Follow up - does the consultant provide services to help audit your Management System?

To make the process easy for you, here’s a simple 4 step guide to choosing the best consultants for your business.

Manufacturing continues to be the dominant driver in the U.S. economy.  Many manufacturers are working to develop and maintain a quality management system (QMS) certifications. ISO certification is a very important accomplishment, but it can be a difficult process without the guidance of an experienced ISO consultant.

Here are some useful considerations when hiring an ISO consultant

As important as it is daunting, hiring the right ISO consultant comes with big challenges. Due diligence cannot be ignored; otherwise, you run the risk of ending up with costly mismatches.

Here are key considerations in your search for the right ISO consultant: