So, you have decided to get certified. Your reason might be customer requirements, to keep up with your competition, because top management has set an internal goal or simply to improve the business.
Whatever the reason, we can help you choose the best service provider (be it a consultant or a registrar) to get the job done.
There are a few players in any certification process that you need to be aware of.
Here we give you a brief description of them:
Accreditation Body
Each country has their own accreditation body that gives the Certification Bodies credibility.
The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) is the accreditation body for management systems in the United States.
Even if your company is in the U.S., it can be certified by a registrar that is accredited by another country's accreditation body.
Certification Body or Registrar
Registrars are the companies that actually perform the audits to the different standards.
Registrars employ the auditors that will visit your facility.
Currently there are over 60 different registrars accredited by ANAB in the United States.
Choosing the right one is critical for a successful and rewarding certification experience.
Consultants
Consultants are experts in the field of management system implementation.
Consulting services can range from simple remote guidance to turnkey operations.
Many times, the investment is significantly lower than what you might expect.
There are consultants that can also assist you with legal compliance issues
(critical if you are implementing Environmental or Health and Safety Management Systems) or
if you are ready to move to more advanced Six Sigma projects.
We explain the certification process in four easy steps:
The first step is to select the correct standard to get certified to.
There are several management system standards that companies can get certified
to ranging from a generic Quality Management Systems - ISO9001, to industry specific ones like AS 9100 for Aerospace or ISO 14001 for Environmental Management Systems.
If you are unsure what standard is applicable to your company / industry,
call one of our associates. They will gladly assist you.
The second step is the design of your management system, which should be appropriate to the complexity and size of
your organization. Complex management systems can become bureaucratic and ineffective but if
the management system is too simple it might not manage the critical risks required by the standard.
Here is were the advise from an expert consultant can significantly assist your company.
Once you have designed your system, it needs to be implemented.
Step three means that your organization needs to use the established procedures and generate
evidence that the system is in place and working.
Most registrars require that the system be implemented (and that you
have evidence of this implementation) for at least a couple of months.
The fourth and last step is the audit.
Once the system has been implemented, you are ready to get it certified.
The certification audit is performed by a registrar during a site visit were they review the design and implementation of the management system.
Some times this is done in two different stages
(one to review the design and one for the implementation of the system).
Once you pass the certification audit, the registrar issues a certificate that is valid for three years.
Simply completing the free questionnaire will get you started in reaching your company's certification goals.
If you prefer, in order for us to fully understand the scope of services required call one of our customer service representatives. We are here to assist you.
We are just a phone call away at
1 877 2 bidISO (877 224-3476).
bidISO
bidiso@bidiso.com
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