Certification/Registration to ISO 9001:2015 QMS - Part 1

Certification/Registration to ISO 9001:2015 QMS - Part 1

Taking the decision to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS and its certification

Keshav Ram Singhal


Organizations choose to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS for a number of reasons. Implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS confers long-term benefits. However, an immediate goal for most organizations is to achieve ISO 9001:2015 QMS certification. It is important to note that International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has developed and published ISO 9001:2015 QMS standard, but ISO itself neither audit organizations nr issues ISO 9001:2015 QMS compliance certificates. The task of ISO 9001:2015 QMS compliance certification / registration is carried out independently by more than 800 certification bodies around the world.

Why organizations decide to implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS and obtain its certification/registration?

Implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS confers long-term benefits and certification can be a useful tool to add credibility, by demonstrating that the organization's product/service meets the expectation of its customers.

There may be a number of reasons for implementing ISO 9001:2015 QMS and its certification, such as:
- The organization wants improvement in overall product/service quality
- The organization wants consistency of product/service to its customers
- The organization wants improvement in staff productivity
- The organization wants improvement in cost control
- Current and potential customers may require ISO 9001:2015 QMS certification
- The organization wishes to enter new markets that require/may require ISO 9001:2015 QMS certification
- The organization needs to maintain its market position as a leading-edge organization and as an organization competing on the basis of product/service quality
- The organization has a competitive pressure to stay even or catch up by getting to certified

If an organization does not implement ISO 9001:2015 QMS, then the organization may have some negative consequences, such as:
- Inability to participate in bids domestically and/or abroad that require ISO 9001:20-15 QMS certification
- Potential loss of major current and potential customers
- Inability to attract major new customers
- Loss of market image, when most competitors of the organzation are ISO 9001:2015 QMS certified

Certification vis-a-vis Registration

Certification is the term most widely used worldwide, although registration is often used in America (most widely in North America), and these terms 'certification' and 'registration' with regard to ISO 9001:2015 QMS are used interchangeably and having the same purpose.

.... To be continued

For Training Handbook on ISO 9001:2015 QMS Awareness, please Click Here

For Training Handbook on ISO 9001:2015 QMS Implementation in a School, please Click Here