ISO certifications are a set of standards and practices designed to improve the quality of processes, products and services in organisations and companies. They are especially valuable for factories and companies in the industrial sector.
Quality and ISO certifications help companies and factories by
- Increasing quality, efficiency and productivity while reducing costs and errors.
- Improving customer satisfaction and strengthening the company’s standing as a trusted business expert.
- Competing in the market by offering high-quality products and services.
- Complying with local and international laws and regulations.
Some of the ISO certifications available to industry are:
- ISO 9001 certification: covers aspects of organisational management such as planning, organising, operations, evaluation and improvement, with a focus on the satisfaction of those who use the organisation’s services.
- ISO 14001 certification: covers environmental aspects such as reducing resource consumption, cutting greenhouse gas emissions, planting and so on. It focuses on protecting the environment by improving the organisation’s performance.
- ISO 45001 certification: covers employee health and safety, including training programmes, regular check-ups, problem solving and so on. It focuses on raising the standard of employee health and safety by improving their working environment.
Which quality (ISO) certifications can industry obtain in health and safety?
Certifications that industry can obtain in the field of health and safety include:
- ISO 45001 certification: covers employee health and safety, including training programmes, regular check-ups, problem solving and so on. It focuses on raising the standard of employee health and safety by improving their working environment.
- OHSAS 18001 certification: the former occupational health and safety standard, withdrawn in 2021 and replaced by ISO 45001, so organisations now certify to ISO 45001 instead.
- ISO 22000 certification: covers food safety management for organisations that provide food services or import food. It focuses on ensuring the quality, safety and fitness of food products and services by following defined standards and procedures.
How do food and beverage companies obtain ISO 22000 certification?
ISO 22000 certification covers food safety management for organisations that provide food services or import food. To obtain ISO 22000 certification, companies should follow these steps:
- Set up a food safety management system: companies must establish a food safety management system within their operations.
- Operate the system for at least three months: the system must have been running for at least three months before applying for certification.
- Apply for certification: companies can then apply to a certification body for ISO 22000 certification.
- Audit: the certification body will send auditors to the organisation once the process begins.
- Certificate issue: if the certification body is satisfied, based on the audit report, that the organisation complies with the relevant requirements of the standard, it decides to issue the certificate to the organisation. Contact the Team Quality team to complete the whole certification process for any standard
Quality in industry is vitally important. It boosts efficiency and productivity and reduces costs and errors. It also increases customer satisfaction and competitiveness in the market. In addition, certifications such as ISO standards give companies a framework for improving their quality, security and safety standards. Ultimately, quality in industry is the key to success and sustainability in any industrial sector.
