ISO 9001
ISO 9001 Quality Management System
The world's best known standard for consistent products and services.
ISO 9001 sets out the requirements for a quality management system. It helps an organisation show that it can consistently provide products and services that meet customer and legal requirements, and that it aims to increase customer satisfaction.
It is built on a process approach and risk-based thinking, and it can be used by any organisation regardless of size or sector. It is the most widely used management system standard, and many other standards are modelled on its structure.
Key requirements
What ISO 9001 asks for
Context of the organisation
Understand internal and external issues, interested parties and the scope of the system.
Leadership
Top management shows commitment, sets the policy and assigns roles and responsibilities.
Planning
Address risks and opportunities and set measurable objectives.
Support
Provide the resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information needed.
Operation: design and delivery
Plan, design, produce and release products and services, and control externally provided processes and suppliers.
Customer focus
Understand customer needs and measure customer satisfaction throughout the system.
Performance evaluation
Monitor, measure, audit internally and review the system at management level.
Improvement
Correct nonconformities and keep improving the system.
Benefits
Why organisations use it
- More consistent products and services
- Higher customer satisfaction and fewer complaints
- A risk-based approach to decisions
- Credibility in tenders and supplier approvals
- A framework for continual improvement
Who it is for
Typical organisations
ANAP accreditation
How ANAP accredits ISO 9001 certification bodies
Certification bodies auditing ISO 9001 are assessed against ISO/IEC 17021-1, together with the quality-specific competence requirements of ISO/IEC 17021-3.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is ISO 9001 a product certification?+
No. It certifies the management system of the organisation, not the quality of an individual product. It gives confidence that products and services are produced under a controlled system.
How long is an ISO 9001 certificate valid?+
Certificates are normally valid for three years, with surveillance audits in between and a recertification audit at the end of the cycle.