Raising awareness of the benefits of certification and assurance services
The latest ISO survey of live accredited certificates showed that around the world there are almost 1.6m certificates to the leading management systems standards. Management system certification schemes deliver a huge range of benefits to businesses and public bodies, as well as enabling governments to achieve some of their public policy objectives.
Across virtually every business sector and area of economic activity, certification creates greater levels of assurance, creating confidence and driving performance.
With over 1.1m certificates around the world, ISO 9001 has the widest appeal of any management system scheme. With its very clear emphasis on focussing the whole of an organisation to delivering the needs of its customers, ISO 9001 is seen across the globe as the certificate which delivers organisational improvement and customer and client satisfaction. The fundamentals of ISO 9001 are explained further by ISO.
Organisations certified to ISO 14001 in over 170 countries is testament to the leading management system in the sustainability field. The ISO 14001 management system delivers environmental performance focus for organisations and makes a clear statement to stakeholders about the environmental credentials of that organisation. ISO explain in greater detail what conformity to ISO 14001 is about.
Certification to ISO 45001 is a key tool in organisations managing their health & safety risks. Certification demonstrates the seriousness with which an employer takes its health & safety responsibility, making a strong and clear statement to employees and other key stakeholders how important this is to the organisation. ISO describe the benefits implementing ISO 45001 has.
IT and data are at the very heart of so many organisations. The implementation of an information security management system helps manage the risks associated with this vital and valuable asset. ISO describe how ISO 27001 specifies the requirements for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining and improving a documented Information Security Management System within the context of the organization’s overall business risks.
With so many goods and services brought to market at the end of often complex supply chains – frequently on an international basis – maintaining the security of the supply chain is imperative for a huge range of organisations. Certification to ISO 28000 acts as a corner-stone of managing the inherent risks in the supply chain by providing a structured approach to understanding, measuring and managing these risks. ISO give further explanation of ISO 28000.
One of the newest management system standards, ISO 50001 is already building a reputation as an invaluable tool for organisations to manage their energy useage. Helping organisations manage and reduce their energy useage delivers the twin benefits of cost reduction and reduced carbon footprint. ISO explain more about this highly significant management system standard.
Developed and administered by the International Aerospace Quality Group (IAQG), the AS family of standards have evolved from ISO 9001 to meet the exacting and specific needs of the aviation industry. Lead by AS 9100, Quality Management Systems – Requirements for Aviation, Space and Defense Organizations, certification to these standards enable organisations to demonstrate consistency of their delivery, vital for customers, management of the supply chain and in meeting regulatory and legislative requirements.
IIOC members offer certification under a number of standards and schemes. These include:
As Social Accountability International describe, the SA8000® standard is the central document of SAI’s work. It is an auditable certification standard based on international workplace norms of International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. This standard is the benchmark against which companies and factories measure their performance. Those seeking to comply with SA8000® have adopted policies and procedures that protect the basic human rights of workers. Further details can be found from SAI.
Supply chains are a vital part of virtually every organisations’ activities, from the procurement needs of small businesses to the core of global industries such as automotive and aerospace. IIOC members prvide a wide range of certification and assurance services to assist in delivering value to supply chains.