We know that sometimes both the language and complexity of the standards can lead to uncertainty. We aim to address some of those initial questions as you begin your journey towards working with ISO and other standards.
Unfortunately not. As you hold a non UKAS registration we will need to start you again with an initial stage 1 and stage 2 initial assessment. It is very easy to move across, simply contact one of our account co-ordinators or complete the application form to start your journey with us.
Yes, as a UKAS approved certification body it is an essential requirement that we only allocate auditors where they have specific experience of a sector. This is tested and subject to ongoing witnessing prior to being able to work within your sector. In addition, they must be professionally qualified lead auditors and have a detailed knowledge of the standard they assessing.
You can extend your scope of assessment by simply completing the relevant section of the application form. We will review this on your behalf and let you know if this will require additional time and cost. You can always call your ACM Account Co-ordinator who will help you with the process.
There is no specific requirement for a quality manual in ISO 9001:2015, you do however need to provide evidence of “documented information” to support the QMS. As long as the information needed is kept and available, how you do it is not important. Some of our clients choose to keep a dedicated quality manual, others use a less centralized approach.
It all depends on your readiness, we do not normally expect clients to be ready for certification until they are approaching the end their first year of trading. This is because you will need to provide evidence that you have embedded the processes required and have run a cycle of management review and internal audit.
Definitely. The standard is as relevant to small businesses as it is for large multinational organizations. Irrespective of your size, it will enable you to drive improvement in your business and increase customer satisfaction.
The standard now requires top management to have a greater involvement in the management system, that the requirements are integrated into the organization’s processes and that the policy and objectives are compatible with the strategic direction of the organization. During a visit, your auditor will need to conduct an interview with top management to understand how this is achieved.
If you have not done it before then sometimes getting help from industry experts is a good start, see the list of potential consultants available to help you. These do not come with a recommendation but might be a useful start.
In addition, you might want to boost your own knowledge with training that can take you from a basic introduction through to a qualified Lead Auditor role.
A copy of the standard is always a good start point. Please refer to our ACM standard purchase section.