FAQ

ISO Certification costs vary dependent on the size of an organisation and the level to which the company is already run with regards to processes and procedures. If you decide to implement more than one standard at the same time, there are some preferential fees available. We are a fixed fee organisation, which means once we have met you to discuss your requirements and sent you a formal quotation, this fee is then set. We will not charge you any extra then what is specified, so that you know from the outset your costs and the payment method.

We aim for a 8-10 week delivery period, but again this can vary from organisation to organisation. We will never delay the process, however we understand that things can happen that may mean you require a small delay. We will accommodate this where possible; however for those who are looking to achieve the certifications as soon as possible, we will endeavour to ensure you obtain your certification within our standard timescales.

After the quotation has been accepted and the deposit payment has been received we offer all of our clients a letter that you can send to your potential clients or include with tenders, to confirm that you have entered the process and that you will be fully certified within 8-10 weeks. This is normally sufficient to move forward with a tender process. This can then be followed up by an announcement letter stating that you have achieved the ISO certification.

Keep in mind that no two companies are exactly alike, and no two companies will have the exact same process to get registered and certified.

Basically, there will be four major steps in your ISO certification process.

1. Write documentation.
You’ll need a written quality manual, certain written procedures, and probably some forms. Some records will have to be kept. Your documentation will have to meet the requirements of the ISO quality standard. It will also have to fit your company’s quality goals. Your quality documentation says what you do, how you do it, and provides proof that you do it. You must be able to demonstrate that you are continuously improving your quality system as well as your product or service, and your customers’ satisfaction.

2. Training.
All of your people will require some training. The amount of training is dependent on each individual’s responsibilities.

3. Practice and live with your quality system for a few months.
Undoubtedly you will find that some changes need to be made. Keep records in accordance with your quality system. After a few months your quality system and your people should be ready for the registration audit.

4. Get audited.
The number of auditors needed, and the time involved to conduct a registration audit will vary according to the size and complexity of your company. During an ISO audit, the auditor(s) will examine your records and will talk with your people. It is very important that your staff is properly trained and that your records are in order. Auditors write up problems as “nonconformances”. Nonconformances can be “major” or “minor”. Auditors can also write up “observations”.

A major nonconformance will cause you not to get certified to the ISO standard. Minor nonconformances may or may not prevent your certification, it all depends on the number and severity of your nonconformances. Auditors have a fair amount of discretion in what they write up, and whether or not you will get certified on your first try.
Observations will not cause you to lose your certification, they are usually suggestions by the auditor for how you might be able to make improvements to your quality system.

It is important to understand that ISO certification and ISO accredited certification are two different things. ISO accreditation or ISO accredited certification is when a company has achieved an ISO and / or a BS standard by a certification body that is accredited by UKAS or equivalent.Every country has its own version of UKAS (i.e. for Ireland its INAB) and although they are not akin to government, they act as the governing body for certification companies.

Please note that there is only one true accreditation body in each country and any other forms of ‘accreditation bodies’ maybe be misleading. In most countries accreditation is a choice and not an obligation. BSI and the International Organisation for Standardisation themselves actually state that ‘the fact that a certification body is not accredited does not mean that it is not a reputable organisation, for example a certification body operating nationally in a highly specific sector might enjoy such a good reputation that it does not feel there is an advantage for it to go to the expense of being accredited’.

Whilst neither may be viewed by the majority of clients as better than the other, there are a few major differences that are worth being aware of. The main difference being an accredited certification body is unable to implement the systems into the business during the certification process the way we or any other certification body is able to. They can only perform the functions of an assessment / audit body and must not have any involvement in the set-up process. This can therefore mean having to employ a company such as ourselves as the consultant to implement the system and have the accredited body in the certify it.

This not only adds additional expense to the client but also can delay the time it takes to achieve the certification. On the other hand, not only can a certification body act as the consultant to implement the systems into the company, they can certify the company once compliance has been met and then offer support and guidance throughout the year to ensure the company maintains its certification and most importantly uses the systems to the benefit of the company on an on-going basis.