WHAT IS ISO

CERTIFICATION? 
ISO certification certifies that a management system, manufacturing
process, service, or documentation procedure has all the requirements for
standardization and quality assurance. ISO (International Organization for
Standardization) is an independent, non-governmental, international
organization that develops standards to ensure the quality, safety, and
efficiency of products, services, and systems.

ISO certifications exist in many areas of industry, from energy

management and social responsibility to medical devices and energy
management. ISO standards are in place to ensure consistency. Each
certification has separate standards and criteria and is classified
numerically. For instance, the ISO certification we currently hold at Mead
Metals is ISO 9001:2015. 

ISO 9001 DEFINITION

The certification ISO 9001:2008 includes three components: ISO, 9001, and
2015. Here's what each component represents:

ISO
As mentioned above, ISO refers to the International Organization for
Standardization. This organization develops the standards, and it does in
order to certify businesses or organizations. Certification is handled third-
party and tested annually. 
9001
The number appearing after ISO classifies the standard. All standards
within the ISO 9000 family refer to quality management. ISO 9001 is
among ISO's best-known standards, and it defines the criteria for meeting
a number of quality management principles. It helps businesses and
organizations be more efficient and improve customer satisfaction. 

2015
The final number in an ISO certification refers to the version of the
standard that's being met and is represented by the calendar year those
standards were launched. 2015 is the fifth edition of ISO 9001. It was
launched in September 2015, and Mead Metals has updated its processes
to meet the specifications of this newest version. 

WHAT DOES ISO 9001

CERTIFICATION MEAN?  
If an organization bills themselves as "ISO 9001 Certified," this means the
organization has met the requirements designated under ISO 9001 (which
you can read in full here). ISO 9001 requires organizations to define and
follow a quality management system that is both appropriate and effective
while also requiring them to identify areas for improvement and take
action toward those improvements.

As a result, it's typically understood that an organization claiming ISO 9001

certification is an organization with products and services that meet
quality standards. 
ISO CERTIFICATION EXPLAINED
In order to sell to certain industries, being ISO 9001 certified is required —
the automotive industry is a popular example. We were certified to ISO in
1998, and it's helped our organization in numerous ways.

ISO standards have given us a layout of what needs to be done on every

order. We know the standards that need to be met, and we have the tools
in place to ensure quality, consistency, and safety. What we do, how we
check for quality, and what's required of us is all laid out by ISO. 

ISO certification standards also help keep our products and services
relevant. When the standards change, we change along with them. When
we work with new customers, we send them our certification details so
they know they can expect ISO standards be met. 

HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT

NEW ISO STANDARDS?
The best way to learn about new, revised, or updated ISO standards is
from ISO themselves. As the organization that sets the standards, they
would be the best source.

Additionally, there are outlets that offer summaries and explanations of

ISO updates to help individuals and businesses understand them. For
instance, the website 9001SIMPLIFIED detailed what changed when ISO
9001 changed from 2008 to 2015. the 2015 update has:

 More clauses
 A different structure (High Level Structure)
 Different terminology
 A process approach
 More focus on input and output
 Risk-based thinking at its core
 A focus on the context of the organization
 Leadership and commitment updates
  Better integration with other ISO standards 

WHAT ARE THE TRAINING

TIMELINES FOR ISO
STANDARDS? 
All in all, the training timeline will depend on numerous factors including
the understanding of the requirements, the preparedness of an
organization, and the size and complexity of the organization. Still, most
can expect to receive their ISO 9001:2015 certification in three to six
months.  

Remember, individuals cannot become ISO certified. Only businesses and

organizations can. It's also worth noting that ISO doesn't provide the
certification. Instead, certification is made possible through third party
organizations.

When ISO 9001:2015 became available in September 2015, there was a

three-year transition period for businesses and organizations to receive
training and update processes, which allowed businesses of all shapes
and sizes the time they needed to receive training and update processes.