For example:
• IT security standards to help keep sensitive information secure.
• Quality management standards to help work more efficiently and reduce product failures.
• Environmental management standards to help reduce environmental impacts reduce waste and become more sustainable.
• Health and safety standards to help reduce accidents in the workplace.
ISO’s fundamental mission is to provide common specifications, terms, standards, and units of measurement to organisations around the world. In 2019 more standards were published by the ISO than any other year, they regularly review all standards to ensure they are up-to-date and continue to be relevant for the needs of businesses internationally.
Two of the more common ISO standards that organisations gain accreditation for are ISO 9001 and ISO 27001.
ISO 9001 is an international standard dedicated to Quality Management Systems (QMS). It outlines a framework for improving quality and a vocabulary of understanding for any organisation looking to provide products and services that consistently meet the requirements and expectations of customers and other relevant interested parties in the most efficient manner possible.
The ISO 27001 standard provides the framework for an effective Information Security Management System (ISMS). It sets out the policies and procedures needed to protect your business and includes all the risk controls (legal, physical and technical) necessary for robust IT security management. By becoming ISO 27001 certified, companies demonstrate a commitment to ensuring that adequate security controls are in place to protect information and data from being accessed, corrupted, lost or stolen.
Benefits of becoming ISO accredited and following their frameworks include:
• Demonstrating your compliance with internationally recognised standards.
• Increased customer satisfaction that improves client retention.
• Manages and minimises risk exposure, providing customers with confidence in how you manage risk by using third party independent continued assessment.
• Protects your company.
The ISO does not actually perform certifications itself, instead organisations have to engage and liaise with a third party independent certification body to audit their company, process and procedures against the ISO requirements. What better way to demonstrate commitment to providing end to end excellence in delivery and on-going performance.
ISO Certification doesn’t have to be painful to achieve, with the correct processes and standards in place teams can achieve ISO Certifications and protect both the business and the customer long term.
