Manufacturers

What is Required for Certification

Documentation: The ISO 9001:2015 Standard is written in such a way that it makes it easier for manufacturers to document their processes and work on continuous improvement.  The most recent version of the ISO Standard no longer requires documented procedures like the earlier versions.  However, the standard asks that you document those things necessary to ensure the consistent quality of your products.

Management Reviews: Manufacturers are required to have a documented Quality Policy and train employees in their role of producing quality products.  Leadership, even it is just the owner of a small business, needs to conduct Management Reviews and document quality conversions, customer satisfaction levels, and more.  Many times even small businesses have specifications from customers or other business metrics that need to be tracked. These can be included in the Management Reviews.

Internal Audits: Your company, at least annually, needs to go through what’s called an Internal Audit of your Quality Management System to understand how your company is complying with the standard and any changes that need to be made “non-conformances” should be documented and corrected “corrective actions.”  Incorporating Internal Audits helps your company improve from year to year and holds your people accountable.