ISO 9001 FAQs

Designed for organisations of any size and operating in any sector, ISO 9001 is an international management system standard that provides a recognised framework for quality management and continuous improvement. Over 1 million companies worldwide use ISO 9001 to better understand and meet their client and stakeholder needs and drive performance.

Our services blend remote and on-site audit activities to provide unrivalled insight and expertise.  Using secure, remote technology, we can provide a fast and flexible way to maintain your audit schedule, help reduce carbon footprint associated with travel, and minimise health and safety risks for people working on hazardous sites or hard-to-reach areas. Outcomes are consistent with on-site audits, so the integrity of your audit and accredited certification remains exactly the same.

Certificates are valid for 3 years from the date of completing the initial certification process. The certification renewal audit is discussed and planned by the auditor well in advance of the expiration to ensure that the ISO certification continues.

Certification costs will depend on the size and complexity of your organisation and the maturity of its existing management system. To get a bespoke quote, please fill in the form below and one of our team members will get in touch with all the details you need.

ISO 9001 follows the Annex SL framework and consists of the following 10 clauses: 

• Clauses 0 to 3: Introduction, Scope, References, Terms and Definitions 
• Clause 4: Context of the organization 
• Clause 5: Leadership and commitment 
• Clause 6: Planning for the QMS 
• Clause 7: Support & resource management 
• Clause 8: Operational planning and control 
• Clause 9: Performance evaluation 
• Clause 10: Improvement actions 

ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) is the globally recognised management system standard which provides a framework for quality management. ISO 14001 certification is the globally recognised management system standard for environmental management. Like ISO 9001, ISO 14001 provides a framework and continuous improvement for a business’s environmental management system (EMS) and is modelled on the Annex SL framework.

Start your transition now by:

• Reviewing Risk Assessments - Update your current risk-and-opportunity registers to include digital and supply-chain vulnerabilities.

• Engaging Leadership - Hold strategy workshops to define sustainability and ethical targets, and document how top management will measure and report on these objectives.

• Training & Briefings - Enroll key staff in targeted transition courses such as awareness briefings and implementation workshops to embed the new requirements before the deadline.

• Understand the standard:
  - Review ISO 9001 requirements and how they apply to your business.
• Conduct a gap analysis: 
  - Compare current processes with the standard to identify improvements needed.
• Implement changes: 
  - Update procedures, train staff, and strengthen your quality management system (QMS).
• Internal audit: 
  - Test the effectiveness of your QMS before the external audit.
• Certification audit: 
  - Undergo Stage 1 (document review) and Stage 2 (implementation evaluation) audits by an accredited body.
• Maintain certification: 
  - Certification is valid for three years, with annual surveillance audits to ensure ongoing compliance.