5 Industrial Sectors That Must Be Getting ISO 9001 Certification

ISO 9001 is the most recognized certification for quality assurance in businesses, regardless of their industry, scale, or size. The standard lays down the requirements to develop a concrete quality management system (QMS) which will help to control the core business processes and continue to enhance the quality of the services or products. The best thing about ISO 9001 certification is its evolving and adaptable nature. It is brilliantly designed to suit the quality objectives and requirements of QMS for almost every industry. Therefore, any business which seeks to improve the quality and sustain their performance needs to get certified with the standard. The ISO 9001 requirements can be tweaked with the type of the products, services, and unique operations of a business, and a feasible QMS can be formed based on that.  

While it is true that ISO 9001 can be applied to any business globally, the question is what are the common factors in those industries? Improving quality and eliminating risks in the operations are the factors. Let us discuss the industries where this standard is of utmost importance and must be implemented.

The manufacturing or engineering sector is comprised of facilities or plants that produce retail goods, electronics, heavy machinery, automobile, aviation, or defense equipment. The manufacture of any product has to pass through numerous stages, requires assembling of materials or parts, and needs to maintain accuracy and consistency. The implication of a QMS and getting it certified with ISO 9001 is clear. It is required to monitor and administer the stages, evaluate the resources or materials used in production, scale the performance, and make sure no defective or substandard products are released in the market.

 

As the demand for information technology (IT) services is growing, there is pressure on the IT companies to provide fast, secure, and quality services. As already mentioned, the ISO 9001 standard is dynamic and can be integrated with other management certifications, and the IT industry is the biggest example of this. ISO 27001 certification, which is specifically for validating the information security management system (ISMS), can be integrated with the ISO 9001 standard to ensure quality and security assurance for IT services. With both standards implemented, it becomes necessary for IT services organizations to scrutinize their IT systems, cloud-based applications, software solutions, and other digital products. They need to have standard operating procedures, data risk management, and data recovery plans to assure the integrity and privacy of their customers.

In an industry where time is consumed in delivering a project and enormous budget/investments are involved, quality and safety are primary concerns. The main objective of implementing the ISO 9001 standard is to follow requirements for quality construction and give confidence to the internal and external stakeholders of the project, including buyers, investors, dealers, suppliers, and so on. The certification will assure them that the construction company fully complies with the standard’s regulations and is consistently maintaining efficient resources, using superior materials, providing a safe work environment, and building quality projects.  

The hotel and tourism industry is heavily focused on the customer. The hospitality sector has challenges related to providing quality and hygienic services to the customers so that they keep coming back, refer the same to other tourists, and promote them. With operations and services playing an important role, getting ISO certified is imperative for hospitality businesses, no matter how big or small. It is also the most valid tool to ensure the customers, hoteliers, and tourism agencies follow regulated procedures, the staff are trained to work following certain guidelines, and there are strict standards to be maintained for each service.

Healthcare and medical institutions also need ISO 9001 standard implementation to ensure quality treatment and medical services are provided as they are crucial for the wellness of the patients. ISO 13485 is specifically for medical device and equipment manufacturers, and ISO 9001 QMS standard is for the healthcare services providers. These standards will validate the efficiency of their services, which include facilities (hospitals and pathologies), pharmacies, ambulances, trauma care, and other health emergency services. 

Even though many industries are eligible for the ISO 9001 certification, this article has mentioned some industries that need to get certified with the standard. Due to the types of goods and services these industries provide, the complexities of their work processes, and the attributes of their products or services, ISO 9001 certification is the most effective tool for them. It will help to win the confidence of the customers and drive growth and profitability. 

The author is a seasoned ISO 9001 certification consultant who has helped many organizations implement a comprehensive and efficient QMS that adheres to the regulatory requirements of the ISO standard. He also writes a blog, where he discusses all the prominent management certifications including ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and ISO 27001 certification, and tells businesses how to maintain them.

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