ISO 9001 helps organizations demonstrate to customers that they can offer products and services of consistently good quality. It is a standard that sets out the requirements for a quality management system. The benefits of this management system are efficiency and improved customer satisfaction for businesses and organizations.
On September 2015 the latest edition of ISO 9001 was published, replacing the previous version (ISO 9001:2008). Every five years the ISO standards are reviewed and revised, if necessary. This allows ISO standards to remain as useful tools for the marketplace. Today businesses and organizations face challenges that are very different from a few decades ago and ISO 9001 has been amended to take this new environment into account. The latest version of the standard brings the user a variety of benefits. For instance, ISO 9001:2015:
- Puts a greater emphasis on leadership engagement
- Help address organizational risks and opportunities in a structured manner
- Uses simplified language and a common structure and terms, which are particularly helpful to organizations using multiple management systems (environment, health & safety, or business continuity)
- Addresses supply chain management more effectively
- Is more user-friendly for service and knowledge-based organizations
With over 1.1 million certificates issued worldwide, many businesses and organizations are updating the existing quality management system to meet the revised requirements. The acting ISO Secretary-General, Kevin McKinley states, “The world has changed, and this revision was needed to reflect this.
Technology is driving increased expectations from customers and businesses. Barriers to trade have dropped due to lower tariffs, but also because of strategic instruments like International Standards. We are seeing a trend towards more complex global supply chains that demand integrated action. So organizations need to perform in new ways, and our quality management standards need to keep up with these expectations. I am confident that the 2015 edition of ISO 9001 can help them achieve this.”
Certification for ISO 9001
Certification for ISO 9001 is intended for businesses and organizations to improve their management performance. However, receiving certification to ISO 9001 is not an easy task and it may not always be granted. Every organization is different, so the process required to receive certification to a quality management system will be unique to the situation of the company. The process for becoming certified requires a two-phase audit performed by an accredited body.
From the very beginning Medi-Ray has employed effective, end-user-oriented management to ensure that resulting lead products and services are of the highest standards and compatible with today’s metallurgical and radiation shielding requirements. We have been certified to the ISO standards so that we may continue to provide our clients with quality service and products.