You have heard the acronym ISO… so what does ISO stand for? ISO refers to the International Organization for Standardization with a membership of 164 national standards of bodies. ISO is an international organization that develops standards of operations and establishes certifications. Why are businesses usually looking for certification?
ISO exists in almost all areas of industry, from medical devices to food safety, and many more. Each certification is classified with a separate number and has separate standards and criteria of evaluation.
So, what does ISO stand for and what is Certification?
ISO certification ensures the safety, quality, consistency, and effectiveness of products and services. Third parties conduct various rigorous tests on the organization seeking certifications. Once certified, the organization is tested for that particular ISO annually. ISO certification gives an organization recognized credibility.
Since ISO has come into existence, the support to innovation has been off the charts. Members share their expertise and develop market-relevant international standards together. ISO standards are key to resolving industrial challenges.
Where Did ISO Come From?
After 1942, ISO replaced ISA (International Federation of the National Standardizing Association). This was right after the end of World War II. Naturally, everything was poorly affected by the war, including the quality of industrial life. With increased fraud and inconsistent services, there was a rise in the loss of credibility.
There were meetings held by UNSCC (United Nations Standards Coordinating Committee) on national standards. After a year of these meetings, a nongovernmental organization for international standards came into being in 1947 in the presence of a group of delegates from 25 countries. The main purpose was to write, draft, and publish standards.
ISO has a central secretariat in Geneva, Switzerland. The first standard published by ISO was in 1951, known as ISO/R 1: 1951. This was a standard for reference temperature for industrial length measurement, which is still used after many updates and is now known as ISO 1:2016.
To date, ISO has published over 22,000 international standards, both certifiable and non-certifiable and celebrated 70th anniversary in 2017.
What does ISO Stand for when You Get a Certification?
Well, the ISO standards not only safeguard the end-users but the owners and workers of businesses too. ISO is an important strategic tool that helps companies tackle some of the challenges that they face. Here we have listed down the benefits of using an ISO certification.
- Reduces cost by minimizing blunders, errors, and waste
- Reduces insurance fees
- Makes the process and procedure of your business more robust
- Heightens staff engagement and motivation
- Enables organizations to compare their products in different markets directly
- Aids in your future planning by freeing up time that you spend on fixing things that went astray to plans
- Helps businesses enter new markets
- Aids the development of global trade on an equality basis
- Increases success in tenders by increasing credibility to customers
- Improves customer satisfaction levels by ensuring consumers that the product or service adheres to the minimum standards set internationally
If you haven’t already been certified by ISO and have found all the above-listed reasons applicable to business, then consider implementing an ISO standard.
How Can You Get ISO Certified?
Obtaining ISO certifications requires time, effort, money, and careful consideration. Getting an ISO certification requires a process of four simple steps.
- Identify your core business processes, document them properly, and develop your management system. Distribute the document to all those that need assessing.
- Ensure proper implementation of your system as defined by your policies and documents.
- Measure, monitor, and review the effectiveness of your procedures and system.
- Select the appropriate auditing body and Register your business. Submit your management system documentation for review to ensure compliance with the local, international, and applicable standards.
Now you know the answer to the common question, “What does ISO stand for?” Yes, the process might seem complicated at first. However, all the efforts are worthwhile when you benefit from the improved process and control. Learn more about ISO certification costs.
