The International Organization for Standardization (ISO), located in Geneva, is an independent international non-governmental organization who promotes patient safety by developing and publishing international standards that are of proven value to many industries.
ISO standards are valuable to manufacturing organizations as the standards will provide an organization with a framework to improve processes, improve quality of product and meet regulations. This guide will walk you through the most used and recognized ISO standards for manufacturing organizations.
The Top ISO Standards for the Manufacturing Industry
Which ISO standard is ideal for manufacturing companies? The best standard will differ based on a manufacturer’s particular industry, goals, and focus of operations.
ISO standards represent the proper way for companies to manufacture their products and deliver their services. These standards are most commonly practical for manufacturers.
#1. ISO 9001 — Quality Management.
ISO 9001 certification is a cornerstone standard in quality management. It is the most recognizable standard of all ISO 9000 family standards with more than 1 million organizations around the world have achieved certification.
ISO 9001 is a standard that focuses on implementing a quality management system instead of being a product marker. An organization’s internal process quality is important and is at the center of operational success.
The guidelines in ISO 9001 are comprehensive and pertain to every aspect of an organization, to include customer focus, leadership, process approach, engagement, continual improvement, evidence based decsion making and relationship management.
Because quality improvement is the aim of ISO 9001, organizations will probably see increased production, reduced waste, and increased customer satisfaction after certification has been achieved.
ISO 9001 is for organizations of all sizes, and allows small organizations to set the minimum quality standard for their business needs.
Frequent revisions like the ISO 9001:2015 keep the standard applicable as it relates to leadership, employee engagement and continous improvement. In the end, ISO 9001 provides a key management system that organizations can use to be competitive.
#2. ISO 14001 — Environmental Management.
ISO 14001 certification is a competent standard within the ISO 14000 series that advocates for environmental responsibility by guiding organizations in implementing effective environmental management systems.
This standard supports companies in identifying, monitoring and controlling air pollutants, waste management, resource efficiency and similar systems. By following the ISO 14001 standard organizations reduce their environmental impact, comply with applicable laws and demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
With the increasing emphasis placed on sustainable practices around the globe, the adoption of ISO 14001 is becoming more relevant and important to manufacturers.
Following ISO 14001 ensures avoidance of costly regulatory fines and consumer attractions to environmentally conscious businesses and partners. This could be become an invaluable competitive advantage for eco-friendly manufactures in today’s marketplace.
The standard promotes efficient and sustainable resource use, reduces waste produced and delivered, and develops better practices by reporting the cost of waste and the benefits for the organization and its workers.
ISO 14001 uses a Plan-Do-Check-Act approach, which incorporates an organization’s policies by creating an effective program, setting meaningful targets, and having significant and transparent training for staff stakeholders.
Staff participation and the flow of communication with regards to the environmental management system is key for longevity, sustainability and the effectiveness of individual programs.
Measuring and monitoring programs, practices, and policies provide indicators of improvement, reliability on the frame of the environmental management system and a way to maintain environmental stewardship as a core organizational culture.
#3. ISO 45001 — Occupational Health and Safety Management.
The well-established ISO 45001 standard promotes occupational health and safety with a structured approach for risk reduction and workplace injury prevention.
ISO 45001 applies to all businesses of all sizes and types and focuses on identifying hazards, determining risks and establishing the proper controls for a safe work environment. While regulations impose required minimums for safety, ISO 45001 is a continuously improving process for managing health and safety.
Organizational achievement of ISO 45001 certificatation is a reduction in serious workplace injuries and liability, which often helps lower insurance costs.
Manufactures may find they have a great deal of unique safety risks due to the work environment (e.g. machinery, chemicals or ergonomics). Having a standard in place to address workplace risks will not only create a safer workplace but also improve productivity from less down time due to serious injuries or collection of evidence.
ISO 45001 is based on the PDCA (Plan, Do, Check, Act) approach, so organizations can systematically manage health and safety risks while also integrating to other ISO standards.
Organizations commit to the health and safety of workers, improving not only health and safety but morale and retention. ISO 45001 is a key standard in creating a workplace culture of safety and health, and an investment well worth making for business growth.
#4. ISO 50001 — Energy Management.
ISO 50001 improves an organization’s energy performance through an energy management system. This standard is unique because of its emphasis on continual improvement, which encourages the organization to routinely assess energy efficiency in all aspects of the organization, including production, logistics and transportation.
ISO 50001 is especially valuable in the manufacturing sector because it helps organizations optimize energy-intensive processes, while reducing ongoing, or operational expenditure. In a global community that is increasing both sustainability and emissions, there are many benefits to being certified to ISO 50001.
Manufacturing companies can demonstrate energy savings that were achieved through ISO 50001 on the balance sheet, in addition to operational savings in efficiency. Additionally, they will attract stakeholders who have an obvious commitment to sustainability.
Similar to ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, ISO 50001 promotes the adoption of a management system model and continual improvement. ISO 50001 can also be used to integrate quality management practices, environmental management and embed energy management.
ISO 50001 provides organizations with a simple framework for developing energy efficient policies, measurable objectives, analysis for energy consumption as well as continual improvement across all aspects of energy management.
Many organizations seek certification to ISO 50001 to demonstrate their commitment to the effective practice of energy and sustainability principles.
#5. ISO 13485 — Medical Devices Management.
ISO 13485 is the global standard for quality management for the design and manufacture of medical devices, outlining required to implement the processes to meet regulatory and customer safety and effectiveness requirements for medical devices.
This standard is important for both manufacturers and suppliers. It produces a consistent approach to designing, developing, producing, and delivering safe medical devices.
ISO 13485:2016 is the latest standard and helps support compliance with strict regulatory compliance, demonstrates risk management, and establishes best practices to ease access to the market and the trust of stakeholders.
#6. ISO 27001 — Information Security Management.
ISO 27001 says the requirements organizations must meet when establishing, implementing, monitoring, maintaining, and continually improving an organization’s information security practices.
While not explicitly intended for manufacturing, this standard is very relevant for manufacturers to manage data security risks and ensure best-practice/enabling principles and like practices are followed.
As cybercrime is on the rise, the new ISO 27001 – ISO 27001:2022 – enables organizations to proactively identify and mitigate information security vulnerabilities through an integrated people, process and technology framework.
Certification standard ultimately helps foster operational excellence and cyber-resilience.
Navigating ISO Certification with NQA
Getting ISO certification can be a multi-stage effort which consists of management system implementation, internal auditing and the final audit from an external certification body. NQA is a leading global certification body that can help your organization navigate the complex process towards certification.
NQA uses a comprehensive approach and offers services designed to realize improvements to processes and performance in your company.
- Accredited certification: NQA offers certification for an extensive range of ISO and related standards across broad industry categories to ensure your organization meets international quality benchmarks.
- Training services: NQA will provide your teams with the knowledge and skills for effective management system implementation and maintenance through specific training programs and bundles.
- Support services: NQA will assist your company in identifying growth opportunities, ensuring compliance and creating a culture that encourages continuous improvement.
Experience and Trust
NQA has issued over 50,000 certifications globally over nearly 40 years as a trusted partner in key manufacturing areas, such as automotive and aerospace.
The history means they’ll be pushing the envelope to understand the unique challenges in your industry and supply you with tailored solutions that take your business success to the next level.
Philosophy of Partnering and Continuously Improving
NQA collaborates with it’s clients to achieve compliance and success. With a focus on continuous improvement, NQA helps organizations achieve and maintain ISO certification, while driving improvements to operational efficiency, standards and process overall.
Offering you services, expertise, support, and resources necessary to thrive in your changing marketplace, NQA is a trusted partner in ISO certification. It will aid your organization as a trusted partner and guide through an agonizing process, providing an experienced resource to the whole endeavor.
Investing in a Framework for Excellence
The ISO standard makes manufacturing quality and safety much better and gives you a valuable competitive advantage in tough market conditions. ISO standards support a strong quality framework for improving your processes and meeting regulatory requirements.
The certification qualification and implementation process needs to be effective and efficient , and by using an experienced certification body, you should have confidence in the process. NQA’s experience and support will help you achieve compliance, and subsequently help you to use ISO standards to ensure the long-term success of your organization.