ISO Certification

Introduction to ISO

ISO originated from the merger of two organizations: the International Federation of the National Standardizing Associations (ISO) and the United Nations Standard Coordinating Committee (UNSCC).

In 1946, representatives from over 25 countries met at the Institute of Civil Engineers in London to form a new international body with the objective to “facilitate the international coordination and unification of industrial standards.” This led to the establishment of ISO, which officially began operations in February 1947.

The name ISO comes from the Greek word “isos,” meaning “equal.” Since the full name of the organization translates differently in various languages, the short universal form ISO was adopted.

Today, ISO is a global network, representing over 150 countries and has published more than 16,500 international standards. ISO committees meet regularly to review, develop, and refine management and industrial standards worldwide.

Benefits of Certification

Each ISO standard delivers specific advantages to its industry, but the common benefits across all certifications include:

• Widened market potential and access to global opportunities.
• Compliance with procurement and government tenders.
• Improved efficiency and operational cost savings.
• Higher customer service quality and satisfaction.
• Greater staff morale, motivation, and engagement.
• Recognition as a quality-conscious organization.

Additional Key Benefits:

• ISO standards help identify and apply best business practices.
• They drive efficiency in business operations.
• They strengthen marketing and branding efforts.
• Increase financial gains through market trust.
• Meet legal, regulatory, and interested-party requirements.
• Demonstrate management commitment to health, safety, and asset protection.
• Enhance customer and stakeholder confidence.
• Increase international recognition of your brand.
• Reduce accidents, downtime, and operational losses.

About the Standard

BS EN ISO 9001:2015 is the full designation of one of the most globally recognized quality management standards. The breakdown is as follows:

• BS = British Standard
• EN = Norme Européenne / Europäische Norm (European Standard)
• ISO = International Organization for Standardization
• 9001 = Standard identification number
• 2015 = Year of publication and revision