ISO STANDARDS FOR QUALITY MANAGEMENT

ISO INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS

• A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes and services are fit for their purpose.

• ISO International Standards ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of good quality. For business, they are strategic tools that reduce costs by minimizing waste and errors, and increasing productivity. They help companies to access new markets, level the playing field for developing countries and facilitate free and fair global trade.

ISO 9000

The ISO 9000 family addresses various aspects of quality management. The standards provide guidance and tools for companies and organizations who want to ensure that their products and services consistently meet customer's requirements, and that quality is consistently improved.

Standards in the ISO 9000 family include:• ISO 9001:2008, Requirements of a quality management

system.• ISO 9000:2005, Basic concepts and language.• ISO 9004:2009, How to make a quality management system

more efficient and effective.• ISO 19011:2011, Guidance on internal and external audits

of quality management systems.

Certification

Checking that the system works is a vital part of ISO standards. An organization must perform internal audits to check how its quality management system is working. An organization may decide to invite an independent certification body to verify that it is in conformity to the standard, but there is no requirement for this. Alternatively, it might invite its clients to audit the quality system for themselves.

ISO 9000:2005 Quality management systems Fundamentals and vocabulary

ISO 9000:2005 describes fundamentals of quality management systems, which form the subject of the ISO 9000 family, and defines related terms.

ISO 9001:2008Quality management systems - Requirements

ISO 9001:2008 specifies requirements for a quality management system, where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products that meet customer requirements, and aims to enhance customer satisfaction.

ISO 9004:2009 Managing for the sustained success of an

organization A quality management approach

ISO 9004:2009 provides guidance to organizations to support the achievement of sustained success by a quality management approach. It is applicable to any organization, regardless of size, type and activity.

ISO 19011:2011Guidelines for auditing management systems

ISO 19011:2011 provides guidance on auditing management systems, including the principles of auditing, managing an audit programme and conducting management system audits. It is applicable to all organizations that need to conduct internal or external audits of management systems.