ISO 9001:2015
ISO 9001 certification for quality management
Independent assessment of your quality management system against ISO 9001:2015, by an accredited certification body.
- Valid for
- 3 years
- Surveillance
- Years 1 and 2
- Verification
- Public register
Accredited and empanelled
What is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001 sets out the requirements for a quality management system: how an organisation understands its customers, plans its work, controls its processes and improves over time. It applies to any organisation, whatever its size or sector, and to services as much as manufactured goods.
The edition we certify against is ISO 9001:2015, which follows the harmonised structure shared by other ISO management system standards. Its 2024 amendment added a requirement to consider whether climate change is a relevant issue for the organisation. Our auditors look for evidence that the system works in practice, not for a particular set of manuals and procedures.
Customers and public buyers often treat ISO 9001 as the baseline for supplier approval. A certificate from an accredited body, listed in a public register and verifiable by QR code, answers that question without further paperwork.
Who it is for
- Manufacturers and engineering firms supplying larger customers
- Service companies whose clients run supplier approval
- Software and IT firms formalising delivery and support
- Distributors, traders and logistics companies
- Organisations planning sector schemes built on ISO 9001
What sets audit time and cost
Most organisations move from application to certification decision in eight to twelve weeks, with the gap between Stage 1 and Stage 2 set by how ready your records are.
- Effective number of personnel, including part-time and contracted staff
- Number of sites and whether multi-site sampling applies
- Design and development responsibility in scope
- Shift patterns and outsourced processes
- Combined audits with other management system standards
Why it matters
What ISO 9001 gives you
- 01
Accepted in supplier approval
An accredited ISO 9001 certificate is recognised in supplier questionnaires and vendor registration across most markets.
- 02
Consistent delivery
Defined processes, clear responsibilities and measured outcomes reduce rework, complaints and missed commitments.
- 03
Decisions based on evidence
Internal audit, performance data and management review give leadership a regular, factual view of how the business runs.
- 04
A base for other standards
ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 27001 share the same structure, so they can be added later and audited together.
The audit
What our auditors examine
- 01
Context and scope
How you have defined internal and external issues, the needs of interested parties and the scope, including any requirement you consider not applicable.
- 02
Leadership and quality policy
Whether top management is accountable for the system, the policy fits the business and roles and authorities are assigned.
- 03
Risks, opportunities and objectives
How risks and opportunities are addressed in planning, and whether quality objectives are measurable and followed up.
- 04
Operational control
Review of customer requirements, design and development where it applies, control of external providers and handling of nonconforming outputs.
- 05
Performance evaluation
Customer satisfaction monitoring, internal audits that cover the whole system and management reviews that lead to decisions.
- 06
Corrective action
Whether nonconformities are analysed for cause and the actions taken stop them recurring.
How certification works
Every accredited certificate follows the same three-year cycle, with each step recorded and the result published in our register.
01
Application and quote
Tell us your scope, sites and headcount. We calculate audit time under the accreditation rules and send a fixed quote and audit plan.
02
Stage 1 audit
We review your documented management system, scope and readiness, and agree the Stage 2 plan. Any gaps are reported so you can close them first.
03
Stage 2 audit
Auditors check that the system works in practice: interviews, records and observation across the scope. Nonconformities are raised in writing.
04
Certification decision
Once corrective actions are accepted, a reviewer who did not take part in the audit makes the decision. Your certificate is issued and listed in the public register.
05
Surveillance audits
Shorter audits in the first and second years after certification confirm the system is maintained and improving. The register shows your current status throughout.
06
Recertification
Before the three-year certificate expires, a recertification audit reviews the whole system and renews the certificate for another cycle.
Related standards and audits
Often certified or audited alongside this one, sometimes in a single combined audit.
ISO certification
ISO 14001
Independent certification of how your organisation identifies, controls and reduces its environmental impact.
ISO certification
ISO 45001
Independent certification that your organisation identifies hazards, controls risk and involves workers in keeping people safe.
ISO certification
ISO 27001
Independent certification of your information security management system against ISO/IEC 27001:2022.
ISO certification
ISO 13485
Independent certification of a quality management system built around medical device safety, performance and regulatory requirements.
ISO certification
ISO 29001
Independent certification of a sector quality management system for suppliers to the petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries.
Industries we audit for
Manufacturing
Accredited certification for the quality, environmental, safety and energy systems customers audit you against.
SaaS and cloud
Independent evidence that answers enterprise security reviews and keeps sales moving.
Government and public sector
CERT-In empanelled audits and accredited certification for departments, public sector undertakings and their suppliers.
Guides
5 min read
Preparing for stage 1 and stage 2 certification audits
Initial certification happens in two stages: a readiness review and a full assessment of how the system works. Here is what each stage covers and how to prepare without overbuilding.
5 min read
Integrated management system audits
Organisations with more than one ISO certification can be audited against them together. This guide explains what an integrated audit shares, what still has to be assessed standard by standard, and how to prepare.
5 min read
Transferring your certification to a new certification body
You can move an accredited management system certification from one certification body to another without starting over. This guide explains who is eligible, what the pre-transfer review covers and what happens to your audit cycle.
5 min read
Surveillance and recertification: the three-year cycle
Certification is not a single event. This guide explains the three-year cycle, what each surveillance audit looks at, what puts a certificate at risk and how to plan recertification so it never lapses.
ISO 9001 questions
We audit; we do not consult.
To keep certification independent, we never design, build or fix the systems we audit, and decisions are made by people who did not take part in the audit. Read our impartiality policy.
Plan your ISO 9001 certification
Tell us your scope, sites and timeline. We reply with an audit plan and a fixed quote.