Roadmap to successful ISO 9000 registration. (International Standards Organization)

How do your international customers compare the quality system that produces your product to the quality systems of companies around the world making the same product? Conformance to international quality standards is fast becoming a condition for competing in the global marketplace. ISO 9000 is a series of international standards designed for quality assurance management systems. These standards were defined in 1987 by the International Organization for Standardization based in Geneva, Switzerland. The ISO 9000 standards focus on the processes used in the design and production of goods and services and are intended to harmonize the large number of national and international standards in this field: There are currently 55 countries (including the U.S. ) worldwide that have adopted ISO 9000 standards.

Awareness and education

Starting down the path to ISO 9000 registration requires an understanding of the standards, the elements within the standard, how your company's quality system complies with those elements and the registration process itself, The standard requires naming the management representative who will have defined responsibility for ensuring that the requirement of the standard are implemented and maintained. The task of the representative begins by understanding requirement of the ISO 9000 standard and making sure that everyone in the organization is educated on the ISO 9000 requirements.

Your company management should be responsible for ensuring the education is complete, fully understood and linked to the international success of your company. The first milestone …