Preparation for ISO 9001:2015 certification

Answer:

You need to start by obtaining management support and identifying the customer requirements for the QMS, then you will need to define your quality policy, quality objectives, which together define the overall scope and implementation of the Quality Management System. Along with these, you will need to create the mandatory and additional processes and procedures necessary for your organization to properly create and deliver your product or service.

Here you can find a list of mandatory documentation and commonly used for ISO 9001:2015: https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/list-of-mandatory-documents-required-by-iso-90012015/

This article can help you with the certification process:
- Article - How do you prove to the certification auditor that QMS processes are carry out as plannes: https://advisera .com/9001academy/blog/2016/12/13/how-do-you-prove-to-the-certification-auditor-that-qms-processes-are-carried-out-as-planned/

Certification process should be smooth if the implementation of the standard is successful. Usually certification audits are conducted in 2 stages. The first stage is a review of your documentation by the certification body auditors to verify that, on paper, you have addressed all ISO 9001 requirements. In the second stage the certification body auditors will review the records you have accumulated by operating your QMS processes, including your records of internal audits, management review and corrective actions.

To understand more about the certification steps, see this article:
- Checklist of ISO 9001 implementation and certification steps: https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/checklist-of-iso-9001-implementation-certification-steps/

There are many benefits regarding the certification, among them - Improvement of your credibility and image; Improvement of customer satisfaction; Better process integration; Improve your evidence for decision making; Create a continual improvement culture; Engagement of employees. Regarding the cons I would say that you will need some effort in the terms of money, personnel involvement, training, etc. in order to implement the standard, either by yourserlf or with the help of a consultant

In this article you can find the benefits of the certification - Six key benefits of ISO 9001 implementation: https://advisera.com/9001academy/knowledgebase/six-key-benefits-of-iso-9001-implementation/

Also these materials can help you with the implementation and certification process:
- Book - Discover ISO 9001:2015 through practical examples: https://advisera.com/books/discover-iso-9001-2015-through-practical-examples/
- ISO 9001:2015 Foundations Course: https://advisera.com/training/iso-9001-foundations-course/