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Is your company thinking of obtaining ISO or R2 certification? The process may seem daunting at first and you may not know where to start, but with the right approach and tools it can be implemented quickly with minimal investment.
To get certified, whether it’s ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 4500, R2 or any of the other standards, you will first have to develop and document your processes and implement the correct procedures to ensure you can maintain the system, then a certified body must audit the system and issue certification.
Here are the four essential steps to becoming an R2 or ISO-certified business.
Develop and document your management system
Implement your system
Verify that your system is effective by conducting an Internal audit, Management review, and Corrective actions
Register your system: Select the appropriate certification auditing body for external registration. The auditors from your chosen certification body will check your documents and system in two stages: Stage One (documentation review) and Stage Two (main audit).
How long does it take and how much does it cost?
As a general guideline, it usually takes 6 to 10 months from inception to certification, with the average being 8 months.
The costs for developing and registering a formal management system vary depending on the size and complexity of your organization and your internal processes. Here are the genereal costs associated with the process:
First—There are developmental costs, namely the time spent documenting and implementing the system.
Second—There are costs associated with training employees to prepare the necessary documents and to plan and conduct effective internal audits.
Third—There is the cost of registration, which includes conducting the audit and registering the management system. The cost depends on the number of locations, the scope of work, the number of shifts and so on.
You can reduce some of these costs by using a professional experienced external consultant, there are several benefits to this: it reduces the risk of starting down the wrong path or missing critical requirements of the standard, certification can be achieved much faster, a consultant will take 1/3 to 1/4 of the time if would have taken your own resources to get your company certified, it can be cost effective as the cost of paying employees to gain familiarity with the standards can easily outpace the cost of hiring a consultant.
When you decide to hire a consultant to manage this job, you are making an investment in a long-term partner who not only makes it easy for you to get certified but also keeps you abreast of the latest developments ensuring you are always in compliance with the requirements.
IBEC consultants can help you get certified with minimal investment and maximum rewards. schedule a free 30-minute consultation with an IBEC expert.