From time to time we come across companies who think they've achieved ISO certification - or that they've found an organisation that can help them achieve it for a bargain price - but they haven't. Not really. They've gone down the 'Mickey Mouse' route: doing it themselves, using less experienced consultants, or using an organisation that's not a recognised Accredited Body.
Why it's not worth cutting corners when it comes to ISO accreditation:
The organisation you're working with might include an assessment, but this won't lead to any recognised certification.
The organisation will spend very little time working with your company, and therefore won't have time to learn enough about you to develop the bespoke solution you need.
With only a cursory brief visit, you're likely to end up with some very generic documents (where an edit and replace function slots in your name).
You may well fail to achieve recommendation for certification, thereby having to bring an accredited organisation in anyway, and get the assessor back out at a later stage - meaning additional costs and wasted time.
It may then prove more difficult to get buy-in from your staff, who have already seen one attempt at implementation fail.
You'll find it's a false economy: the process will end up costing you more in the long term.
Advantages of working with a recognised Accredited Body:
Within the UK, the only recognisable certification is from United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS) approved Certification Bodies (see https://www.ukas.com/services/other-services/directory-of-accredited-organisations/ or our own website: https://www.penarth.co.uk/certification-bodies.html for details of such organisations). Essentially, you are looking for the UKAS Crown and Tick.
Your company will gain recognition from a UKAS accredited Certification Body.
The organisation will work with your company over several months, constantly making changes and refining things to ensure that they are tailored to you.
A reputable organisation will appreciate the need to visit all your site locations, not just head office.
You'll see genuine improvements in your business operations.
Companies often find it easier to implement changes that have been identified by outsiders. For this to be effective though, your staff need to see and trust the team (which cannot be achieved purely through a brief visit).
To find out about how we can help your organisation with ISO certification, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.
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