Which quality management system certification is suitable for your company? Read this to avoid wasting money.

 

The ISO systems are too many and confusing, not sure which one to do? No worries! Today, let's explain which type of system certification is most suitable for different enterprises. Don't waste money, and don't miss the certificates you need!

 

ISO9001 Quality Management System

 

The ISO9001 standard is universally applicable. This doesn't mean the 9000 standards are all-powerful, but because ISO9001 is a fundamental standard, embodying the essence of Western quality management science. It applies to manufacturing enterprises, as well as service industries, intermediary companies, sales companies, etc., because quality principles are universal.

 

Generally speaking, the ISO9001 standard is more suitable for manufacturing enterprises because the content of the standard corresponds well to processes, making it feel like a perfect fit.

 

Sales companies can be divided into two types: pure sales and manufacturing-sales companies. If it is a pure sales company, its products are outsourced or procured, and its product is sales service rather than product manufacturing. Therefore, the planning process should consider the particularity of the product (sales process), which makes system planning easier. If it is a manufacturing-sales company, including production, both production and sales processes should be planned. So when a sales company applies for ISO9001 certification, it should consider its products and distinguish itself from manufacturing enterprises.

 

Overall, regardless of the size or industry of the enterprise, all enterprises are currently suitable for ISO9001 certification. Its scope is broad, suitable for any industry, and it is the foundation and basis for all enterprises to grow and develop. For different industries, ISO9001 has derived various detailed standards, such as quality system standards for the automotive and medical industries.

 

ISO14001 Environmental Management System

 

ISO14001 environmental management system certification applies to any organization, including enterprises, institutions, and related government units. After certification, it proves that the organization has reached an international level in environmental management, ensuring control of various pollutants in all processes, products, and activities of the enterprise, establishing a good social image for the enterprise.

 

Environmental protection issues have increasingly attracted attention. Since the International Organization for Standardization released the ISO14001 environmental management system standard and several related standards, it has received widespread response and attention worldwide. More and more environmentally conscious enterprises have voluntarily implemented the ISO14001 environmental management system.

 

Generally, enterprises implement the ISO14001 environmental management system in the following situations:

 

1. Focus on environmental protection, hoping to fundamentally achieve pollution prevention and continuous improvement through the implementation of the environmental management system, while promoting the development of clean products, adoption of clean processes, use of efficient equipment, and proper waste disposal.

 

2. Requirements from related parties. For example, suppliers, customers, bidding, and tendering require enterprises to provide ISO14001 environmental management system certification.

 

3. Improve enterprise management level and promote transformation of management models. By controlling the consumption of various resources, comprehensively optimize cost management.

 

In summary, ISO14001 environmental management system is a voluntary certification. Any enterprise with a need for improvement can implement this certification to enhance its reputation and fundamentally improve management level.

 

ISO45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System

 

ISO45001 is an international safety and health management system certification standard, the new version of the original Occupational Health and Safety Management System (OHSAS18001). Its purpose is to reduce and prevent losses of life, property, and time caused by accidents, as well as environmental damage through management.

 

ISO 45001 occupational health and safety management system applies to any organization's occupational health and safety management system standard. Its purpose is to reduce and prevent losses of life, property, and time caused by accidents, as well as environmental damage through management.

 

We usually collectively refer to ISO9001, ISO14001, and ISO45001 as the three systems (also known as the three standards).

 

These three system standards apply to all industries, and some local governments even provide financial subsidies to certified enterprises.

 

GB/T50430 Construction Quality System

 

Any enterprise engaged in construction engineering, road and bridge engineering, equipment installation, and other related projects must have corresponding qualification certificates, including the GB/T50430 construction system.

 

In bidding activities, if you are an enterprise in the construction industry, you are likely familiar with GB/T50430 certification, especially since having three certificates can increase bid scores and improve the winning rate.

 

ISO27001 Information Security Management System

 

1. Industries that treat information as a lifeline:

 

1. Financial industry: banks, insurance, securities, funds, futures, etc.

2. Telecommunications industry: telecom, Netcom, mobile, Unicom, etc.

3. Shell companies: foreign trade, import and export, HR, headhunting, accounting firms, etc.

 

2. Industries highly dependent on information technology:

1. Steel, semiconductors, logistics

2. Electricity, energy

3. Outsourcing (ITO or BPO): IT, software, telecom IDC, call centers, data entry, data processing, etc.

 

3. Industries with high technical process requirements and coveted by competitors:

 

1. Pharmaceuticals, fine chemicals

 

2. Research institutions

 

Introducing an information security management system can coordinate information management in various aspects, making management more effective. Ensuring information security is not just about having a firewall or hiring a company that provides 24-hour information security services; it requires comprehensive integrated management.

 

ISO20000 Information Technology Service Management System

 

ISO20000 is the first international standard for IT service management system requirements. It adheres to the concept of "customer-oriented, process-centered" and emphasizes continuous improvement of IT services provided by the organization according to the PDCA (Deming quality) methodology. Its purpose is to provide a model for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring, reviewing, maintaining, and improving the IT Service Management System (ITSM).

 

ISO 20000 certification is suitable for IT service providers, which can be internal IT departments or external service providers, including (but not limited to) the following categories:

 

1. IT service outsourcing providers

2. IT system integrators and software developers

3. Internal IT service providers or IT operation support departments within enterprises

 

ISO22000 Food Safety Management System

 

The ISO22000 Food Safety Management System certificate is one of the essential certificates in the catering industry.

 

The ISO22000 system applies to all organizations in the entire food supply chain, including feed processing, primary product processing, food manufacturing, transportation and storage, as well as retailers and the catering industry.

 

It can also be used as a standard basis for organizations to conduct second-party audits of their suppliers, and of course, it can be used for third-party commercial certification.

 

HACCP Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points System

 

The HACCP system is a preventive food safety control system that assesses potential hazards in food processing and then takes control measures.

 

This system mainly targets food production enterprises and focuses on the hygiene and safety of the entire production chain (responsible for consumer life safety).

 

Although ISO22000 and HACCP systems both belong to food safety management, there are distinctions in their scope: ISO22000 applies to various industries, while HACCP only applies to the food and related industries.

 

IATF16949 Quality Management System

 

Enterprises suitable for IATF16949 system certification include manufacturers of passenger cars, trucks, buses, motorcycles, and their parts and accessories.

 

Enterprises not suitable for IATF16949 system certification include manufacturers of industrial vehicles (forklifts), agricultural vehicles (small trucks), construction vehicles (engineering vehicles), mining, forestry, and other vehicle manufacturers.

 

Mixed-production enterprises, where only a small portion of products are supplied to automobile manufacturers, can also obtain IATF16949 certification. All company management should follow IATF16949, including technical aspects of automotive products. If the production sites can be separated, only the automotive product manufacturing site needs to be managed according to IATF16949; otherwise, the entire factory must comply with IATF16949.

 

Although mold product manufacturers are suppliers in the automotive supply chain, their products are not used on automobiles, so they cannot apply for IATF16949 certification. Similar cases include transportation suppliers, etc.

 

Product After-Sales Service Certification

 

Any legally operating enterprise within the People's Republic of China can apply for product after-sales service certification, including enterprises manufacturing tangible goods, selling tangible goods, and providing intangible goods (services).

 

Products are items entering the consumer field. Besides tangible products, products also include intangible services. Both industrial and consumer goods belong to products.

 

Tangible products have external forms and intrinsic quality as well as promotional components, such as quality, packaging, brand, shape, style, color tone, culture, etc.

      

Intangible products include labor and technical services, such as financial services, accounting services, marketing planning, creative design, management consulting, legal consulting, programming, etc. Intangible products generally occur along with tangible products and infrastructure, such as airline services, hotel services, beauty services, etc.

 

Therefore, any production, trade, or service enterprise with independent legal status can apply for product after-sales service certification.

 

Intellectual Property Standardization

 

Category One:

 

Intellectual property advantage and demonstration enterprises — standardization required;

 

Category Two:

 

1. Enterprises preparing to apply for municipal or provincial famous trademarks or well-known trademarks — standardization can serve as effective proof of intellectual property management norms;

2. Enterprises preparing to apply for high-tech enterprises, technological innovation projects, industry-university-research cooperation projects, or technical standard projects — standardization can serve as effective proof of intellectual property management norms;

3. Enterprises preparing for listing — standardization can avoid intellectual property risks before listing and serve as effective proof of the company's intellectual property norms.

 

Category Three:

 

1. Medium and large enterprises with complex organizational structures such as group or holding companies — standardization can streamline management thinking;

2. Enterprises with high intellectual property risks — standardization can regulate intellectual property risk control and reduce infringement risks;

3. Enterprises with some foundation in intellectual property work that want more standardized management — standardization can regulate management processes.

 

Category Four:

 

Enterprises frequently participating in bidding — after standardization, they can become preferred procurement targets for state-owned and central enterprises.