Achieving ISO certification for your quality management system demonstrates your commitment to quality and gives your organization credibility with customers. However, the real work begins after certification – you must maintain your ISO-compliant processes and procedures to retain certification over the long-term. Without diligent monitoring and improvement, it’s easy for processes to drift out of compliance.
This article provides strategies to help you maintain your ISO certification.
Conduct Internal Audits
Regular internal audits are essential for ensuring your QMS remains compliant between certification audits. Designate qualified internal auditors to periodically check that procedures are being followed and records are properly maintained. Audit all processes, interview staff involved, and document any non-conformities or opportunities for improvement. Close any gaps quickly to prevent major issues down the road. Conduct audits at least annually, but more frequent checks of problem areas may be wise.
Using software to manage compliance tasks will make this job easier. For example, ISO 27001 software will help you manage your risk and stay compliant. Workflows are guided and there are features for managing security permissions.
Review Data and Metrics
Continuously monitoring performance data and quality metrics allows you to identify issues and trends before they become compliance problems. Track statistical process control charts to catch process variations. Review customer complaints, returns, and corrective actions to spot recurring issues. Analyze audit findings for common weaknesses. Establish processes for reviewing these metrics, investigating abnormalities, and addressing necessary improvements. Data analysis should guide your system enhancement efforts.
Involve and Train Employees
An ISO compliant QMS depends on all employees understanding and reliably executing their roles. Provide ongoing training on procedures, forms, systems, and updated standards. Reinforce through internal communications the importance of quality policies and following protocols. When processes drift out of compliance, it often indicates a gap in employee skills or engagement. Make improvement an organization-wide priority rather than just a management responsibility.
Stay Current on Standards
ISO standards are periodically revised, so you need to stay abreast of changes to maintain certification. When new standards or guidance are published, review the changes and update your documentation and processes accordingly. You may need to modify procedures, replace outdated forms, upgrade software systems, or retrain employees on modified practices. Build in a mechanism for actively monitoring updated requirements to avoid being caught unaware during your next audit.
Review and Refresh Documentation
Even if standards haven’t changed, your procedures can suffer from inaccuracies over time if not regularly reviewed. Audit findings may reveal areas where documents no longer match actual processes. Verify that documents remain consistent across the system. Clean up outdated forms, obsolete processes, and incorrect information. Refine unclear instructions that allow inconsistencies. Proper documentation is the foundation of ISO compliance, so review it at least annually.
Achieving ISO certification requires dedication, but maintaining it demands vigilance in regularly auditing, analyzing, training, upgrading, and documenting your QMS. With constant monitoring and improvement, your organization can demonstrate continued compliance and reap the ongoing benefits of ISO certification for years to come.
