International Organization for Standardization

REPORTER: SALES, XILCA JOYCE

What is a standard?
A standard is a document that provides requirements, specifications, guidelines or
characteristics that can be used consistently to ensure that materials, products, processes
and services are fit for their purpose.
International Standards make things work. They give world-class specifications for
products, services and systems, to ensure quality, safety and efficiency. They are
instrumental in facilitating international trade.
About ISO
ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership
of 170 national standards bodies. Through its members, it brings together experts to share
knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International
Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges.
Founded on 23 February 1947, the organization promotes worldwide proprietary,
industrial and commercial standards. It is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland,[5] and
as of 2015 works in 170 countries
It's all in the name
Because 'International Organization for Standardization' would have different acronyms
in different languages (IOS in English, OIN in French for Organisation internationale de
normalisation), our founders decided to give it the short form ISO. ISO is derived from
the Greek isos, meaning equal. Whatever the country, whatever the language, we are
always ISO.

Key principles in standard development

1. ISO standards respond to a need in the market
ISO does not decide when to develop a new standard, but responds to a request from
industry or other stakeholders such as consumer groups. Typically, an industry sector or
group communicates the need for a standard to its national member who then contacts
ISO. Contact details for national members can be found in the list of members.
2. ISO standards are based on global expert opinion
ISO standards are developed by groups of experts from all over the world, that are part of
larger groups called technical committees. These experts negotiate all aspects of the
standard, including its scope, key definitions and content. Details can be found in the list
of technical committees.
3. ISO standards are developed through a multi-stakeholder process
The technical committees are made up of experts from the relevant industry, but also
from consumer associations, academia, NGOs and government. Read more about who
develops ISO standards.
4. ISO standards are based on a consensus
Developing ISO standards is a consensus-based approach and comments from all
stakeholders are taken into account.
Popular standards ISO 50001 - Energy management
ISO 9000 - Quality management Make energy savings and help make
your organization more efficient with
Make sure your products and services
this standard.
meet customers' needs with this family
of standards. ISO 3166 - Country codes
ISO 14000 - Environmental Avoid confusion when referring to
management countries and their subdivisions with this
standard.
Improve your environmental
performance with this family of ISO 4217 - Currency codes
standards.
Avoid confusion when referring to world
ISO 45001 - Occupational Health and currencies with this standard.
Safety
ISO 639 - Language codes
Reduce workplace risks and create safer
Describe languages in an internationally
working environments.
accepted way with this standard.
ISO/IEC 27001 - Information security
ISO 22000 - Food safety management
Ensure your organization's information is
Inspire confidence in your food products
secure with this family of standards.
with this family of standards.
ISO 26000 - Social responsibility
ISO 20121 - Sustainable events
Help your organization to operate in a
Manage the social, economic and
socially responsible way with this
environmental impacts of your event
standard.
with this standard.
ISO 13485 - Medical devices
Manage quality throughout the life cycle
of a medical device.
ISO 31000 - Risk management
Manage risks that could be negative for
your company’s performance with this
standard.
ISO 37001 - Anti-bribery management
systems
Prevent, detect and address bribery.
ISO 8601 - Date and time format
Use an internationally accepted way to
represent dates and times.

REPORTER: PASION, IAN VANJETT

What are the benefits of ISO International Standards?
ISO International Standards ensure that products and services are safe, reliable and of
good quality. For business, they are strategic tools that reduce costs by minimizing waste
and errors, and increasing productivity. They help companies to access new markets,
level the playing field for developing countries and facilitate free and fair global trade.
ISO has over 21000 International Standards covering almost all aspects of technology
and business. All standards can be found in the ISO store.
What is ISO 9001:2008
ISO 9001:2008 is the title of a document (Standard) that outlines the requirements an
organization must maintain in their quality system for ISO 9001:2008 certification. There
are several different documents in the ISO 9000 family of standards, but ISO 9001-2008
is the only ISO standard that requires certification. ISO 9001:2008 is the most recent
standard, and the “2008” references the year of latest revision. It was previously called
ISO 9001:2000, which is now obsolete (as are ISO 9002 and ISO 9003) and replaced by
ISO 9001:2008 in the year 2008.
ISO 9001:2008 does NOT define the actual quality of your product or service. The
standard helps you achieve consistent results and continually improve the process. Thus,
if you can make a good product most of the time, this helps you make it all of the time.
It’s just good business practices.

REPORTER: SARANILLA, MARK JEFFERSON A.

ISO 9001: 2008 Certification

Certification can be a useful tool to add credibility, by demonstrating that your product
or service meets the expectations of your customers. For some industries, certification is
a legal or contractual requirement.
ISO does not perform certification.
At ISO, we develop International Standards, such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, but we are
not involved in their certification, and do not issue certificates. This is performed by
external certification bodies, thus a company or organization cannot be certified by ISO.
However ISO's Committee on Conformity Assessment (CASCO) has produced a number
of standards related to the certification process, which are used by certification bodies.
Certification – the provision by an independent body of written assurance (a certificate)
that the product, service or system in question meets specific requirements.
Accreditation – the formal recognition by an independent body, generally known as an
accreditation body, that a certification body operates according to international standards.

 ISO 9001:2008 certification has been in place for over a decade now and is used
by both customers and companies as a method of controlling their quality.
 The Standard provides a framework to manage your business and ensure a
philosophy of continual improvement in all aspects of your business.
 It is externally assessed on an ongoing basis to ensure these business practices
are maintained.
 The principles of ISO 9001:2008 are:

ISO 9001: 2008 is an international standard related to quality management

system, applicable to any organization from all types of business sectors and
activities.
ISO 9001:2008 is based on eight quality management principles (all
fundamental to good business practice). When fully adopted, these principles
can help improve your organizational performance:
 Customer focus: organizations depends on their customers, and
therefore need to shape activities around the fulfillment of market
need.

Meeting – and exceeding – customer needs is the primary focus of

quality management and will contribute to the long-term success of your
 enterprise. It is important to not only attract but also retain the
confidence of your customers, so adapting to their future needs is key.

 Leadership: is needed to provide unity of purpose and direction.

Having a unified direction or mission that comes from strong leadership

is essential to ensure that everyone in the organization understands what
you are trying to achieve.

 Involvement of people: creates an environment where people become

fully involved in achieving the organization's objectives.

Creating value for your customers will be easier if you have competent,
empowered and engaged people at all levels of your business or
organization.

 Process approach: to achieve organizational objectives, resources and

activities need to be managed as processes, with an understanding of
how the outputs of one process affects the inputs of another

Understanding activities as processes that link together and function as a

system helps achieve more consistent and predictable results. People,
teams and processes do not exist in a vacuum and ensuring everyone is
familiar with the organization’s activities and how they fit together will
ultimately improve efficiency.

 System approach to management: the effectiveness and efficiency of

the organization depends on a systemized approach to work activities
 Continual improvement: adopting this as a part of everyday culture is
a key objective for an organization.

Successful organizations have an ongoing focus on improvement.

Reacting to changes in the internal and external environment is
necessary if you want to continue to deliver value for your customers.
This is of paramount importance today when conditions evolve so
quickly.

 Fact based decision-making: effective decisions are based on the

logical and intuitive analysis of data and factual information.
 Making decisions is never easy and naturally involves a degree of
uncertainty, but ensuring your decisions are based on the analysis and
evaluation of data is more likely to produce the desired result.

 Mutually beneficial supplier relationships: such relationships will

enhance the ability to create value.

Today’s businesses and organizations do not work in a vacuum.

Identifying the important relationships you have with interested parties
such as your suppliers – and setting out a plan to manage them – will
drive sustained success

REPORTER: PAGURAYAN, JUNIMAR

BENEFITS OF ISO 9001:2008
 Involves Top management in the improvement of the Quality management
System
Facilitates the organization to become a customer-focused organization.
 Ensures sustained customer satisfaction by producing, delivering services and
providing support functions that meet customer's needs and expectations.
 Increases the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization through continual
improvement in systems and products /services quality.
Auditing ISO 9001

Support on auditing quality management systems can be found on the website of the ISO
9001 Auditing Practices Group. This is an informal group of quality management system
experts, auditors and practitioners from ISO/TC 176 and the International Accreditation
Forum.

ISO 9001:2008 Audit

 Internal or external checking to verify if quality management systems is
implemented properly.
 Internal audit done by quality team independent of the operations organization: are
the principles of the quality management followed
- An organization may decide to invite an independent certification body to
verify that it is in conformity to the standard – but there is no requirement for
this.
 A company may decide to seek certification for various reasons:
 - May be required by contract with buyers or regulators: utility companies,
hospitals
- May give a commercial advantage – a certified firm can command a premium
- Within the context of a risk management programme, and
- Provides a defined understanding/unambiguous set of requirements
- Motivates staff towards an endpoint in a “never-ending” goal of quality
management
 ISO is not involved in certification to any of the standards it develops
- Certification is performed by external certification bodies, generally private
- Therefore company or organization is not “certified by ISO”