If you're a producer of materials and products, you have to know more about ISO 9000:2000 accreditation. This will ensure that your system and products stay consistent and maintain their excellent quality for your target consumers. Here are some guidelines.

About ISO 9000:2000

ISO 9001:2000 indicates the requirements to have a quality management system so that a given group or organization will have to present its ability to give products that consistently meets the needs of the customer, as well as meets applicable regulatory requirements. The organization will also then focus on boosting the satisfaction of customers through solid and effective application of the system, including the methods to improve the system and assure the conformity to the standards set by the right agencies for customer needs and applicable regulatory requirements.

The requirements set by the International Standard are universal and are meant to be applicable to all kinds of agencies and organizations, regardless of the products they sell, the size and the kind. This can be excluded at times, when any requirement of the International Standard cannot be properly applied because of the nature of the group and the available products. When exclusions are made, the claims of the standard will not be acceptable, unless the exclusions are limited to given requirements within clause 7. The exclusions will not also change the ability or obligations of the group to give products that satisfactorily meet customer needs and applicable regulatory requirements.

About ISO 9000

The ISO 9000 group of standards pertain to excellent and quality management systems that are created to aid groups and ensure that they properly meet the needs of clients and other shareholders. ISO has published the standard, called the International Organization for Standardization and are now available via the National standards bodies. ISO 9000 focuses on the basics of quality management systems, including the 8 management principles, where the group of standards are grounded. ISO 9001 focuses on the requirements that groups wish to meet so they stick to the standard.

Third party certification bodies can provide independent confirmation that groups meet the requirements set by ISO 9001. There are more than 1 million groups worldwide that are certified independently. ISO 9001 is now one of the most popular management tools used worldwide.

About the 2000 Version

ISO 9001:2000 mixes the three standards 9001, 9002 and 9003 together. Everything is called 9001. The design and production processes are needed only if an organization is involved in the creation of new materials and products. The 2000 version aims to create a big change by focusing on process management primarily. Process management is described as the enhancement and monitoring of the tasks and activities of a company, instead of just viewing the final product. The 2000 version also requires upper executives to be very involved, so that quality in the business system is never compromised and delegation of quality functions to junior administrators is properly done. Another aim is also to boost the effectiveness through process performance measurement, wherein tasks and activities are evaluated according to their effectiveness.

More Details

ISO 9000 is always being revised by technical groups and advisory groups. These groups get feedback from experts who implement and execute the standard. ISO does not certify groups and organizations itself. Several countries have already created accreditation bodies that audit groups that apply for ISO 9001. The process is normally called ISO 9000:2000 certification. The accreditation agencies and the certification bodies will be charging fees for services and other inclusions. There are also mutual agreements between accreditation bodies to make sure that certificates issued are always accepted worldwide.