A Step-By-Step ISO Certification Renewal Process
ISO certification has become a necessary mechanism for business sustainability. The international standards are crafted precisely to ensure effective management protocols. Quality management, business continuity, information security, occupational health and safety, environmental sustainability, and risk management systems are some of the prime focuses of the ISO standards.
Once an ISO certification is achieved, a company needs to conduct rigorous internal audits from time to time to ensure the certification is working effectively. After three consecutive years, the certification needs to be renewed. The ISO certification renewal process is not a difficult one to accomplish if you are guided by professionals.
Timely renewal is necessary to ensure error-free business continuity. Business sustainability depends on different aspects including – financial capability, contingency planning, brand reputation, market exposure, and customer loyalty. There is an individual ISO standard to maintain each of these aspects. The renewal helps to stabilize the system and ensure longevity.
The following blog has spoken about the procedure and the role of consultants in ensuring compliance with the renewal.
A step-by-step ISO certification renewal process
Step 1 Accumulating All the Documents
The first step is producing all the relevant documents. Documentation is a crucial part of the certification process. The existing ISO certification accompanied by all the data recorded for the management purpose should be gathered. The registration number and the previous reports help to evaluate the existing process and determine any non-conformities.
Step 2 Internal Audit
To check the non-conformities or any other existing issues, the necessary analysis is an internal audit. An internal audit is an independent objective-driven evaluation of the existing financial and management records. It helps to add value to the operations by highlighting areas that need improvement. An ISO certification lasts for three consecutive years. In that time frame, a management system goes through different changes and circumstances. Before renewing the certification, it is, therefore, necessary to see if the system is still effective enough to meet the objectives.
Internal audit needs to be done twice a year for optimizing better results. The third-party authorization body will conduct an individual audit analysis to ensure the readiness of the system. Before that, an internal evaluation is essential. Under export and certified audit specialists, this step should be completed.
Step 3 Visiting/Contacting the ISO Certification/Registration House
After detecting possible areas of improvement and implementing effective strategies to modify them, it is time for contacting the certification body. This step should be done only after the internal audit team ensures there are no non-conformities anymore. Online registrations for certification renewal are available nowadays. It is both convenient and timesaving.
Step 4 Fill Out the Registration Form
Once you visit the website of the certification body, they will ask you to fill up a form. Provide the necessary details without any errors. Your application can get rejected at any moment if the authorization body comes across a single mistake.
Step 5 Payment
A particular amount is charged for the renewal process. The overall cost for the renewal including the audit can range between $15k – $30k depending on the type of certification and the size of your organization.
Step 6 Verification and Audit
Once the payment is done and the registration form is filled up, the authorization body will send an audit team to verify all the details. Your system will be monitored and analyzed based on the performance and the objectives. If compliance is maintained, the certification body will process the renewal as soon as the audit team sends the confirmation.
Do I Need to Hire Consultants for Renewal?
Yes, the support of a professional audit specialist or ISO consultant is suggested. To efficiently understand to the terms and conditions, knowledge and awareness are required. The consultants help to comprehend all the statutory obligations. They schedule and streamline the audit program. From interviewing the employees to evaluating the documents, their comprehensive help is a must-have.
5 Reasons to Hire Them Before Renewal
• You get to perform the audit smoothly
• You can improve your system before the deadline
• Hiring them is cost-effective
• Their wholesome service covers other significant procedures like readiness analysis and gap detection
Renew your certification before it is too late to register. Increase brand strength by optimizing international system standards. To achieve all the aforementioned steps without any failure, contact us at Compliancehelp Consulting LLC. We are USA’s premium site for achieving any ISO certification. Our personalized solutions are ready to guide you through the seemingly exhausting ISO certification renewal process without any difficulties.