Useful Links

If you’re new to certification, registration or accreditation, it can be difficult to work out which websites are genuine and how everything fits together.  Here are a few sites that you may like to be aware of.  Some of them are vast and we’re not suggesting you plough through them, but they may help answer specific questions you may have.  We also have provided a brief explanation of some of the terminologies used here.

ISO is the International Organization for Standardization. It develops and publishes International Standards.  Including of course the international standards that we offer certification for (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 27001 and ISO 45001).  www.iso.org.

As they’re Copyright, you’ll need to buy or have access to any Standards that you want certification for.  But if you just want a quick look to see what they contain and what’s expected of you, this site has a large library of information.  www.praxiom.com

To purchase the official copyrighted publications, please see the specific links below.  We have also included their ISBN in case the linked pages move.
ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems – Requirements.  ISBN 9780580918162
ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use.  ISBN 9780539081459
ISO 27001 Information Security Management Systems – Requirements.  ISBN 9780 539227345
ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use.  ISBN 9780580863936

ISO also publishes some useful guides to help you understand, choose and make sense of management and leadership standards.  Lots of them are free. www.iso.org/publication-list.

UKAS is The United Kingdom Accreditation Service.  It’s the sole national accreditation body recognised by the government to assess organisations that provide certification, testing, inspection and calibration services.  www.ukas.com. Our UKAS registration number is 8320.

Above UKAS sits the worldwide organisation that regulates accreditation bodies around the world.  The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) aims to ensure that you can rely on the authenticity of your ISO certification.

The CQI is the only chartered professional body in the UK dedicated entirely to quality.  If it’s ISO 9001 that interests you, you’ll find lots about the topic of ‘quality’ on its site.  www.thecqi.org

Standards, certification and accreditation help businesses to reduce costs, increase productivity and access new markets.   Business-benefits.org  provides the evidence through case studies and research.