Under certain circumstances, remote ISO 9001 certification is possible. Your organization needs to be approved and undergo a risk assessment by an auditor.
The assessment determines if your company is suitable for remote certification based on factors such as access to reliable online communication platforms.
The ISO registration certification process
The process for remote ISO 9001 certification is similar to the usual process but the audit is done online. Here’s how it works.
Enquiry
Find an ISO 9001 registrar and make an enquiry for a quote. Ensure that the registrar is happy to do remote certification. You should get comparison quotes.
Complete questionnaire
In order to give you a quote, a registrar will ask questions about your ISO 9001 application. You should have questions ready too.
Proposal
The registrar will send you a proposal. Make sure the proposal meets your requirements before you accept. The registrar needs to demonstrate an understanding of your business.
Confirm application and schedule
Once you’re happy with the proposal, you’ll enter a contract with the registrar that covers the initial audit and certification as well as follow-up surveillance audits for three years.
1st stage assessment
The registrar conducts a stage 1 audit to make sure the correct practices are in place and the necessary documentation in order. Employee interviews and document submissions will be done online.
Certification assessment
A couple of months after the first assessment, the registrar will conduct the stage 2 audit. He or she will look for conformity to ISO 9001 requirements in a more in-depth manner.
The duration will depend on the size and complexity of your organization. If no major non-conformances are found, certification will be issued within 30 to 45 days.
Major non-conformances
If any major non-conformances to the requirements of ISO 9001 are identified, certification can’t be issued until they’ve been addressed.
Corrective action
The next step is for your organization to take corrective action to resolve the non-conformances. This process should be tracked and recorded for follow-up from the registrar, so he or she can issue certification.
Planning for remote ISO 9001 certification: unique considerations
To ensure your remote audit goes off without a hitch, pay special attention to the following:
- Ensure the audit evidence you’ve collected is accurate, complete, relevant and reliable.
- Be on alert for cyberattacks or phishing scams related to your audit as all communication will be done electronically.
- Be flexible with dates and times for the online audit to fit with numerous schedules.
- Ensure team meetings have good audio and visual.
- Prepare for changes to be permanently implemented as remote audits become more commonplace.
ISO surveillance audits
Once your company is ISO certified, there will be follow-up annual audits for three years to ensure that you’re complying with the requirements of the standard and can retain certification.
These surveillance audits can be done remotely if the requirements for remote certification are still being met.
How an electronic QMS can help
An online cloud-based QMS allows you to centralize all your up-to-date documents in a digital format that can be remotely accessed by an auditor.
Most electronic quality management systems have built-in functions that can help your company prepare for a remote audit. These functions can:
- help with the planning and implementation of internal audits
- facilitate highly targeted employee training
- document how non-conformances or complaints are handled.
An electronic QMS ensures superior data protection, which can be another compliance factor.
What isoTracker offers
Achieving remote ISO 9001 certification requires an effective QMS. isoTracker offers simple and affordable cloud-based QMS solutions designed to streamline ISO certification.
Our modules include non-conformance management software, document management software, complaints management software, audit management software, corrective action software, risk management software and training software.
Contact us to find out more or to discuss your company’s needs. Alternatively, go ahead and sign up for a free 60-day trial of isoTracker’s quality management software.
