A Worldwide Infrastructure Results in Worldwide Recognition

When you choose Platinum Registration, your registration is backed by a worldwide infrastructure that ensures all registered companies comply with the same standards, and all accredited registrars operate under the same rules.

Here's how accreditation and registration scheme works for ISO 9001:

ISO Publishes ISO 9001 –ISO 9001 is a standardized set of requirements for quality management systems. It is published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ISO's job is to promote standardization around the world, from film speed standards to construction material requirements. The work of developing the standards is done through technical committees assigned by ISO. In the case of ISO 9001, TC 176 is the title of the technical committee responsible for developing the detailed contents that make up ISO 9001. The technical committees are comprised of many representatives from all over the world. Platinum is represented on TC176, so we have detailed knowledge of how the ISO 9001 requirements were developed, and what future plans exist for changes, revisions, and interpretation of ISO 9001.

ISO 9001 Defines Requirements for Organizations – Organizations develop their management systems to satisfy the requirements of ISO 9001. The standard was written to allow all sorts of organizations to use the standard to satisfy their customers, and continually improve their processes. That means “for profit” businesses, hotels, hospitals, non-profits, small businesses, and even community groups can achieve ISO 9001 registration. Platinum's community of registered companies represents this diversity. Our clients include health care foundations, heavy industry, high tech, and service contracting organizations. Some of our clients have thousands of people working for them. Others have two total employees. We have the capability to audit all of them in the manner best suited for their situation.

IAF Publishes Guide 62 – IAF is an international body dedicated to consistent auditing standards around the world. Guide 62 is a set of requirements for registrars. It includes requirements for auditor competency, duration of audits, pre-audit preparation, and post-audit reporting and surveillance.

Guide 62 Defines Requirements for Registrars –Registrars use Guide 62 in a manner similar to how organizations use ISO 9001. Registrars must develop processes to address the Guide 62 requirements, and be able to demonstrate to the accreditation agency that they have satisfied the Guide 62 requirements.

ANAB Audits Against Guide 62, and Accredits Registrars -  Platinum is accredited by ANAB, the accreditation agency established in the United States by ANSI (a body related to the US government). The ANAB audits Platinum against the requirements of Guide 62 (and other guidance documents, including internal ANAB communiques) to make sure Platinum is using the same registration methods used by other registrars around the world. ANAB checks on the number of audit days assigned, the contents of our reports, the frequency of surveillance audits, all the way down to the format, layout, and content of the registration certificates issued to clients. It is this accreditation activity, using the Guide 62 requirements, assures all organizations registered to ISO 9001 are satisfying the same requirements, and are audited in the same manner. Without accreditation by an agency that belongs to IAF, there is no guarantee that a registrar's certificate represents conformity with ISO 9001. (That is why it is important not only to ask about ISO 9001 registration, but also what agency accredits the registrar.)

Registrars Audit Against ISO 9001 and Registers Organizations to ISO 9001 –
The registration audit process is fairly straightforward:

1. The registrar collects information about the organization, and determines how many audit days will be needed (based on those Guide 62 requirements discussed above).

2. The registrar performs a review to determine if the organization is ready for registration (this is usually done through reviewing the documentation that constitutes the management system). The output of this process is a readiness report (including identification of areas to address in the documentation) and an audit schedule to define how the organization's processes will be audited (with reference to the applicable sections of ISO 9001).

3. The registrar auditors perform an on site audit, where they check the operations of the organization against each requirement of ISO 9001. They collect objective evidence in the form of direct observation of activities, review of records of past operations, and evaluate statements of fact made by people who work within the management system.

4. The audit team generates a report documenting the organization's conformity with ISO 9001. If objective evidence was found that indicates nonconformity with the standard, detailed statements are included in the report. Actions must be taken by the organization to correct these nonconformities, and prevent them from recurring, before registration can be granted.

5. The report (including nonconformities and evidence the organization has remedied them) is sent to the registrar by the audit team. The registrar reviews the report to make sure the audit team has provided enough evidence to warrant registration to ISO 9001. If the review determines registration is warranted, the company is then officially registered to ISO 9001. This accomplishment is typically formalized by issuing a certificate to the organization documenting their conformity to ISO 9001 within their specified scope of registration.

Contact us for a review your situation and a plan to get more from your management system registration.

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