ISO 9000 | Meaning and Definition

What is ISO 9000?

The ISO 9000 family of quality management is designed to help organizations meet the needs of their customers and other stakeholders. They’re not industry-specific, and any size business may use them. The standards are published by ISO, the International Organization for Standardization.

There are 3 main types of ISO 9000 series standards:

•   ISO 9001 – Sets out the requirements for a quality management system and is the most widely used standard in the ISO 9000 series.

•   ISO 9004 – Guides how to improve an organization’s quality management system. Any organization can use it, regardless of its size or type.

•   ISO 19011 – Describes how to audit quality management systems. It can be used by audits that want to conform to rules.

Importance of ISO 9000 Series

•   Increased customer confidence and trust: When customers see the ISO 9000 certification, they know that your company takes quality seriously and has a system to ensure that products and services consistently meet customer expectations.
•   Improved employee morale and motivation: Employees want to feel proud of where they work and be a part of a team that produces high-quality products and services. The ISO 9000 certification can boost employee morale, increasing productivity and commitment to quality goals.
•   Reduced expenses from rework/rework prevention: A key goal of any quality management system is to prevent defects from happening in the first place. This saves time and money and prevents customer complaints and the loss of business. It also helps in communicating better by departments, stakeholders, and others.