Types of Quality Assurance Certifications & Which is Right for You

This article names the different quality assurance certifications and helps you know how to get your business certified with the right one.

Organizations that are planning to get a quality assurance certification need to first fully understand the various types of quality certifications in order to know which one is ideal for them. Implementing a quality management system (QMS) according to regulations of the highest certification helps to fast track your business progress and drives results with delivery of quality products or services.

In order to know which certification is required for your business, you first need to understand the purpose of different quality certifications. While primarily they are used to meet the quality expectations of your customers, there are other aspects of your business that can be addressed with a certification such as safety, operational efficiency, profits, and cost savings. Quality assurance standards are hence a composite formula for business success. Clearly defined requirements of the standard help them have an overall vision of their QMS and implement it across their organization.

The quality assurance certification required for your business first depends on which industry or sector your firm belongs to.

• ISO 9001 is the certification for all industries which emphasizes comprehensive quality management with a risk-based approach and integration of all supply chain processes

• ISO 13485 is the certification for medical devices quality management which emphasizes good manufacturing practices to ensure safety, quality, and consistency of the medical devices or products.

• IATF 16949 is the certification for the automotive industry which helps manufacturers to be on top of quality and safety by adhering to a robust QMS.

• AS9100 is the certification for the aerospace industry which emphasizes quality management practices for airplane, spaceships, and defense craft manufacturers to ensure the safety of products.

• TL 9000 is the certification for the telecommunications services industry which emphasizes meeting clients’ expectations with delivery of quality and efficient services.

• ISO 17025 is the accreditation meant for testing and calibration laboratories which emphasizes reliability and accuracy of the results with implementation of best quality management practices.

• ISO 22000- It is the certification for food industry achieving which helps the manufacturers to have a food safety management system and enable them to avoid any food safety hazards.

Now that you have a general idea of what these various certifications are meant for, you can certainly decide which one is suitable for your particular business.

The next question is- how do you structure your QMS correctly to assure that your quality goals are met? Here are some key considerations for you.

Understanding Quality Management Principles

You should understand the general principles based on which a QMS works in a business. You should be defining best practices and processes of your QMS aligning with those principles i.e. customer focus, leadership, employees participation, information-based decision-making, and continuous improvement.

Legal Regulations

Businesses also have to mandatorily follow the legal industrial regulations as well as governmental regulations. The QMS should be structured with practices that help your business to also comply with legal regulations.

Determine your Goals

Taking time to find out what the quality management goals of your business are is necessary. Not just the goals, but you also should determine the indicators of your quality success factors. It may be customer reviews/feedback, increase in sales/profits, cost savings, reduction in refunds/recalls, and so on. Measuring these success factors over time helps in knowing how well the goals are achieved by your business. In other words, it is an important step to ensure that your QMS is working in the right direction.

Roles of Employees

Make sure to build your QMS by considering the roles or responsibilities of your employees at different levels of your organization. A great QMS must be able to promote a uniform quality culture across the organization where everyone is engaged in doing their bit to improve the quality of final products or services. While documenting your QMS, do not forget to mention the role of each employee in definite processes or quality control procedures. When they are informed about their responsibilities through a written manual, it makes them more accountable and leaves fewer chances of conducting any mistakes.

Bottom Line

While a quality assurance certification has various types, and which one you need depends on the industry type and complexity of your business, ISO 9001 is the most common and inclusive certification for a QMS. It helps in implementation of effective management practices that help businesses to have control over their processes as well as products/services. Achieving this certification demonstrates their responsibility towards fulfilling the needs of their customers.