Certification Course
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsCertification Course
Uploaded by
ScribdTranslationsChapter 2: CERTIFICATION
I. Generalities:
1. Definition:
Certification: is a procedure by which a third party provides written assurance.
that a product, process, or service meets specified requirements.
Certification represents a voluntary act that can provide companies with an advantage.
competitive. It is issued by certifying bodies independent of
certified companies as well as public authorities such as ISO.
2. Certification bodies
Distinction between standardization and certification organizations
Standardization bodies:
These organizations aim at the development, publication, and implementation
reference documents called standards.
Examples:
The International Standard Organization (ISO) brings together within technical committees the
different national organizations that are responsible for developing standards. Examples: Afnor
for France, the Din for Germany, the Uni for Italy
The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) brings together these same organizations at the level
European and promotes the application of international standards. The French Agency for
Normalization (Afnor) promotes standardization at the French level. It is therefore a process
in a cascading manner that allows for the harmonization of the applicable rules in the
businesses.
The standardization bodies in Morocco:
High Interministerial Council for Quality and Productivity (CSIQP)
Technical Standardization Committees (CTNS)
Moroccan Industrial Standardization Service (SNIMA)
The certifying bodies:
These organizations certify companies that meet the requirements of a standard.
well determined
1
BTS PME-PMI 2
In France, these are organizations accredited by Cofrac (French Accreditation Committee),
independent, who ensure this certification.
3. Types of certifications suitable for SMEs
Examples of certifications for SMEs:
ISO 9000 series, quality management systems
This ISO 9000 family deals with "Quality Management" and encompasses several
categories
ISO 9000 - Explains the fundamental principles of quality and informs you about
the choice and use of each standard.
ISO 9001 - Standard on the requirements to be used for design,
development, production, installation, and after-sales service.
ISO 9002 - Standard on the requirements to be used for production and installation
of manufacturing systems.
ISO 9003 - Standards on the requirements to be used for final inspection and for
test the quality.
ISO 14000 series, environmental management systems
the OHSAS18001 certification concerning health and safety.
ISO 22000, management systems for food safety.
ISO 27001 series, information security management systems
II. How to set up a certification project:
Before starting the project, the company must identify its stakes and
choose the standard that best suits these objectives and means.
For its success, the commitment of management is a necessary condition.
not just through simple communication, but it must be correctly translated into the
facts: for example, through participation in various follow-up and coordination meetings,
the allocation of the necessary resources...
The diagnosis:
This step allows for the identification of the main processes of the company, the typology of
clients, their needs and expectations, the level of requirements expected from
suppliers (clients in case of subcontracting), the strengths and weaknesses of
the company.
The choice of steering units
A team and a quality manager must be appointed who will be responsible for taking the project.
of certification and to assist staff throughout its implementation.
2
BTS PME-PMI 2
In Morocco, more than 150 firms are specialized in quality consulting.
the company can resort.
Train the staff: Several workshops, seminars, and training for
implement a management system or strengthen knowledge
General information on certification.
Setting up and managing the quality system:
A quality manual must be developed, the necessary document for the management of the system and
a communication plan.
It is necessary to formalize the quality records and to monitor the actions implemented while
implementing continuous improvement, which requires the establishment of indicators
and the analysis of variances
Audit and certification by the certification body.
Once the certification audit is completed, a certificate outlining the scope of the certification
will be delivered.
The validity period of the certification depends on the standard.
III. The benefits of certification:
Indeed, ISO certification represents a set of advantages:
The certification allows the company to enhance its efficiency, the quality of the organization,
of its resources and especially to anticipate and evolve its offer
It also allows the company to strengthen its position in the market and to conquer the
trust of its clients by creating the desire to come to the company. This allows for
the company to acquire new markets and preserve its customer portfolio
essentials through a better identification of their needs.
Certification is a guarantee of trust towards customers and foreign markets that
are very demanding in terms of quality.
On the organizational level, certification allows the company to review its structure and
reorganize its functioning according to value-added processes based on needs from
client until his satisfaction. The company thus has a clear vision and objectives,
controlled means and simplified and better formalized processes. In addition, it helps to facilitate
decentralization and to reconsider decision-making processes.
3
BTS PME-PMI 2
Finally, the implementation of a certification process allows the company to detect the
good practices and to generalize them within the company.
However, this certification process is not always easy to implement:
IV. Limits of ISO certification:
The cost of the operation is generally high.
The process is complex, especially for large companies, and takes time.
In case of failure of the certification process, the company's image may be affected.
Requires strong involvement from the staff
V. Certification cost:
Certification entails external and internal costs:
External costs due to:
- application fees with the certifying body,
certification audit fees (2 to 4 days or more with one or two auditors depending on the significance)
of the company,
potentially at the expense of external consultants,
acquisition costs of equipment (computer, metrology,...)
The internal costs that account for the time spent by the staff and
the framework:
to write the procedures and written documents of the Quality system,
to manage these documents and to improve them
to attend meetings
to communicate
to attend training sessions
4
BTS PME-PMI 2