5 key steps to achieving your ISO certification

ISO certification sends a strong signal to your clients, partners and employees: your organisation is serious, well structured and committed to continuous improvement.

Step 1: The initial assessment (gap analysis)

The first step is to assess your current level of compliance against the requirements of the target standard. This gap analysis identifies precisely what is already in place, what is partially compliant and what still needs to be built.

Step 2: Planning and building the IMS

A prioritised action plan is drawn up on the basis of the assessment. This phase covers documentation, process mapping, risk analysis and the assignment of responsibilities.

Step 3: Operational roll-out

The system is deployed in the field and teams are trained. This is the stage where documentation comes to life: procedures applied, records kept, indicators monitored.

Step 4: The internal audit

An internal audit prepares your teams for the certification audit. It verifies the compliance of the system, reveals the last remaining gaps and allows them to be corrected before the final examination.

Step 5: The certification audit

The accredited certification body (AFNOR Certification, Bureau Veritas, SGS…) carries out the audit and, if the system is compliant, issues the ISO certificate, valid for 3 years with annual surveillance audits.

A journey that rewards preparation

Managed well, a certification project generally takes 6 to 18 months depending on the organisation’s maturity. The essential first step is an honest assessment of where you stand: that is precisely the support IFECARM GROUP provides, from the initial review through to the certification audit.