ISO is an international non-governmental organization that began to exist in 1947. Its purpose is to develop international standards for goods and services. Let us take a closer look at this institution — the organization itself, the necessity of existence — and study the issues that it deals with.
ISO - what kind of organization?
Today it includes 157 members who are representatives of different countries (one from each). Russia joined the Council (structural unit managing) of the organization in 2007.
The scope of ISO extends to all areas, with the exception of electronics and electrical engineering, which are involved in the International Electrotechnical Commission. Some work is also performed jointly.
Structure
ISO consists of governing bodies and workers.
The first bodies include the following bodies.
- General Assembly. It consists of officers as well as delegates who are appointed by committees.
- The Council organizes the work between sessions of the General Assembly. He can send questions to committees and instruct them to solve them. Decisions are made by a majority vote of all those present. There are 7 committees subordinate to this body.
- Technical Management Office.
The working bodies are the following structural units.
- Technical Committees. Among them: PLACO is a technical bureau that prepares proposals for planning ISO work. STAKO studies the scientific principles of standardization and helps the Council information by developing the requirements of international standards. CASCO assesses the conformity of products and services, studies practice on this issue and analyzes it. DEVCO assists developing countries by developing standardization recommendations. KOPOLCO - Committee for the Protection of Consumers, is exploring the possibility of promoting it through the introduction of the institution of standardization. REMCO, being a committee on standard samples, provides methodological assistance to organizations.
- Subcommittees
- Technical advisory groups.
Standards
Since ISO has existed, standards have been developed by an international standardization organization. To date, almost 14,000 samples have been published, which are compatible with various technologies and production processes. This applies to traditional industries (agriculture, construction, consumer goods, medical equipment and others), and the latest industries (digital coding, high-tech information and the like).
ISO standards are developments dictated by market development. When the need arises, representatives of an industry apply for the development of an appropriate standard. After approval, the application is submitted to the technical committee for further work. It consists of industry representatives who have expressed a desire to develop a standard. After its approval, the draft is submitted for discussion, and then finally adopted by voting.
The most common standards are ISO 9000 and ISO 14000. Both can be used in different organizations, regardless of what kind of activity they are engaged in.
Standard 9000 and 14000
For example, ISO number 9000 is the standard governing quality management. To get it into production, they introduce the appropriate technologies and management procedures aimed at meeting the needs, as well as guaranteeing the receipt of high-quality goods and services.
ISO 14000 defines the standard for environmental safety monitoring. It is necessary to minimize the harmful effects on the environment and work to increase technically safe production.
What are these standards based on?
It should be understood that none of these standards is a guarantee of quality and safety. They only encourage the organization to implement such a management system that would achieve optimal quality and provide the best security.
When considering the ISO 9000 standard, certain quality management principles are discovered . Managers have the right to use them to select the optimal system in the enterprise. We will study them.
Principles
No. 1. Customer focus. At the same time, the organization seeks to understand the needs of its customers and try in every way to satisfy them in such a way as to even exceed expectations. To this end:
- Explore needs
- adjust the strategy;
- Introducing an optimal system of transferring information about needs to all employees of the company;
- Learn customer satisfaction
- establish a system of customer relations;
- try to strike a balance between consumers and others.
№ 2. Leaders organize the setting of goals and objectives, provide all opportunities for their achievement. For this, the head:
- takes into account the interests of all employees;
- sees the future of the organization;
- sets goals and objectives;
- provides a confidential atmosphere in the company;
- provides the necessary resources for training;
- is responsible;
- stimulates employees.
№ 3. Attracting personnel. People are what any activity is based on. If employees are involved in the affairs of the company, then it develops much more dynamically, and employees reveal their abilities more. For this purpose, in accordance with international standards, conditions are provided under which:
- employees are aware of their contribution in the performance of duties;
- understand all the limitations;
- are responsible;
- try to improve qualifications;
- share their experience and knowledge;
- discuss pressing issues.
No. 4. The company tries to establish an approach to the work process in such a way that the main thing becomes. For this, conditions are provided when:
- the activity necessary to achieve the result is determined;
- accounting for the functioning and responsibility of employees;
- attention is paid to those circumstances that affect the core business;
- effects are evaluated.
No. 5. Management approach. Optimum efficiency in this case is achieved through a systemic nature. To do this, the company carries out the following actions:
- works on structural issues;
- improves intra-system interdependence;
- fairly distributes responsibility;
- conducts executive order from the very beginning to the end;
- improves working mechanisms by evaluating activities.
No. 6. Actions aimed at continuous improvement are as follows:
- constantly improve the quality of the product or service provided;
- conduct educational work with staff;
- to improve the characteristics and work on this of each link in the company;
- evaluate the steps taken;
- highlight results.
No. 7. The actual approach. This principle provides for the following steps:
- verification of information;
- ensuring its availability;
- analysis;
- making decisions and actions based on it.
Number 8. Mutually beneficial relationship. In this case, the following is required:
- balancing short-term and long-term goals;
- pooling of resources;
- identification of key partners and work with them;
- information exchange;
- building joint plans.
ISO 9000 was developed in 1994. It consists of the series 9001, 9002, 9003. And later 9001: 2000 and 9004: 2000 were added to them. Currently, there are sixteen standards, of which companies choose the most suitable for themselves.
Organization need
Certification is mandatory and voluntary. The quality management system is a rather complex process, and it is far from necessary for all companies. These international valuation standards are suitable for companies seeking to:
- improve the quality of the product;
- to bring to an optimal level the management system;
- organize this guide;
- improve the image;
- achieve competitive advantages;
- facilitate licensing;
- attract serious business partners;
- receive orders from foreign companies.
Certification Preparation
The management process should be brought into line with established international standards. Evaluation of the existing system is sometimes sufficient, and the introduction of a new one is not necessary. Enough to work hard on structural changes. For some organizations, a thorough restructuring is required, while for others it is only a matter of making individual changes. The system is built in accordance with specific tasks. The companies carry out reforms on their own or invite consulting organizations for this.
The steps for implementing management standards are as follows.
- Goal setting.
- Identification of expectations.
- Learning Standards.
- The choice of one of them.
- Diagnostics of the management system.
- Identification of processes that affect the supply of products to consumers.
- Development of planned work.
- Bringing them to life.
- System assessment is independent.
- Conducting an audit in order to obtain an ISO certificate.
- Continued improvement of the management system.
Certification Authorities
It is necessary to understand that the ISO organization does not conduct testing work and does not issue an ISO certificate. She designs samples. And all relevant procedures for their verification of international quality standards are carried out by accredited organizations. This is done in the country where the company has a commercial interest.
GOST and ISO
The basis for mandatory certification in Russia are GOST standards. ISO, as mentioned above, is the basis for voluntary certification. However, in order to harmonize technical regulation , a system focused on international standards was created. GOST ISO is chosen by those companies that are focused not only on the domestic domestic market, but also on the external. Some believe that it is this approach that forms a more correct position in commercial organizations.