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An ISO 9002 international certificate is a written statement from a certification body that a company is following the requirements, specifications and guidelines established by the International Organization for Standardization in its ISO 9002 standard. This standard, which applies to the quality requirements in the management of the systems is now obsolete. It has been replaced by the ISO 9001: 2008 standard, which amalgamates the ISO 9001, ISO 9002, and ISO 9003 standards.
What is ISO 9002?
ISO 9002 is a set of standards created by the International Organization for Standardization. Its long title is “Model to ensure quality in production, installation and service”. Although the ISO 9002 standard is now obsolete and has been replaced by ISO 9001, the new standard basically contains the same guidelines with the addition of a section covering the creation of new products.
ISO 2002 standards
ISO 9002 provides detailed standards for the creation and maintenance of an efficient quality management system. The requirements are divided into 20 sections ranging from responsibility in management, which defines the company’s policy on quality, to statistical techniques that detail the procedures to be used. The ISO 9002 standard requires that businesses develop a standardized language to document quality practices; that create a system to track, ensure and document compliance with such practices; and the establishment of an independent third party audit.
Certification
The International Organization for Standardization creates standards but does not provide certification. If you want a certificate, you will need to pay a certification body to value your company. Choose a certification body that follows the ISO 17021: 2001 standard, the ISO standard for the companies that audit and certify the management of the systems. Go to the International Accreditation Forum website and look for the details to contact the national accreditation body in your country. The national accreditation body in the United States is the American National Standards Institute. Ask your national accreditation body for a list of approved certification bodies in your area.
Reasons to apply for certification
The standards published by the International Organization for Standardization are voluntary. According to ISO, the best reason to follow your standards is to improve efficiency and effectiveness within your industry. Companies are not required to obtain certification or follow ISO standards. However, a company may decide to apply for certification to meet the contractual requirements of a regulatory body, to attract customers or to motivate its staff by creating a well-designed management system.