Substantial changes are not on the cards
NOVEMBER THIS year is the target date for
implementation of ISO 9000:2000, the updated version of current certification standards.
But fear not - substantial changes are not on the cards.
That's the message from Ian Day, UK-based president of Bureau Veritas Quality International, who spelt out the implications of the new rules to FTW during a fleeting visit to Johannesburg last week.
What is the current status of ISO certification standards and how will they be phased in?
ISO 9000:2000 exists in Draft International Standard (DIS) form and is almost in its finished status. Any modifications which occur will be of a minor nature.
Target date for the issue of the definitive international standard is November this year. The industry will have approximately three years from the phase-in date in which to make the changes to their quality systems and to have them audited in order to obtain a certificate of compliance with the latest rules.
Why the need for new standards?
Within the International Standards Organisation there is a routine process of review at least every five years.
The original version was issued in 1987 with some minor revisions in 1994.
Since the original standards were primarily designed with the manufacturing industry in mind, very little account was taken of the service industries in drafting the standards.
The new standard takes much more account of its applicability to manufacturing and service industries.
The principal changes from the user's point of view will be a considerable accent on meeting client requirements and having clients' expectations taken into account at every stage of the process.
The new standards clearly state that the user must have a process to measure the satisfaction of his client.
In the same vein the new standard introduces as a specific requirement the process of continual improvement to the process.
What happens during the transition period?
We're not talking about major changes, but about modifications. During the 3-year transition period, companies can continue to use the 1994 standards.
If they want to, thay can have an audit today which will allow them to benchmark where they stand and understand which areas need to be changed.
If their quality system is ready in December this year, we can carry out an audit and issue an accredited certificate which confirms compliance with the new standard.
If they want to do it in a step by step process, we can accommodate that as well.
How much time and money will the changeover involve for the user?
Certification bodies around the world have made a commitment that the new standard won't impose additional audits on the client. In principal the concept is one of no additional cost to the industry.
The majority of companies have in place a very sophisticated quality management system that answers many more points than are strictly covered by ISO 9000.
A company that has a very simple quality system in place to satisfy the minimum criteria may have some problems, but the majority of quality-conscious companies can expect minimal changes.
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