ISO 9001 Certification Costs For UK Based Businesses
The cost of ISO 9001 certification for UK based businesses is dependent upon (1) The size of the organisation and (2) The complexity of the organisation being certified. The purpose of the below table is to provide you with estimated costs for ISO 9001 certification.
| Size of Organisation | ISO 9001 Certification Cost |
|---|---|
| Micro Business (< 10 Employees) | £1,500 - £2,000 |
| Small Business (11 - 25 Employees) | £2,000 - £3,000 |
| Growing SME (26 - 50 Employees) | £3,000 - £4,000 |
| Medium Sized Business (51 - 250 Employees) | £4000+ |
What Do ISO Certification Body Costs Normally Include?
- Stage 1 audit – This is where the certification body will review whether your ISO management system is ready for the main assessment.
- Stage 2 audit – This where the certification body will check that your ISO management system has been implemented. They will also review associated documentation and interview key members of staff from throughout your organisation.
- Any fees associated with the issuing of your ISO 9001 certificate.
Are There Any Other Costs To Consider?
Costs will vary depending upon whether you require support with your ISO 9001 certification. Some organisations choose to implement the associated systems and manage their own ISO certification. However, to do this you will require a certain level of knowledge surrounding the ISO 9001 standard and significant internal resource. This is why many companies employ the services of an ISO consultancy firm. An ISO consultant can support you through the entire journey and make both obtaining and maintaining your certification much simpler.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems (QMS). It helps businesses improve processes, deliver consistent quality, and increase customer satisfaction. Certification shows customers and suppliers that your business meets an internationally recognised standard.
Yes. ISO 9001 is designed to work for organisations of any size from a sole trader up to a global company. The standard is flexible and so focuses upon how you operate rather than unnecessary bureaucracy.
For most businesses, ISO 9001 certification typically takes anywhere from 3 to 6 months to achieve.
The length of time can vary depending upon several factors – Your current processes, business size, business complexity and how quickly documentation can be implemented.
We will tailor the approach to your certification so that disruption is minimised.
It is not mandatory to have an ISO consultant, but it can save you significant time and internal resource. Some of the benefits of having an ISO consultant include – (1) They have a wealth of experience in implementing and maintaining ISO certification. (2) They can explain the ISO standards in simplistic terms avoiding complexity. (3) They can guide you through the entire process from start to finish.
The total cost of certification depends upon –
- The level of consultancy support required (If you use one)
- Certification body fees
- Business size and complexity
No – ISO 9001 should not require lots of paperwork especially when it is implemented correctly.
First and foremost, it should work for your business not against it.
An ISO management system is an interface between the ISO standard (In this case ISO 9001) and your business operations. Therefore, it should cause minimal disruption.
An ISO certification audit is usually carried out in two seperate parts –
Stage 1 – Review of documentation.
Stage 2 – Assessment of how processes work in practice.
There is almost always a gap between the two stages.
ISO 9001 certification lasts three years, with annual surveillance audits to ensure that you are maintaining compliance. Once our clients are certified we usually help them on an annual basis to prepare for the surveillance audit. This will involve carrying out internal audits, conducting management review meetings and sitting on your ISO assessment.