ISO certifications are quality seals issued by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). This international organization establishes standards to ensure the quality, safety, and efficiency of products, services, and systems companies use.
ISO standards and certifications are part of business and help different industries and segments achieve standards of excellence. For this reason, the market for ISO certifications has been growing widely.
Keep reading and learn more about the growth of ISO certifications, as well as which are the most common and how your company can count on this positive highlight to strengthen its presence in the market.
What is ISO?
The term ISO can often mean two things. It is common to refer to an ISO certification as just an “ISO” followed by its identification number. For example, ISO 9001, ISO 14001, among others.
In addition, as you have already seen, the acronym ISO (when not accompanied by a number) designates the International Organization for Standardization.
ISO is currently the most important certification body in the world, with a network of more than 173 countries. It is a non-governmental organization composed of members from different countries who form a technical committee and share knowledge. Its objective is to align methods and policies to standardize certain processes, techniques and metrics.
What is ISO certification?
An ISO certification, on the other hand, is precisely a certificate granted by the organization to companies that successfully pass its evaluation process. For this, companies need to follow the excellence criteria defined by the organization.
In this way, a win-win relationship is created: ISO fulfills its mission of building a safer, more efficient, and qualified market in various sectors, and companies have a way to show their customers, partners, and other stakeholders that they have quality products/services.
See also: Quality Management toolkit templates
The popularity of ISO certification
This is precisely why ISO certifications have become so popular. A survey conducted in 2021 by Adroit Market Research estimates that by 2028 the certification market could grow at around 8.3% CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate), representing approximately 34.5 billion dollars.
The ISO Survey, a report on the number of valid certificates accredited to the body, is also published annually. In addition, it brings characteristics such as: countries with greater adherence, which are the most adhered to standards, among others.
The 2023 edition of the Survey shows, for example, that ISO 9001 (the most popular worldwide) has been issued more than 837 thousand times worldwide. In all, more than one million and four hundred thousand ISO certifications were issued in 2023 alone.
The importance and benefits of an ISO certification
ISO standards were created to standardize processes and foster safe and reliable solutions for the most diverse global transformations.
It is necessary to keep in mind that the standardization of processes is based on a large knowledge base and involves the approval of a body of expert members, seeking to bring greater clarity and improvements to the processes.
Thus, having an ISO certification increases the credibility of the certified company and even brings more benefits such as:
- reduce business costs;
- increase the efficiency of processes;
- minimize environmental impacts;
- promote customer satisfaction;
- provide more opportunities in the market, with a view to the competitive advantage due to certification.
Learn more: 8 reasons for your company to have an ISO certification
In addition to the reasons mentioned above, it is observed that the tightening of government regulations on business and the need to comply with these measures are also factors for the relative increase in the market for ISO certifications.
What ISO certifications are available on the market?
Currently, there are 25,737 registered standards, distributed around the world and available according to the needs of each country and covering areas of technology, management and production, among others.
Within all these certifications, below you will find the standards that are most popular or that are on the rise in the market:
- ISO 9001 – Quality Management System;
- ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System;
- ISO/IEC 27001 – Information Management and Security System;
- ISO/IEC 27701 – Data Privacy Management System;
- ISO 37001 – Anti-Bribery Management System;
- ISO 37301 – Compliance Management System;
- ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management System.
How to get ISO certification?
The first step is to understand that certifications are issued by specialized companies, which in turn must be accredited by the regulatory body. It is through the accreditation process with these specialized companies that your company can receive the certificate of technical capacity to offer a certain service/product.
Then, you must undergo a verification, in which you submit your process, product or service to tests and inspections according to the desired standardization. This is often referred to as a certification audit. If your company complies with this standard, then the specific certification is issued.
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Conclusion
Achieving an ISO certification is not only a significant achievement but also a strategic investment for any company seeking operational excellence and competitiveness in the market.
ISO standards provide a robust framework for improving the quality of products and services, increasing customer satisfaction, reducing costs, and ensuring regulatory compliance. In addition, they promote a culture of continuous improvement and employee engagement, creating a more efficient and motivating work environment.
Therefore, by adopting ISO certifications, your company will be well-positioned to meet market challenges and achieve sustainable growth.
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