Different Types of ISO Standards

In today’s world, companies that follow proper rules and regulations gain a prestigious edge.  Qualitative organisations that concentrate on quality assurance, reliability, sustainability, efficiency, & customer trust often turn to different types of ISO standards. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is a globally recognized body that sets standards to ensure quality, safety, and efficiency across industries. These regulations cover detailed management standards for instance, quality management, environmental protection, to information security.

In this blog, you’ll learn about the different types of ISO standards, their benefits, how they differ from each other, and the registration process.

What are ISO Standards?

ISO stands for International Organization for Standardization, globally known to assist organizations in sustaining consistency, quality, and safety in their operations.

ISO standards are formed to confirm that the devices meet certain requirements set by the authorized bodies. ISO regulations cover multi-industry standards, starting from manufacturing to privacy protection and environmental preservation. For example, ISO 9001 concentrates on quality management, whereas ISO 27001 is committed to data security. Through adherence to these standards, businesses can demonstrate their commitment towards premium quality procedures and prolong improvements. 

9 Types Of ISO Standards – You Need To Understand

Distinct standards of ISO serve various components of an organization. Here are the points that elaborate on the differences between various ISO standards:-

1. ISO 9000 – Quality Management 

• Core – ISO 9000 pertains to enhancing the quality of items and services.
• ISO 9001 is the globally implemented regulation in this series. It benefits the entities by creating and keeping procedures that constantly satisfy consumers’ expectations, decrease errors, and improve customer satisfaction. 
• Benefits – Entities that use ISO 9001 guarantee persistent delivery of premium products and services, which boost customer trust

2. ISO 14000 – Environmental Management 

• Core – ISO 14000 is concentrated on sustainability and decreasing the environmental impact on business operations. 
• ISO 14001 is the most acknowledged regulation in this ISO 14001 family, assisting authorities in developing an Environmental Management System (EMS) that decreases waste, preserves resources, and ensures compliance with environmental standards. 
• Benefits – Authorities that follow ISO 14001 represent that they are determined to protect the environment, which can help in awareness among customers regarding eco-consciousness and also support better regulatory compliance. 

3. ISO/IEC 27000 – Information Security Management 

• Core – Certainly ISO/IEC 27001, which concentrates on saving sensitive data from cyber threats and security breaches.
• ISO/IEC 27000 benefits organizations by making protocols for an informative security management system (ISMS), through guaranteeing the morality, confidentiality, and accessibility of data. 
• Benefits – Organizations that execute ISO/IEC 27000 are more prepared to save their digital resources from digital assaults and ensure that customer information stays secure. 

4. ISO 31000 – Risk Management 

• Core – ISO 31000 supports entities in identifying and controlling risk to evade disruption and losses. 
• ISO 31000 gives instructions on how to systematically measure, evaluate, and handle risks that could damage an entity’s operations, reputation, or finances. 
• Benefit – Applying ISO 31000 assists authorities in creating more enlightened decisions, minimizing uncertainty, and building resilience against potential risk. 

5. ISO 45001 – Occupational Health and Safety Management

• Core – ISO 45001 mainly concentrates on creating a secure and healthy work environment by identifying and controlling possible risks.
• ISO 45001 allows organisations to grow a powerful occupational health and safety (OHS) management system (OHSMS), making sure about employees’ safety and welfare.
• Benefits – By applying 45001, organizations can diminish working environment risks, reinforce worker confidence, follow safety rules, and upgrade general functional efficiency.

6. ISO 50001 – Energy Management

• Core – ISO 50001 assists organizations in controlling energy efficiently, resulting in improved energy performance and decreased costs. 
• This ISO standard gives instructions for setting up energy management systems (EnMs), concentrating on energy efficiency, decreasing consumption, and reducing carbon footprints. 
• Benefits – By adopting ISO 50001, organizations can get energy savings, reduce natural impacts, further develop sustainability efforts, and ensure consistency with energy guidelines. 

7. ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management 

• Core – ISO 22000 is committed to the management of food safety, assuring safe food at all steps of the supply chain.
• It supports organizations in the food industry that execute a food safety management system (FSMS) to handle food safety risks, from production to consumption. 
• Benefits – ISO 22000 confirms that food safety risks are decreased, increases frequent product safety, assures compliance with food safety regulations, and increases customer confidence in food products. 

8. ISO 22301 – Business Continuity Management

• Core – ISO standard 22301 concentrates in ensuring that authorities can continue their operations during and after troublesome events. 
• It provides information about setting a business continuity management system (BCMS) to safeguard against serious risk, for instance, natural disasters, cyber attacks, and pandemics. 
• Benefits – Implementing ISO 22301 enables organizations to foster valuable recovery strategies, reduce downtime, save assets, and affirm long-term business sustainability.

9. ISO 13485 – Medical Device Quality Management 

• Core – ISO standard 13485 pertains to organizations involved in the design, production, and servicing of pharmaceutical devices. 
• Benefits – Medical device manufacturers get advantages from ISO 13485 by enhancing product safety, minimizing risks, confirming compliance with regulatory standards, and elevating customer trust. 

ISO Certification Procedure

The procedure to get ISO certification includes numerous steps in confirming that the authorization meets certain requirements of the ISO standards. Let’s check the steps:-

• Pre-Assessment – Before the registration, your company needs to self-assess or can hire someone to review current practices with ISO regulations. This will support in checking the gaps between present operations and ISO needs.
• Gap Analysis – An external ISO auditor or consultancy will conduct a gap analysis. They compare the entity’s procedure, system, and documentation to the ISO regulations to check all the areas where refinements are required.
• Implement Necessary Changes – After all gaps are detected, the organization should make the required improvements, for instance, modifying procedures, training employees, and updating documentation. The entities must confirm that all the updates align with ISO standards. 
• Formal ISO Audit – Subsequently, after implementing the changes, the entity must be audited by an external, accredited ISO auditor. The Auditor will verify if the authority meets all requirements of ISO standards or not. 
• Certification – If the audit is done perfectly, the company is granted an ISO license. This simply means that the business met all the needs. 
• Continuous Improvement – ISO standards promote a continuous culture. Since getting certification, businesses are likely to regularly assess their procedure and make adjustments as required to maintain high standards. 

What are the Benefits of ISO Standards?

ISO standards bring many benefits to companies and businesses, whether they are big multinational corporations or small startups. We have mentioned all the benefits that ISO standards offer:-

• Improved Product/Service Quality
• Better Efficiency 
• Increased Market Access
• Enhanced Credibility and Reputation in the Market
• Risk Management 
• Regulatory Compliance 

What are the Relevant ISO Standards?

Based on the industry and certain goals, different ISO standards are appropriate. However, these are the usual ISO standards used all over the sectors:-

1. ISO 9001 – Quality Management 
2. ISO/IEC 27001 – Information Security Management 
3. ISO 14001 – Environmental Management 
4. ISO 31000 – Risk Management 

ISO 9000 Quality Management 

ISO 9000 concentrates on quality management. The most popular standard in this family is ISO 9001, which is the rule for setting up a quality management system (QMS). A QMS supports organizations in ensuring that they persistently give high-quality items or services and meet the client’s requirements. Advantages of the ISO 9000 quality management are as follows:-

1. Better consistency in product quality.
2. Decreased errors and defects in the procedure
3. Improved customer satisfaction through reliable service delivery. 
4. Better documentation and control, leading to continuous improvement. 

ISO/IEC 27000 Information Security Management System

ISO/IEC 27000 is a standard focused on data security, with ISO/IEC 27001 being the most prominent. It helps experts build an informed security management system (ISMS) to protect sensitive data from digital threats, information breaches, and unapproved access. 

Benefits of ISO/IEC 27001 include:-

• Secure the confidential and sensitive data. 
• Assurance to customers and stakeholders that their data is safe and well-organised.
• Decrease the risk of data breaches and cyberattacks. 
• Compliance with legal and regulatory needs around data protection.

Companies that deal with sensitive customer information or operate in industries with rigorous protection regulations have strongly considered implementing ISO/IEC 27001.

ISO 31000 Risk Management 

ISO 31000 is an international standard for risk management that provides important guidelines for identifying, assessing, and managing risks within any organization.

Advantages of ISO 31000 Include:-

• An organized approach to handling all types of hazards like financial, operational, and reputational. 
• The ability to create more detailed and confident decisions by understanding severe risks. 

Conclusion

ISO standards are an important part of modern business practices. They help authorities in updating all the factors like guarantee of safety, decreasing risk rate, and staying competitive in the international market. Even if the organization is looking to enhance item quality, manage risks, or save sensitive data, there is an ISO regulation to assist. 

Following ISO standards can surely improve efficiency, increase credibility, and also create avenues for new business opportunities. The license procedure for ISO can take time, but it surely offers numerous benefits and is worth it for the business.