People often ask me what the difference is between a Quality Management System and ISO 9001. A Quality Management System or QMS is what you need to develop and effectively implement in your organisation. An ISO 9001 refers to an international standard that sets out the criteria for a QMS. This is a certification that an organisation can apply for once they are confident that a QMS has been put in place. If you intend to go through this journey, your focus must be on implementing a QMS.
You should treat ISO 9001 Certification as the “icing on the cake” once you are confident that your quality system is working well for the business.
