ISO9001: Moving from site certification to corporate certification

[ChanGM]

ar All,

My company is moving from site ISO9K certification to Corp certification soon. I would like to find out what are the preparation needed for this change. I would appreciate for any advise for you.

1) Change of scope - Corp cert. will certainly have wider scope since it covering the whole company site functions now, correct me if I'm wrong.

2) Documented procedure - Can the sites continue use their documented procedures (especially the 6 compulsory procedures, E.g.Quality manual) OR the documented procedure should combine into one Corp documented procedure ?

3) Internal audit - If the mgmt decided to hv corp cert based on 2 main function sites, how are we go about to cover others sites that also in the scope ? Previously is site cert, it's only limited to site function but now is corp cert, do I need to fly to others sites to perform internal audit or a Video Conferencing will do? How's others company works on this?

4) Any others preparation needed?

Thanks in advance.

 

[AndyN]

ar All,

My company is moving from site ISO9K certification to Corp certification soon. I would like to find out what are the preparation needed for this change. I would appreciate for any advise for you.

1) Change of scope - Corp cert. will certainly have wider scope since it covering the whole company site functions now, correct me if I'm wrong.

2) Documented procedure - Can the sites continue use their documented procedures (especially the 6 compulsory procedures, E.g.Quality manual) OR the documented procedure should combine into one Corp documented procedure ?

3) Internal audit - If the mgmt decided to hv corp cert based on 2 main function sites, how are we go about to cover others sites that also in the scope ? Previously is site cert, it's only limited to site function but now is corp cert, do I need to fly to others sites to perform internal audit or a Video Conferencing will do? How's others company works on this?

4) Any others preparation needed?

Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the Cove:

To move to a corporate certification, from site (individual) certification you have to have certain things in place:

A shared QMS - that is to say common processes/procedures for requirements such as document control, records control, corrective actions, and so on.

The HQ function must be able to set or require to be set policy and objectives at each site, also require actions to be taken at each location. Internal audits and management review can be organized or reported back into HQ, too. Management review should really look at the performance from each site and require them to take action.

Internal audits can be done from HQ (NOT by video conference, someone needs to go and SEE what's going on) or by having them done at each site by competent personnel and reported/overseen by HQ.

You should also talk to your chosen CB about what they need to know to organize a multi-site audit program.

 

[Reg Morrison]

I would appreciate for any advise for you.

You need to familiarize yourself with the IAF MD 1:2007 Certification of Multiple Sites Based on Sampling document, if the corporate certification program will make use of a sampling approach to site auditing,

 

[ChanGM]

Thanks so much for the great advise.

I wondering how would the CB auditor audit others site operation? Are they going to leverage of our internal audit report that covering the other site operation ??

 

[Frankie11]

Thanks so much for the great advise.

I wondering how would the CB auditor audit others site operation? Are they going to leverage of our internal audit report that covering the other site operation ??

This is what our CB does.
Initial and certification audits - All of our facilities are audited.
Surveillance audits - our main facility is always audited. Half of our other facilities are also audited (with the other half to be audited the next year). Basically they audit a sample of your facilities. How many and how often will depend on individual circumstances.

 

[Tara Monson]

We just went through this process last year.

Currently we have one, corporate Quality Manual with each division having their own QMS procedures. Each division gets audited separately, with headquarters getting a separate audit of their own.

We are each given our own certificate (with the same ISO cert #) as HEADOFFICE dba as COMPANY NAME.

However, it looks like a more united certificate and QMS is the route we are now heading.

Our CB is our go-to on what actions need taken.

I completely recommend speaking with them. If you have one, they are usually a great resource!

Good luck!

 

[gard2372]

Hi contributors! Been a while since I've posted before Elsmar was brought back from the dead!

Question, we have 9 sites that have 5 different registrars (1 in UK) and my charge is to get all sites under one corporate certification with the multi-site listing. Thanks to reg Morrison for the link to IAF MD 1:2007 Certification of Multiple Sites Based on Sampling document I'll have to review that more.

Any bechmarks on approach to this endeavor? I'm thinking of evaluating one of the current registrars and working with them on a multi-site certification with sampling.

Any guidance or recommendations to how others have traveled this path before is greatly appreciated.

Thanks

 

[Sidney Vianna]

Any guidance or recommendations to how others have traveled this path before is greatly appreciated.

Be aware that the document you hyperlinked to has been revised. Check IAF Mandatory Document for the Audit and Certification of a Management System Operated by a Multi-Site Organization .

The best approach is for you to identify which of the 5 CB's the organization has been using has been delivering the service in line with the expectations, if they have local resources close to the sites you have, including the UK and request them to provide you with commercial quotes and plans for the certificate transfer process. Obviously, corporate folks should lead the process.

Good luck.

 

[Randy]

This is basically how sampling is done, there is more to it but this is a good part

6.1.3.3 The minimum number of sites to be visited per audit is:
 Initial audit: the size of the sample shall be the square root of the number of sites: (y=√x), rounded up to the next whole number, where y = number of sites to be sampled and x = total number of sites.
 Surveillance audit: the size of the annual sample shall be the square root of the number of sites with 0.6 as a coefficient (y=0.6 √x), rounded up to the next whole number.
 Re-certification audit: the size of the sample shall be the same as for an initial audit. Nevertheless, where the management system has proved to be effective over the certification cycle, the size of the sample could be reduced to, y=0.8 √x, rounded up to the next whole number.

 

[Coury Ferguson]

Try and remember, this: if 1 fails they all fail with a Multi-Site Registration.

My company might be thinking that as well. I am trying to convince them to remain as single site registrations. They could use the same Registrar, which is the better choice.

Just my opinion.