When you start manufacturing and producing food products for the domestic and overseas market, you may think a food safety certificate or something similar will suffice. While it’s helpful if your company knows how to prepare food safely, that’s not the be-all and end-all of the manufacturing process.

You need to understand food safety management, environmental management, quality management, and more. Some businesses may also require specific certifications that dictate whether or not they will buy your goods. 

As you can see, a food safety certificate might help, but it’s only the beginning. Below, we cover what ISO 9001 is,andsome of the many reasons why getting your ISO 9001 certification through an accredited training facility could help your company prospects.

From an outside perspective, ISO 9001 is a few numbers and letters with no significant meaning. In the domestic and international manufacturing scene, it means everything. ISO 9001 relates to quality management. 

It’s a certification process that offers guidance, tools for success, and methods for ensuring your products will meet (and always meet) your customers’ needs. The number one priority and goal of ISO 9001 is to make sure your company, its processes, and products, are up to scratch. 

There are ten sections in ISO 9001 (2015), all of which can benefit a company’s daily operations. These include: 

• 1: Scope

• 2: Normative references

• 3: Terms and definitions

• 4: Context of the organisation

• 5: Leadership

• 6: Planning

• 7: Support

• 8: Operation

• 9: Performance evaluation

• 10: Continual or ongoing improvement

The 2015 ISO 9001 model closely follows its precursor 2008. Both operate in a process-based model, but with the addition of risk-based thinking as well. The training facility you choose for all your certificates will always offer the latest information and training available. 

One of the primary reasons why business owners and operators look to gain their ISO 9001 certification is so they can please their growing customer base. To sell products to a customer, they often need the certification for peace of mind. A simple food safety certificate for producing food products, while appropriate in some cases, won’t always suffice. 

The immediate pay-off from completing the certification is that they get that customer onboard. But other benefits are soon to follow. The education and support equate to a vast improvement in process and product quality. 

As previously mentioned, many buyers will only do business with companies and manufacturers who have gained their ISO 9001 certification. Once you get it, many doors open for you and your company. You get to work with a whole new market of businesses, not to mention having the potential to earn more money too. A food safety certificate can help with knowledge and education, but not so much with large factory processes. 

You may think your products and business operations are top-quality now, but what about after you get your ISO 9001 certification? With so much new knowledge and education, you can’t help but see glaring holes in your current business structure. You now have an opportunity to improve your entire business process, resulting in a far more superior product and manufacturing processes than before.

Having ISO 9001 certification, and even other certifications such as a food safety certificate, all equate to better customer experiences. But what about your staff? The benefits for your team may surprise you. 

In a survey involving 1,000 employees, over half say they don’t feel they have any direction. A staggering 91 percent said their leaders offer no communication. Without processes and strict protocols in place, that’s no surprise. 

If your workers have a set process in place for everything they do, they won’t have any problems understanding what you expect of them. They certainly won’t feel like they lack direction. 

After gaining your certification, the many new doors that open can offer new opportunities to make money. However, it can also save you money as well. When you learn about quality management, you learn about improving processes, being more consistent, and decreasing process waste. 

A common side effect of inefficiency is waste, so such a certification can help you limit that. As you know, less waste equals more money. 

You will know all about how a food safety certificate benefits your business. You learn about diseases and illnesses, practicing safe food handling, food safety, and personal hygiene. Those skills are all valuable, but there are other certifications such as ISO 9001 that can work hand in hand. 

Learn about quality management, improving your bottom line, and changing your processes. Get in touch with an approved and accredited training organisation to get the ball rolling.