While 2022 was no doubt the most challenging year that businesses both small and large have faced in modern times, it is also a year that has presented a number of opportunities to learn new ways of operating, the potential for experimentation and innovation in your products and services, as well somewhat forcing organisations to become more agile as a whole. While it was a somewhat disastrous year for a huge number of businesses and individuals alike, 2022 was also a year that proved that complacency is dangerous, and often fatal for organisations that aren’t willing to do the work and implement something reminiscent of a new year’s resolution for its operations. 

So, with that, let’s talk about ten of the best new year’s resolutions for your business to help steer you into 2023/2024 with the confidence, direction and strategic-underpinning that businesses, stakeholders and customer confidence demand in the modern era. 

Why Keep Resolutions for Business?

Just like personal resolutions, setting goals for your business allows you to focus on your priorities and develop a plan to achieve them. By setting measurable objectives, you can track your progress and adjust your strategies accordingly. This could include changing your digital marketing strategy, posting more on social media or increasing your sales target. Additionally, the act of setting goals helps you clarify your vision, which can motivate your team and align everyone towards the same direction.

Setting business goals also helps you establish a clear strategy. By identifying what you want to achieve, you can develop a roadmap that outlines how to get there. This can improve your decision-making process and help you make informed choices about where to invest your time and resources.

Setting business resolutions

So, now that we have established that it is important to set business resolutions to help your company grow, Here are some ideas for business resolutions that can help you achieve success in the coming year:

Increase Digital Marketing Efforts

In today’s digital age, it’s important to have a strong online presence. Consider increasing your digital marketing efforts by investing in social media ads, email marketing campaigns, and search engine optimization.

Increase customer service

Customer service is a crucial aspect of any business. Make it a priority to provide excellent customer service by training your team members, improving response times, and addressing customer complaints in a timely and professional manner.

Foster employee engagement

Engaged employees are more productive and invested in the success of your business. Consider implementing initiatives to improve employee engagement, such as offering training and development opportunities, recognizing and rewarding employee achievements, and providing a positive work environment.

Increase cash flow

Cash flow is essential for the success of any business. Consider implementing strategies to improve your cash flow, such as offering discounts for early payment, reducing expenses, and improving your invoicing process.

Create a long-term business plan

A long-term business plan can help you stay focused on your goals and achieve success in the coming years. Consider creating a comprehensive business plan that outlines your mission, vision, goals, and strategies for growth.

Setting resolutions for your business can help you achieve success in the coming year. By reflecting on your business’s performance and setting specific goals, you can prioritize tasks and ensure that you are focusing on the most important areas of your business. Consider implementing some of the ideas discussed in this article to help your business grow and succeed in the coming year/

Keep Learning,

Best Practice Certification

Learn More about an ISO 9001 Quality Management System Here

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As a business owner or manager, you probably want your products and services to be of the highest quality in the market. This could mean implementing an effective and certified QMS. On top of that, you also need a robust, efficient environmental management system to ensure that the production and consumption of your goods do not harm the environment.

Simply put, QMS and EMS are both necessary for organisations looking to improve product quality and customer satisfaction. However, there are differences between these systems of standards.

The Difference Between QMS And EMS

To better understand the difference between these two systems, it is essential to first learn about the two integrated ISO standards: ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. ISO 9001 is the standard for quality management, whereas ISO 14001 is the standard that addresses the environmental aspects of a business.

Understanding Quality Management System (QMS): ISO 9001

Defined under ISO 9001, the QMS is a system that focuses on the quality assurance of production processes, products, or services of a business. It provides a framework to ensure products or services meet customer expectations and applicable regulations. With an effective QMS, companies can enhance customer satisfaction, reduce waste, and improve internal processes.

ISO 9001 CERTIFICATION FROM BEST PRACTICE

Understanding Environmental Management System (EMS): ISO 14001

EMS is defined under ISO 14001 and focuses on managing environmental impacts, such as waste management, water pollution, and hazardous materials. The goal of this system is to help businesses reduce their environmental impact and enhance their environmental performance by implementing an efficient EMS.

It covers procedures and policies to help organisations minimise environmental impact, continually improve environmental performance, and comply with applicable laws and regulations.

ISO 14001 Certification from best practice

Approach

The biggest difference between ISO 9001:2015 QMS and ISO 14001: 2015 EMS lies in their approach. A QMS is typically customer-driven. This means the system works to better your procedures to ensure the products or services produced can meet customer requirements.

On the other hand, an EMS is environmentally-driven, which means it works to optimise resources and improve operations to avoid harmful environmental impacts.

Best Practices

There are also notable differences in the systems’ best practices. A QMS promotes the following practices:

• Customer focus – The system aims at meeting customer needs and exceeding their expectations.
• Leadership – Engaging an organisation’s top leaders in promoting quality objectives in all departments.
• Process approach – Deploying the Plan-Do-Check-Act to ensure the QMS is effective.
• Involvement of people in achieving quality objectives.
• Evidence based decision making.
• Continual improvement.
• Stakeholder relationship management.

An EMS promotes the following best practices:

• Reduce the environmental footprints of business operations.
• Promoting sustainability.
• Operational improvements by adjusting processes to improve efficiency and environmental degradation.
• Facilitating environmental legal compliance.
• Reducing the environmental risks.

ISO 9001 & ISO 14001 Certification from Best Practice Biz

ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 can be easily integrated into a single quality management system, often called an Integrated Management System (IMS). This system combines the guidelines of both standards into a single framework, enabling businesses to manage their quality and environmental objectives more efficiently.

If you’re interested in implementing either ISO 9001 or ISO 14001, or both, Best Practice Certification can help. As JAS-ANZ accredited Certification body, we are focused on providing ISO Certification to businesses in Australia.

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Attack vectors such as ransomware attacks, stolen or compromised credentials, and misconfigured networks were identified as costly additions to damage costs, with business email compromises (BEC) being the most expensive cause of a data breach due to the resource-intensive nature of the clean-up process.

How Much Does a Data breach cost

The “Cost of a Data Breach Report” also reveals the cost of data breaches in Australia. According to the report, the average cost of a data breach in Australia is AUD $3.35 million, with compromised credentials being the most common cause. The report states that 80% of data breaches resulted in customer data being accessed by an unauthorized third-party, leaving organizations liable to further punitive measures from regulators. In addition, the report shows that the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the cost of data breaches, with remote working increasing the time taken to identify a breach and adding an extra cost of AUD $137,000 per breach.

The True cost of data breaches

The true cost of a data breach is not just financial; it can also result in reputational damage and loss of trust from customers. The report highlights that organizations with an information security management system or similar were spared millions of dollars in further damages in the aftermath of a data breach. On average, the cost of a data breach for organizations without an incident response plan or dedicated team is AUD $5.2 million, compared to just AUD $2 million for organizations with an information security plan and specialist team. The report emphasizes the importance of data protection and being proactive and prepared when it comes to cyber risks.

ORGANISATIONS WITH AN INFORMATION SECURITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM OR SIMILAR WERE MILLIONS BETTER-OFF.

Authors of the report made it clear that organisations that were proactive and prepared when it came to cyber risks were spared millions of dollars in further damages in the aftermath of a data breach. On average, costs associated with a data breach for organisations with neither an incident response plan or dedicated team are said to be $5.2 million, compared to just $2 million for organisations with an information security plan and specialist team. 

“When it comes to businesses’ ability to mitigate the impact of a data breach, we’re beginning to see a clear advantage held by companies that have invested in automated technologies,” Wendi Whitmore, Vice President of IBM’s X-Force Threat Intelligence said. 

“At a time when businesses are expanding their digital footprint at an accelerated pace and the security industry’s talent shortage persists, teams can be overwhelmed securing more devices, systems and data. Security automation can help resolve this burden, not only supporting a faster breach response but amore cost-efficient one as well.”

Don’t forget to check our News page for the latest industry-relevant articles, how-to guides and ISO-explainers

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Monday mornings. Some people dread them, other people love them- it’s the dichotomy that fascinates us, and it’s one of the clearest signs of whether or not you’ve got a good culture in your organisation that is keeping everyone motivated and productive- and excited to come into work on a Monday. Let’s talk about the easiest way to reverse this trend.

As a leader, your ability to inspire your team can make a greater impact on your organisation’s success. When employees feel inspired and motivated, they tend to work harder and produce better results. However, it’s not always easy to inspire and engage your team members. In this article, we will provide some tips on how to create a positive and productive work environment that encourages employee engagement and professional growth.

Effective communication

Effective communication with your team is key to inspiring and engaging them. You need to set clear goals and communicate them effectively to your team members. This will give them a sense of purpose and direction, and help them stay focused on achieving their goals. Also, provide regular feedback to your team members, both positive and constructive. Positive feedback is a great way to motivate and inspire your team members, and constructive feedback helps them grow and develop professionally.

Create a positive work environment

Encourage your employees to grow and develop professionally. Providing training and development opportunities is a great way to motivate your team members and show that you value their growth and development. Also, provide opportunities for team members to work on new projects or take on new roles. This will help them expand their skills and knowledge, and it can also help to prevent burnout.

Create a positive work environment

A positive work environment is essential for inspiring and engaging your team members. To create a positive work environment, you need to encourage teamwork and team building. Great leaders know that team and individual success go hand in hand, and they work to create a culture where people feel valued and supported. Also, consider offering flexible schedules or remote work options. This can help employees feel more in control of their work-life balance, which can lead to greater job satisfaction and motivation.

Employee motivation

Motivating your team members is a critical part of inspiring and engaging them. People feel motivated when they believe in what they are doing and feel that their work is making a difference. As a leader, you need to find ways to connect your team members’ work to the bigger picture and show them how their work is making a difference. Celebrating successes and milestones is another way to motivate and inspire your team members. It shows that you value their hard work and contributions.

Inspiring your team is about creating a positive work environment, encouraging employee growth and development, effective communication with your team, and motivating your team members. By implementing these tips, you can create a culture where people feel inspired and motivated, and where they are more likely to stay engaged and productive.

Keep Learning,

Kobi Simmat.

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It’s something that businesses, no matter their size, are constantly asking. While there’s a number of techniques you can employ to improve your conversion rate and convert more prospects into customers, one of the most effective ways of converting prospects into paying customers is to take the human approach, rather than leave it to software. 

Converting leads into paying customers is the ultimate goal of any business. However, it can be a daunting task, and many companies struggle to convert prospects into clients. In this article, we will discuss some tips and strategies on how to convert leads into customers effectively. It’s essential to understand the difference between a lead and a customer. A lead is a potential customer who has shown interest in your product or service but has not yet made a purchase. On the other hand, a customer is a paying individual who has bought your product or service.

The sales team should also focus on providing excellent customer service throughout the sales process. By delivering exceptional customer service, you can build trust and establish a relationship with potential customers, which can ultimately lead to a purchase. Your sales process should also be streamlined to make it easy for potential customers to buy your product or service. This includes simplifying the checkout process, providing multiple payment options, and ensuring that your website is easy to navigate.

Here are some methods that your business can use to convert prospects into customers.

Grab Your Free ISO Gap Analysis Checklist

Build Trust 

Authors of the report note that trust is built on the back of both competence and ethics. In the context of business, this starts internally, and is then built upon in your interactions with the market. You should inspire your team with a mission statement and vision for the future, and aim to build a system that supports your team as they accomplish that mission. Once they’re prepared, they can begin to inspire the rest of the market with your organisation’s product or services. 

You should treat every customer with the opposite of the Wolf of Wall Street’s approach if you want to ensure they both return to your organisation, and recommend you to their friends, family and colleagues. Without this trust, your organisation will struggle to both attract and retain customers, and you’ll be fighting an uphill battle. If you’re known as the one offering in a certain market that exists to take customer’s money and ignore feedback, in the interconnected world of 2020, this model won’t stand the test of time. 

If, however, you’re operating to improve your services for your customers, they’ll trust your organisation and reward decision making in-line with their interests. Remember- customers vote with their wallets, and they often don’t open them in front of someone – or a business – that is untrustworthy. 

Discover our Guide to Net Promoter Score

Add Value 

Once you’ve built upon the bedrock of trust with your customers, it’s time for you to add some meaningful value. Interestingly, business ranked higher than the media, NGOs and government in terms of competence, and ability to add value to the lives of everyday citizens. 

Business was ranked highest in terms of generating value, being the engine of innovation and driving economic prosperity. In the same sense, businesses are one of the most effective ways of adding value to the life of a customer, and still represent one of the most useful vehicles of delivering meaningful change and value to that customer in 2020- and beyond. This is where management and CEOs should step into the picture and maintain a forward-thinking mindset that encourages experimentation and innovation within the organisation. 

If you can add value to the lives of your customers, it’s almost certain that they’ll add to the value of your organisation.

Maintain Integrity

Key amongst the findings of the Edelman report is that ethical drivers are three-times more important to company trust than their competence is. This is something particularly important to consider in 2020, where changing attitudes and a lack of consumer confidence is rife. We’ve come back to the example of the Wolf of Wall Street’s sales tactics, which come with a host of unethical considerations. While yes, you may indeed add customers to your books with this tactic, you’re likely to see any returns or referrals if your organisation does not behave with integrity. 

You should ensure that your organisation remains one of the market’s leading offerings in terms of its dependability, integrity and mission, which will inspire both your team and your customers. If you go out of your way to contact customers and see how your organisation could improve its services – specifically for that customer – they will trust your organisation more, and believe that you’re making key decision in-line with their considerations; this is invaluable in terms of creating customer trust and converting prospects into customers with reviews that add social proof to your claims of trust, integrity and value-adding services.  

Converting leads into paying customers requires a strategic approach. By understanding your target audience, identifying pain points, providing excellent customer service, streamlining the sales process, and leveraging social media, you can increase your chances of converting more prospects into customers. Remember, the key is to focus on building relationships with potential customers and providing value at every stage of the conversion process.

Thanks very much for your time, and I’ll leave you with the link listed above to our Guide to Net Promoter Scores, which is an absolutely essential tool to ensure your organisation is leveraging positive reviews to find future customers. 

Kobi Simmat, Director & CEO of the Best Practice Group. 

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However, this might not be as simple as it may sound, especially if there isn’t an ISO 27001 certification checklist in place. A proper checklist will help streamline the certification process and ensure appropriate resource allocation.

If you’re interested in the standard, we’ve created a 7-step ISO 27001 requirements checklist to guide you.

7 Step ISO 27001 Certification Checklist

1. Assign Roles

First, you need to assemble an implementation team and assign specific roles to each member. Appoint a team leader to manage the implementation of the information security system. The leader must be highly knowledgeable in information security matters and able to lead a team and collaborate with managers.

2. Create the Implementation Plan

The second step involves planning for the implementation of the ISMS. The project manager will lead the implementation team to define the information security objectives and create a risk register as well as an ISMS plan which includes:

• Roles and responsibilitiesCommunication through internal and external channels
• Methodology for its continual improvement

3. Define the ISMS Scope

This involves defining the information security management system (ISMS) framework to help you gain a broader understanding of how the standard works. Create standards, policies, procedures, and guidelines that align with your information security system. Ensure the ISMS scope is correctly defined to avoid making it too small or too complex to manage.

4. Develop a Risk Management Process

The sole concept behind an ISMS is risk management. Most aspects of your ISMS are based upon the risks and vulnerabilities detected, making risk management a key factor for any company seeking ISO 27001 compliance.

Implementing this standard can help define your risk management processes, which technically involve five steps:

• Develop a risk evaluation framework
• Identify risks
• Assess risks
• Evaluate risks
• Choose a risk management approach

5. Implement a Risk Management Plan

Once you develop a working risk management process, you should consider implanting a risk management plan to ensure potential risks are put at bay. This may include developing and implementing appropriate security controls to mitigate the identified risks. These controls should include both technical and organisational.

6. Conduct an Internal Audit

Conducting an internal audit is essential as it helps prepare your organisation for the official audit. It is also an excellent way to test your new system to know if your controls are working appropriately. An internal audit can be conducted by an independent external auditor or an internal team that was not involved in documenting and setting up the ISMS.

7. Engage an accredited certification body

It is important to find an accredited ISO Certification Body like Best Practice Certification. Once you choose a suitable Certification Body, technically known as a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB), they will provide you with an ISO 27001 lead auditor to complete your audit. The auditor will focus on two critical areas. First, they will evaluate your documentation to ensure it’s in good order. Second, they will check your controls to see if they are being followed. Then, you will be given a list of non-conformities that should be addressed before being awarded ISO 27001 certification.

How Best Practice Certification Can Help

Contact Best Practice Certification if you are ready to implement your ISO 27001 certification checklist. We offer exclusive training and support systems to help on your certification journey and ensure maximum information protection.

Download ISO 27001 Gap Analysis Checklist

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ISO 45001 is a standard for Occupational Health and Safety management systems (OH&S). It was designed to provide a framework for companies to identify, manage, and minimise workplace risks and create a healthier and safer working environment. It contains the best practices for occupational health and safety.

The new ISO 45001 standard presents a new approach to documentation that substitutes the old documentation requirements. If you plan to implement ISO 45001 and are looking into the mandatory requirements for documented information, this guide is for you. Below, we’ll highlight the mandatory documents and records required by ISO 45001.

Documents & Records Required by ISO 45001

Scope of the OH&S Management System – Clause 4.3

Clause 4.3 outlines the scope of the OH&S management system by specifying its boundaries and applicability. This may include the organisation’s products, services, operations and other external activities that can affect the system’s performance.

OH&S – Clause 5.2

The OH&S document stipulates the requirements for workplace health and safety well-being. It requires business owners to ensure the workplace is safe and free of hazardous conditions. It also states that the workplace should be inspected regularly, and potential risks should be identified and addressed immediately.

Responsibilities and Authorities Within OH&SMS – Clause 5.3

Clause 5.3 defines the responsibilities and authorities of team members and management within the OH&SMS. It outlines the roles and duties of each person and their authority to make decisions concerning the OH&SMS.

OH&S Process for Addressing Risks and Opportunities – Clause 6.1.1

OH&S process for addressing risks and opportunities is a mandatory document that requires an organisation to identify, assess, control, and address risks and opportunities associated with its operations.

Methodology and Criteria for the Assessment of OH&S – Clause 6.1.2.2

Clause 6.1.2.2 entails the methodology and approach for assessing occupational health and safety risks. It is the process of evaluating risks, including the detection of threats and assessing their risk levels.

OH&S Objectives and Plans for Attaining them – Clause 6.2.2

This clause outlines the requirements for the team leader to develop occupational health and safety objectives and appropriate plans for attaining them. They must set up a plan that defines the expected outcomes, performance measures, and the resources and actions to fulfil the objectives.
The plan should include a timeline for implementation, a method for communication, and a methodology for monitoring and evaluating progress. OH&S objectives and plans should be reviewed and updated regularly.

Emergency Preparedness and Response Process – Clause Clause 8.2

This describes an emergency preparedness and response plan that demonstrates how your company will respond to and manage emergencies. It often covers details on how you will identify potential emergencies, create response plans, and train employees on emergency response protocols.

This may include plans for how your organisation will coordinate with stakeholders and external partners to ensure an effective response.

Implementing an OH&S Management System

If you’re looking for guidance on managing workplace health and safety, you may want to implement an OH&S that complies with ISO 45001 requirements. By understanding each clause in the standard, you may be able to establish a system that addresses your health and safety issues.

Consult Best Practice Today

Our experts at Best Practice Certification can assist in your ISO 45001 certification and ensure you meet the standard’s requirements in terms of documentation. Contact us today to find out more.

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Through visualising and analysing your company’s processes, you can identify areas for improvement, streamline operations, and ultimately enhance customer satisfaction. In this blog post, we’ll dive into the basics of process mapping in the context of ISO 9001.

What Is Process Mapping in ISO 9001?

Process Mapping in ISO 9001 involves documenting and understanding all the key processes within your business. It entails creating a “high-level” overview of your operations processes, documenting all processes step-by-step, and creating detailed process maps. By understanding the full scope of your business processes, your organisation can create standardised workflows, identify decision points, and continuously improve its quality management system.

Keys Processes to Consider in Business Process Mapping

You should take process mapping seriously because it has much to do with customer satisfaction and improved efficiency. Some of the key areas to consider in business process mapping include the following:

• Operations processes – These are the everyday tasks like production, shipping, and receiving.
• Support processes – These are activities necessary for operations that facilitate efficient strategic decision-making.
• Decision points – These are points in the process where decisions need to be made and documented, with input from stakeholders such as customers, suppliers, and staff members.Business knowledge management involves Identifying any knowledge source that could help optimise workflows and improve the business’s overall success.
• Inspection and Test procedures – How test results are evaluated to ensure quality products or services are delivered to customers can be critical for customer satisfaction or regulatory compliance.
• High-level process designs – Developing detailed plans for high-level process designs such as enterprise architecture, product design, or financial accounting can help guide other design decisions throughout the organisation and create better efficiencies over time.
• Documenting Processes – Recording detailed descriptions of each activity in your workflows with diagrams and flowcharts to ensure continuity between teams or departments over time is essential for maintaining quality standards laid out by ISO 9000/9001 certification requirements.

Building a detailed process map is key to demonstrating how inputs and outputs move through an organisation.

How to Create a Detailed Process Map for ISO 9000

Here are the steps to follow when creating a business process map:

• Identify all the inputs and outputs associated with each business process your company performs.
• Mark each of these steps on a process chart and draw arrows between them to identify the flow of activities.
• Include decision points in this map, which will help you further analyse how your workflows are functioning.
• Add all relevant details to your process, including timelines and tools needed.
• Review and adjust as needed to incorporate feedback from stakeholders and make sure it aligns with ISO 9001 requirements.
• Once it meets all criteria, implement your process map within the quality management system.

How Best Practice Can Help

Process mapping is a great way to gain insight into your operations and processes, allowing you to improve efficiency while ensuring customer satisfaction continually. ISO 9001 certification is achievable for any business that documents processes and works towards continual improvement.
Our ISO 9001 certification services at Best Practice can help you better control processes and create detailed workflows for your business operations. Contact us today to learn more about how your business could benefit from ISO certification services.

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Cyber Resilience Defined

Cyber resilience is focused on increasing the ability of critical infrastructure and business processes to absorb and respond to cybersecurity incidents while maintaining continuous business operations. It is an organisation’s ability to manage and adapt to changing circumstances and rapidly recover from disruptions caused by a cyber incident

Achieving cyber resilience requires organisations to plan for, prevent, respond to, and recover from cyber threats, security incidents, and cyber attacks. Creating a comprehensive cybersecurity plan with a robust cyber resilience strategy can protect your confidential data from malicious actors and guarantee your organisation’s ability to remain operational during difficult times.

How is Cyber Resilience Different From Cyber Security

The difference between cyber resilience and cyber security lies in focus on the result. Cyber security is focused on preventing cyber threats from compromising your organisation’s data, while cyber resilience is focused on how your organisation can continue operations after a cybersecurity incident.

In other words, cyber resilience requires an extensive understanding of an organisation’s critical infrastructure, business processes and information security systems to ensure they can be maintained if disrupted.

When it comes to data and operations security, having a focused and well-defined cyber resilience strategy that incorporates best practices helps organisations ensure they are prepared for any cyber attack or security incidents.

This strategy should include specific goals and intended outcomes related to responding to and recovering from threats or incidents quickly and effectively with minimal business continuity risk. Ensuring you have a comprehensive plan will help protect your organisation from malicious actors and prevent losses due to cyber risks.

Building an Effective Cyber Resilience Strategy

To create an effective cyber resilience strategy, you need to:

• Identify critical assets and determine each asset’s key roles in your organisation’s operations.
• Analyse and prioritise the potential threats and vulnerabilities that could affect those assets.
• Develop plans for responding to a cyber incident.
• Establish processes for monitoring performance, assessing progress, and improving risk management efforts throughout your organisation.

An effective cyber resilience strategy should include the steps to dealing with a potential or real cyber incident. These steps include:

• Gathering enough information to characterise the threat
• Invoking business continuity processes
• Activating response teams
• Containing, mitigating, and eradicating the threat
• Recovering critical systems
• Re-establishing normal operations
• Fully remediating any residual threats or problems
• Analysing and learning from the incident

An effective plan can help your organisation respond more quickly and efficiently in times of crisis and better protect against future risks or cyber threats.

Contact us Today for ISO Certification

You already know what cyber resilience is, but did you know that attaining ISO certification is the most effective way to ensure your organisation’s cyber resilience? Becoming ISO certified for cyber security involves having policies, processes, and a system that continuously monitors, identifies, and manages cyber risks.

The team of experienced professionals at Best Practice Certification can help you achieve your desired ISO certifications. These experts know the right steps to take so you meet every requirement to achieve your data security goals. Contact us today to discover more about how we can help.

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Most people are familiar with ISO 9001 and its functions, but ISO 9000 doesn’t receive as much attention. However, ISO 9000 can be incredibly beneficial to any business aiming to meet customer demands. Additionally, it can fulfil regulatory obligations and support continuous improvement. Every organisation should view these standards as a stepping stone or the foundation for a robust quality system.

The Distinction

The main difference between ISO 9000 and ISO 9001 is that ISO 9000 comprises a family or series of quality management standards, whereas ISO 9001 is an individual standard in the family. An essential thing to note is that within the ISO 9000 series of standards exists ISO 9000 as an individual standard, which outlines the vocabulary and fundamentals of QMS. In this post, we will expound more on the difference between the two.

ISO 9000

ISO 9000’s main goal is to clarify terms used throughout the other standards. It also incorporates the quality management principles that serve as the foundation for the entire family of standards. The standards are based on the following:

• Leadership- Organisations should establish direction and purpose to help employees achieve objectives.
• Customer focus- Organisations should focus on understanding, meeting, and exceeding customer needs and requirements.
• Process approach- To achieve the desired results, organisations should view activities as a process.
• People’s involvement- Everyone in the company should be involved in the activities of the business.
• System methodology to management- Companies should identify and understand processes for efficient and effective solutions.
• Factual decision-making approach- Organisations should make decisions after carefully analysing data.
• Continual Improvement- Organisations should strive to improve their systems and procedures.
• Valuable merchant relationships- More value is created when everyone in the organisation benefits.

ISO 9001

ISO 9001 is a specific standard within the ISO 9000 series. It outlines the requirements for quality management systems (QMS) that businesses must follow when supplying valuable products and services. The QMS outlined in ISO 9001 must be utilised by personnel in the business to maintain a focus on customers and their needs.

A gap analysis and internal audits are necessary to implement a quality management system. The primary objective of these activities is to identify the appropriate actions that need to be taken. The gap analysis involves evaluating the current QMS and comparing it to the new ISO 9001 system, which becomes the new quality management standard.

Completing a gap analysis allows owners and other personnel to identify the differences between their current QMS and the previous one, which enables them to move closer toward their continuous improvement goal. These assessments are typically conducted during the early stages of the ISO 9001 implementation process.

Any company that wishes to implement ISO 9001:2015 should conduct internal audits. This process helps evaluate the effectiveness of the new quality management system and assess whether the company is eligible for certification. This is because ISO 9001 was established to allow business owners to take steps to improve quality assurance by implementing ISO standards. For further opportunities to enhance quality beyond ISO 9001, ISO 9004 can be utilised. However, it’s important to note that only ISO 9001 has a certification body.

In Conclusion

The ISO 9000 family of standards is helpful for companies wishing to maintain a higher quality assurance level. For businesses looking to understand specific terminology and standards, ISO 9000 is an excellent resource. On the other hand, ISO 9001 is implemented to ensure that a company is customer-focused and continuously improving. By utilising these globally recognised standards, businesses can ensure that they meet the needs of all stakeholders.

Becoming certified is no small task. It requires training, documentation, and tracking your organisation’s Quality Management System (QMS) processes. Working with an accredited certification institution specialising in this process is advisable.

Are you looking to get ISO 9001 certification? Best Practice Certification is JAS-ANZ accredited certification body committed to making your ISO certification journey as smooth as possible. Contact us today to get started.

ISO Certification from Best Practice

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