ISO 2007 Certification Survey Shows Management Systems Standards Implemented in 175 Countries

November 21, 2008 // Published as a news service by IHS

According to the survey, this is "a clear demonstration that they have become essential tools of the world economy."

The principal findings of the survey are as follows:

• ISO 9001:2000 (quality management). Up to the end of December 2007, at least 951,486 ISO 9001:2000 certificates had been issued in 175 countries and economies.

  The 2007 total represents an increase of 54,557 (+6%) over 2006, when the total was 896,929 in 170 countries and economies. Services again accounted for 32% of all certificates issued. The increase appears much smaller than in 2006 (+16%); according to the survey, several factors may have combined to produce this result:

  • The 2007 survey data collection methodology was refocused on obtaining figures from primary sources, the certification bodies that actually issue certificates, to reduce the increased possibility of error inherent in obtaining data from secondary sources (accreditation bodies and databases). This resulted in the totals for several countries being revised downward.

  • Certification activity slowed down in anticipation of the new edition of ISO 9001, with organizations adopting a wait-and-see attitude, as many did in the run-up to the 2000 edition.

  • The market for certification is maturing in certain countries where this activity began early.

  • The continuing growth of sector- or activity-specific editions of ISO 9001 reduces the number of certifications to the generic standard.

  • The trend for organizations to replace multiple-site certificates by one certificate covering all sites continues, although its extent is difficult to quantify and also reduces the number of certificates.

• ISO 14001:2004 (environmental management). Up to the end of December 2007, at least 154,572 certificates had been issued in 148 countries and economies. The 2006 total represents an increase of 26,361 (+21%) over 2006, when the total was 128,211 in 140 countries and economies. The service sectors accounted for 29% of certificates issued, up from 27% in 2006.

• ISO Technical Specification (TS) 16949:2002 (quality management for automotive suppliers). Up to the end of December 2007, at least 35,198 ISO TS 16949:2002 certificates had been issued in 81 countries and economies. The 2007 total represents an increase of 7,199 (+26%) over 2006 when the total was 27,999 certificates in 78 countries and economies.

• ISO 13485:2003 (quality management for medical devices). Up to the end of December 2007, at least 12,985 ISO 13485:2003 certificates had been issued in 84 countries and economies. The 2007 total represents an increase of 4,959 (+62%) over 2006 when the total was 8,026 in 81 countries and economies.

• ISO/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) 27001:2005 (information security management). At the end of December 2007, at least 7,732 ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certificates had been issued in 70 countries and economies. The 2007 total represents an increase of 1,935 (+33%) over 2006 when the total was 5,797 in 64 countries and economies. Service sector organizations accounted for 90% of the certificates issued.

ISO said the survey results continue to shed light on the evolution of the global economy, with newly emerging economies such as China, India, Brazil and the Russian Federation appearing among the leading countries for totals of certificates issued, or growth during 2007. Countries other than the established industrialized economies showing intensive certification activity include Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Poland, Romania, Thailand and Turkey.

For more information about the survey, go to the ISO web site.

Source: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).