Step 5: Maintaining your certification

Once you are certified, your business may be subject to an annual audit to make sure that standards are still being adhered to and areas requiring further work are being addressed. Your certifier will work with you to develop a program of audits, but you should be prepared for unannounced audits as well. Your certifier will be able to advise you about any other conditions you are expected to meet, such as labeling requirements.

Be prepared for additional staff time (either in-house or contracted) to maintain your certification, particularly in the area of quality assurance and quality management.

Annual and audit fees

For many companies, annual fees are required for each major market their products are in, which can be in the region of $2,000 per country. Annual audits are also subject to a fee. For ISO certification, there is an initial cost plus annual audit fees of around $10,000 per audit.

Why Certify?