FAQ

A. Basics / General Information

1. What is an ISO certification (e.g., ISO 9001, 14001, 50001)?

An independent proof that a management system meets the requirements of the respective ISO standard.
The certification body reviews processes, documents, and implementation on-site (or partially remotely) and issues a certificate upon successful audit. These certificates are internationally recognized if the certification body is accredited by an accreditation body.

2. Why should my company be certified?

Certification can increase market opportunities, build trust, and help internally with process optimization and risk management.

3. Is certification legally required?

Generally no — except for specific industry or tender/contractual requirements, or requirements under laws and regulations (e.g., EnEfG demanding certification according to DIN EN ISO 50001 for all companies with an annual energy consumption of more than 7,500,000 kWh).

4. What is the difference between certification and accreditation?

Certifications confirm the conformity of a company with a standard by the certification body. Accreditation is essentially the quality seal for the certification body, issued by an accreditation body (in Germany, DAkkS). To obtain accreditation, an audit similar to the certification process is performed.

5. Can any certification body certify my company?

No, because certification bodies are accredited for certain industries. Only if your company belongs to an industry for which the certification body is accredited may that body certify your company.An overview of the industries for which AGQS is accredited can be found here.

B. Process, Duration & Audit Cycles

6. How does a certification process generally work?

Application → Application review and offer → Contract signing → Stage 1 audit to determine readiness for certification → Stage 2 audit → Decision → Certificate issuance.Following years: Annual surveillance audits and after 3 years a recertification audit. Details can be found here

7. How long does the certification process take?

This varies greatly. If all data needed for calculation are available, it takes about 2 weeks from application to offer.
Depending on auditor availability, Stage 1 (if the client is ready) takes place after a few weeks. Between Stage 1 and Stage 2, we recommend 4-6 weeks to address findings from Stage 1.
After a successful Stage 2 audit, it usually takes about 2-3 weeks for the certificate to be issued.

8. How long is the certificate valid?

Usually 3 years, provided the annual surveillance audits are successful.

9. What are surveillance audits?

Annual audits (usually less extensive than the (re)certification audits). They serve to check whether the system remains effective.

10. What happens during a recertification audit?

The recertification audit corresponds to the Stage 2 audit of the certification. The goal is to extend the certificate for another 3 years. The scope again covers the entire system.

11. How many audit days / person-days are typical?

The number of audit days required is defined by various standards and certification bodies have only limited scope to adjust them.
For certifications according to DIN EN ISO 9001 and 14001, the calculation mainly depends on the number of employees, (environmental) complexity, and risk.
For certifications according to DIN EN ISO 50001, annual energy consumption, number of energy sources, number of significant energy users (SEUs), and number of EnMS-relevant personnel are decisive.
Additional specifics apply if an organization operates multiple sites. The rules for this are also set out in internationally applicable regulations.

C. Costs & Quotes

12. How much does a certification cost?

Due to very different audit day requirements (depending on company size, number of employees, and other calculation criteria), costs vary significantly.(Re)certification audits are usually more expensive than the two surveillance audits due to higher effort.

13. What do the costs consist of?

Costs include audit time (on-site as well as preparation and follow-up), travel expenses, report preparation, certificate/administration fees.

14. Can quotes be compared? What should be considered?

Attention should be paid to the audit effort in hours/days and the terms and conditions with cost keys.
Some certification bodies charge individual items separately (e.g., report and certification decision extra) and sometimes according to effort. At AGQS, all costs for 3 years are fixed (assuming a constant calculation basis), only travel expenses are charged according to effort.
Cheap offers with very few audit days are often risky because they may not meet the prescribed audit effort requirements. This could in the worst case lead to the revocation of certification.

D. Preparations & Requirements

15. Can audits be conducted remotely (virtually)?

Yes — remote parts are possible; fully remote only in certain cases and after risk assessment, but very rarely or never possible.

16. Which documents do I need to have ready?

The documented information required by the reference standard, for example:
Relevant process descriptions, evidence (protocols, records), management review minutes, internal audit results, and if applicable, legal requirements.
The scope varies; it primarily concerns evidence of process effectiveness, not "all" stackable documents.

17. Do we need a management representative?

The current versions of DIN EN ISO 9001, 14001, and 50001 do not necessarily require a management representative position — top management remains responsible. In practice, however, a responsible person is usual.

18. Do we need a consultant?

No, external consulting is not mandatory — but it can greatly facilitate implementation and reduce the time until certification.

19. How do I prepare employees for audit interviews?

Employees should be informed when and for what purpose an audit is conducted. If employees are well involved in the practical implementation of the management system, usually no briefing is necessary.
Honest, precise statements, no false promises — auditors check traceability and effectiveness.

E. Nonconformities, Corrective Actions & Sanctions

20. What is a nonconformity (NC)?

Evidence that a requirement of the standard is not fulfilled. There are different severity levels (e.g., "major" vs. "minor").
NCs must be analyzed and closed with corrective actions; in the case of severe or uncorrected NCs, the certificate can be suspended or withdrawn.
The required procedure to resolve NCs can vary slightly between certification bodies.

21. What happens if we receive a nonconformity (NC)?

The cause leading to the nonconformity must be analyzed. Then actions are defined, implemented, and their effectiveness proven — typically within set deadlines.
For serious nonconformities, the certification body may suspend or withdraw the certificate if no remedy is made.

F. Multi-site, Sampling, Transfers

22. Can we obtain a multi-site certification?

Yes — possible for companies with multiple locations if conditions (uniform system, central control, etc.) are met.
Scope and sampling are regulated by the certification body according to IAF guidelines.

23. What is sampling?

Sampling is a spot check of locations as part of a multi-site certification. Not every site of the organization is audited, only a defined sample size. Conditions and calculation of the required sample size are uniformly defined in IAF guidelines.

24. Can we transfer an existing certificate from another certifier?

Yes, under certain conditions (accreditation, transferability rules) — the new body checks whether it can take over the certification.
Limiting factors that may prevent transfer include disputes and open nonconformities under the existing certification.

G. Accreditation & Use of the Logo

25. What does DAkkS accreditation mean for me?

Certificates from a DAkkS-accredited body have the highest national recognition; in some industries, this is mandatory.
It means the certification body itself was audited and operates according to recognized standards.

26. How am I allowed to use the certificate logo?

Only according to the instructions of the certification/accreditation body and not misleading (e.g., not for products themselves).
There are strict rules for logo use (size, context, statements).

H. Miscellaneous

27. Is ISO certification worthwhile for small businesses?

No general answer, but often: yes — especially for customer requirements or process improvement; effort scales with scope.
Especially when claiming tax reliefs or similar, certification can create prerequisites.

28. Can multiple standards (e.g., ISO 9001 + ISO 50001) be combined?

Yes — this is called an “integrated management system,” which is common and often more efficient.
Audit planning can be bundled; common processes are audited once and norm-specific aspects added. Audit time usually reduces.

29. What happens during a revision of a standard (e.g., new publication year)?

There are usually transition periods; companies must adapt their systems and possibly get recertified within the deadline.
Certification bodies inform about deadlines; most revisions have multi-year transition periods.

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