THE HISTORY OF ISO 9000 Why ISO 9000?
• Developed during the 1980s • Followed on from many similar quality standards around the world • Similar to the highly successful BS5750:1979 management system initiative. • The standard has been around – ISO 9000 standards were first issued in 1987, reissued in 1994. • Now adopted by over 181 nations • Every major trading partner of the US and the EC recognizes and is using ISO 9000 • Many customers now prefer ISO 9000 certified suppliers Q: What is ISO 9003? A: There are relatively few companies whose customers will be assured of anything from an ISO 9003 system, although the 1994 version of that standard is much more comprehensive than the original 1987 one. ISO 9003 covers those operations where the assurance given to the customer comes only from the company’s inspection and test activities. This standard applies to relatively few companies, and in many countries it is hardly used. Q: What are ISO 9000 and ISO 9004 used for? A: ISO 9000 has a couple of functions. It starts out wit
