Article
How much does ISO certification cost? What makes up the price
The cost of ISO certification depends on many factors, above all the organisation's situation at the time of certifying. Here's what the cost is made up of and what makes it vary.
What the cost is made up of
Many organisations ask about the cost of ISO certification to judge whether it is worth pursuing. To work this out, it helps to separate out the different items involved, which are often confused with one another:
- Consultancy
- The support needed to implement the system and prepare the organisation. This depends on the level of support required.
- Certification body
- The certification audit and the subsequent surveillance audits. This is set exclusively by the certification body you choose.
- Internal costs
- The time spent by the system manager, management and technical staff.
- Other costs
- Depending on the standard: training, calibrations, inspections, purchase of standards, tools, and so on.
What factors affect the cost
The factors that influence the cost carry more or less weight depending on:
- The complexity and nature of the activities.
- How those activities are regulated.
- The number of employees.
- The number of sites to be certified.
- The existing infrastructure, working environment and culture.
- Any risks, restrictions or special requirements.
- The standard being certified (ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, and so on).
- The starting point: whether elements of a management system are already in place.
Another important factor is why the certificate is wanted: meeting a formal requirement is not the same as integrating the system into the organisation's strategy and business plan.
How to work out the cost
- Support from a consultant, and to what degree. The most cost-effective consultant is the one who adds the most value, not necessarily the cheapest.
- Costs linked to the certificate depending on the standard (inspection, training, calibration, purchase of standards, and so on).
- The working hours of the employees involved. With a comprehensive consultancy service, this internal time commitment can be reduced.
- Certification costs: these depend on the number of audit days, determined according to IAF criteria, and on the certification body's own rates.
Validity and surveillance
An ISO certificate is valid for three years and requires annual surveillance audits by the certification body, which also form part of the cost over the certification cycle.