LPG, QMS & EMS News and Resources

Why Should You Read "Quality Concepts and Management Systems Awareness" Blog?********** Today, Quality is much more than a characteristic of a product or service. It is closely connected with the way an organization works—its processes, people, leadership, decision-making, risks, customers, interested parties and its commitment to continual improvement. “Quality Concepts and Management Systems Awareness” blog is an attempt to help readers understand these subjects in a simple, practical and meaningful way.Who is this blog for?This blog is not meant only for Quality Professionals or people directly involved with ISO Standards. It can be useful for anyone who wants to understand Quality, Management Systems and related concepts. It may be particularly useful for:* Quality Professionals* Management System Professionals* Internal Auditors* Consultants* Managers* HR Professionals* Trainers* Students* ISO Coordinators* Management Representatives* Anyone interested in developing awareness of ISO Standards and Management Systems.Why should one read this blog?1. To understand difficult concepts in simple language - Management System Standards often use technical language that may not be easy for everyone to understand. The blog attempts to explain important concepts in simple language, with examples and a practical perspective, so that readers can understand not only the terminology but also its meaning.2. To understand not only “what”, but also “why” and “how” - Knowing a requirement is not enough. It is equally important to understand: What is the requirement? Why is it important? What is its purpose? How can it be applied in an organization? How can it be evaluated during an audit? The articles in the blog attempt to explore these questions.3. To look at ISO Standards from a practical perspective - ISO Standards should not be viewed merely as a means of obtaining certification. A Management System can help an organization establish systematic processes, achieve intended results, address risks and opportunities, improve performance and promote continual improvement. The blog attempts to present this practical perspective.4. To develop a better understanding of Internal Auditing - Internal auditing is not simply about finding nonconformities. An effective auditor needs to understand requirements, objective evidence, processes, performance and opportunities for improvement. The blog discusses auditing-related concepts with the intention of developing a more thoughtful and practical approach to auditing.5. To stay aware of new Management System Standards and developments - The field of Management Systems continues to evolve. Along with ISO 9001, new and revised standards and developments are emerging in areas such as Human Resource Management, Environmental Management, Measurement Management and other disciplines. The blog aims to create awareness about such developments and their significance.6. To understand Quality beyond Certification - Certification of conformity to applicable ISO Standards can be valuable, but the purpose of Quality Management is not merely to obtain a certificate. An effective Management System can contribute to better processes, better decision-making, improved risk management, customer satisfaction and continual improvement. This broader perspective is an important theme of the blog.7. To access knowledge developed over the years - The blog contains a growing collection of articles on Quality Management and Management Systems. Earlier articles provide useful background and foundational concepts, while newer articles discuss current and emerging standards and developments. Together, these articles can serve as a long-term knowledge resource for readers interested in Quality and Management Systems.What can you expect from this blog?The purpose of this blog is not simply to help readers memorize clauses of a standard. The broader objective can be expressed as Understand → Apply → Audit → Improve (Understand the concept. Apply it in the context of the organization. Evaluate its effectiveness. And continuously look for opportunities to improve).A humble invitationIf you are interested in Quality, ISO Standards, Management Systems, Auditing, Risk-based Thinking, Process Approach, PDCA and Continual Improvement, you may find this blog useful. You can start with any article that interests you and then explore related articles. Your feedback, suggestions and questions are valuable in making this knowledge resource more useful to readers. Read. Understand. Reflect. Share your experience. Thank you for visiting.Regards,Keshav Ram Singhal

Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001********** The document that provides guidelines for applying ISO 9001 is ISO/TS 9002:2016 (Quality management systems — Guidelines for the application of ISO 9001). It is under revision as ISO/DIS 9002 and will be published as a full International Standard, ISO 9002, replacing the 2016 Technical Specification. It does not add to, subtract from, or change the requirements of ISO 9001; it only offers guidance and examples.ISO 9001:2026 is scheduled for publication on 16 September 2026. The revised ISO 9002 is expected in the first quarter of 2027 so that it can align with the new ISO 9001 text. The DIS enquiry for ISO 9002 closed on 8 September 2026; the project is now in comment resolution.Best wishes,Keshav Ram Singhal

Accreditation********** Disclaimer - Logos in the Image are used for identification and educational awareness purposes only. No affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement is implied.Accreditation is the formal recognition by an independent, third party that confirms that a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) is competent, impartial, and reliable to perform its assigned conformity assessment activities in accordance with relevant standards and requirements. Accreditation is a foundation of trust. It gives confidence that the organization or people performing conformity assessment are competent, impartial, and reliable. A CAB is not necessarily a certification body. CAB is a broader term that includes Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Medical Laboratories, Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies, Validation and Verification Bodies, and other conformity assessment bodies.Simply put, certification is an assessment of an organization's management system, product, process, service, or other specified requirements, whereas accreditation is an assessment of the competence and impartiality of the conformity assessment body performing that assessment. Therefore, accreditation may be simply understood as the “assessment of those who perform conformity assessment” or, in simple terms, the “check on the checkers.”To whom is accreditation granted?Accreditation is generally granted to Conformity Assessment Bodies (CABs). These may include Testing and Calibration Laboratories, Medical Laboratories, Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies, Validation and Verification Bodies, and other specified conformity assessment bodies.In India, NABL (National Accreditation Board for Testing and Calibration Laboratories) provides accreditation to Testing Laboratories, Calibration Laboratories, Medical Laboratories, Proficiency Testing Providers, Reference Material Producers, and Biobanks. NABL's accreditation system is established in accordance with the requirements of ISO/IEC 17011.Similarly, NABCB (National Accreditation Board for Certification Bodies) provides accreditation to Certification Bodies, Inspection Bodies, Validation and Verification Bodies, and other specified conformity assessment activities. For example, NABCB accredits Inspection Bodies according to ISO/IEC 17020 and Management System Certification Bodies according to ISO/IEC 17021-1.An important point to understand here is that ISO/IEC 17011 specifies requirements for an Accreditation Body, whereas the CAB being accredited applies the relevant standard according to the nature of its conformity assessment activity.For example:* Testing and Calibration Laboratories → ISO/IEC 17025* Medical Laboratories → ISO 15189* Management System Certification Bodies → ISO/IEC 17021-1* Inspection Bodies → ISO/IEC 17020* Product, Process and Service Certification Bodies → ISO/IEC 17065* Validation and Verification Bodies → ISO/IEC 17029Difference between Certification and AccreditationSuppose an organization implements a Quality Management System (QMS) according to ISO 9001. The organization undergoes an audit by a Certification Body and, after successfully meeting the applicable certification requirements, receives an ISO 9001 certificate. This is Certification. Now suppose the Certification Body itself is accredited by an Accreditation Body, such as NABCB, for the relevant certification activity. The Accreditation Body assesses whether the Certification Body has the required competence, impartiality, and processes to perform certification activities within its defined scope. This is Accreditation. Therefore, certification and accreditation are two different but interconnected levels of conformity assessment.A simple way to remember the difference is: Certification → assesses conformity of the organization / product / process / service.Accreditation → assesses the competence and impartiality of the conformity assessment body.International Recognition of CertificationAccreditation plays an important role in the international acceptance of conformity assessment results and certificates. The general framework can be understood by an example: An organization takes certification from an accredited certification body, who has taken accreditation from National Accreditation Body (say NABCB in India), which is a signatory to Global ACI MRA. This provides the International recognition of accredited conformity assessment results.  Effective 1 January 2026, Global Accreditation Cooperation Incorporated (Global ACI) commenced full operations and launched its Multilateral Recognition Arrangement (MRA), bringing together the work previously carried out through the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC). The objective is to provide a unified international accreditation framework that supports confidence and acceptance of accredited conformity assessment results and certificates across borders. It should, however, be remembered that international recognition depends on the applicable MRA, accreditation scope, scheme, and relevant regulatory or purchaser requirements. Accreditation by itself does not mean that every certificate is automatically accepted for every purpose in every country.Why is Accreditation Important? Accreditation provides several important benefits:* Regulators, customers, and buyers gain confidence in the CAB's technical competence and impartiality.* The credibility of test reports, inspection reports, and certificates is enhanced.* The risk of inaccurate, weak, or inadequate conformity assessment is reduced.* It helps reduce technical barriers to international trade.* It promotes the acceptance of accredited testing, inspection, and certification results across countries.* It provides governments and regulatory bodies with a reliable conformity assessment infrastructure.Thus, accreditation supports confidence, consistency, competence, impartiality, and international acceptance. Accreditation is not a permanent or unconditional recognition. The Accreditation Body conducts periodic surveillance, reassessment, and other scheduled evaluations to ensure that an accredited CAB continues to meet the applicable requirements.Accreditation is also always granted for a defined Scope of Accreditation. An organization receives accreditation only for those standards, activities, sectors, tests, inspections, certification schemes, or other conformity assessment activities that have been assessed and included within its stated scope. Therefore, it is important not only to ask: “Is the organization accredited?” but also: “Is it accredited for the relevant activity and within the required scope?”In short, Certification indicates that conformity to specified requirements has been assessed. Accreditation provides confidence that the body performing that conformity assessment is competent, impartial, and reliable according to applicable requirements. Therefore, accreditation is a crucial layer of the quality infrastructure. It strengthens confidence in test reports, inspection reports, validation and verification results, and certificates and supports their acceptance across national borders.In the context of the international acceptance of a management system certificate, it is important to consider:* Whether the Certification Body issuing the certificate is accredited;* Whether its accreditation scope covers the relevant certification activity;* Whether the applicable certification scheme and requirements are covered; and* Whether the relevant Accreditation Body participates in the applicable Global ACI MRA arrangement.In simple words: Certification checks conformity. Accreditation checks the competence and impartiality of those who perform conformity assessment. That is why accreditation can aptly be described as the “check on the checkers.”Regards,Keshav Ram Singhal 

 Short Note - Nonconformity in Internal Audits********* Typically, in an internal audit, the auditor looks for nonconformities to report on, to prove that s/he has done the job well. But in doing so, s/he forgets about evidence. Nonconformity should be based on objective evidence. Every nonconformity identified by an internal auditor should be based on objective evidence. This is a particularly important auditing principle.Empirically, an auditor should be able to determine "Requirement → Evidence → Finding → Nonconformity" rather than "Opinion → Suspicion → Nonconformity."The auditor should objectively evaluate the audit evidence against the applicable audit criteria. Auditing itself is a systematic, independent, and documented process for obtaining and objectively evaluating audit evidence. A good audit is based on objective evidence, not opinion.Regards,Keshav Ram Singhal

 Publication date announced for the revised ISO 9001:2026 QMS standard is 16 September 2026.Best wishes,Keshav Ram Singhal