ISO 9001 in Fribourg: certified online, without an on-site audit

ISO 9001:2015 is the world's leading standard for quality management systems. It sets out the requirements for a system that helps an organisation consistently deliver products and services that meet customer requirements and regulatory obligations.

The standard is the same everywhere. A business in Fribourg is measured against the same requirements as a business in Zurich or Lyon. What matters to your customers is simple: can you show that your quality is managed, not left to chance? The standard rests on seven quality management principles.

Customer focus

You understand what customers need and check that you deliver it.

Leadership

Management sets direction and takes responsibility for quality.

Engagement of people

Staff know their role and have the competence to fulfil it.

Process approach

Work is organised as defined, connected processes.

Improvement

You act on problems and keep raising the standard of your work.

Evidence-based decision making

Decisions rest on data and records, not on assumption.

Relationship management

You manage suppliers and partners that affect your quality.

• ISO 9001 standard overview

ISO 9001 is not tied to one industry. The request usually comes from outside: a customer, a buyer or a tender asks for proof of a working quality system. This affects companies that supply other companies or public bodies in particular.

These are the kinds of organisations for which the standard is typically relevant:

Manufacturing companies

Producers and industrial suppliers of any size, often asked for quality proof by their customers.

Trades and craft businesses

Builders, installers and workshops that want to show reliable, repeatable work.

IT and software companies

Teams that deliver projects and services and need defined processes.

Consulting firms

Advisers who sell expertise and want a visible sign of structured quality.

Service companies and public institutions

Organisations that must show consistent service and clear responsibilities.

• ISO for small and medium businesses

There are two ways to get an ISO 9001 certificate. The classic route means an on-site audit by a certification body. Auditors visit your premises, usually on agreed days, and the process is scheduled around their availability. The online route replaces the visit with a structured self-assessment.

Both routes end with a certificate you can show to customers. They differ in effort, speed and format. The table gives a plain comparison. Figures for the classic route are indicative and vary by provider and company size.

• Compare the certification routes
• Certification without an on-site audit

Zertify is an online platform. It has no office in Fribourg and does not need one: the whole process runs in your browser. The certificate is based on your online self-assessment and involves no on-site audit.

It is issued by G6 Agency AG under licence from SICE, the Swiss Institute of Certification and Education. SICE reviews every assessment before the certificate is issued. The certificate is valid for 3 years and confirmed every year by a short online re-audit.

The price is CHF 599 in the first year, then CHF 399 per year including the yearly online re-audit. Billing is an automatic yearly subscription. You can cancel at any time in your customer account, effective at the end of the current year. If you cancel, the certificate ends with the paid year. For customers in Switzerland the prices include 8.1% VAT. You do not need an account to buy.

If you need more than one standard, a multi-standard discount applies: 20% for 2 standards and 30% for 3 or more, also on the yearly fee.

• ISO 9001 at Zertify
• Pricing
• Start the free self-assessment

The process is short and has no travel. This is what it looks like in practice.

1. 01

   Start the self-assessment

   It is free and needs no registration. You can begin as soon as you are ready.

2. 02

   Answer 36 yes/no questions

   The questions cover the requirements of ISO 9001:2015. Answer honestly, the assessment is reviewed.

3. 03

   Reach 24 of 36

   That is the pass threshold. If you pass, you can move on to payment.

4. 04

   Pay and receive your certificate

   SICE reviews your assessment. The certificate follows within 4 hours after passing and payment.

5. 05

   Share and verify

   Every certificate can be verified publicly by number and QR code. Each year a short online re-audit confirms it.

• How it works
• Start the free self-assessment

The questions follow the structure of the standard. If you know where your company stands on these points, the assessment goes quickly.

Context (clause 4)

Know your market, your interested parties and the scope of your quality system.

Leadership (clause 5)

Have a quality policy and clear responsibilities at management level.

Planning (clause 6)

Set measurable quality objectives and assess risks and opportunities systematically.

Support (clause 7)

Make sure resources, competence and documented information are in place.

Operation (clause 8)

Define and control the processes that create your products and services.

Evaluation and improvement (clauses 9 and 10)

Monitor performance and improve continually.

• Guide on certification cost