ISO 9001:2015
ISO 9001 certification online: Quality Management by self-assessment
With the ISO 9001 certificate from Zertify, you demonstrate your management system online. ISO 9001 certification works by self-assessment: you receive the certificate within 4 hours and pay once, CHF 599. It is not an accredited certificate and does not replace an audit.
- Questions
- 30
- Validity
- 3 years
- One-time price
- CHF 599
01: Overview
What is ISO 9001?
ISO 9001:2015 is the world's leading standard for quality management systems (QMS). It sets out the requirements for a QMS that helps organizations consistently deliver products and services that meet customer requirements and regulatory obligations. The standard is built on seven quality management principles: customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making and relationship management.
02: Benefits
Your benefits
- Higher customer satisfaction through consistent quality
- More efficient business processes and lower error rates
- Greater trust among customers and business partners
- Competitive edge in tenders and procurement
- Continual improvement of business performance
- Clear responsibilities and better internal communication
03: Who it is for
Who is ISO 9001 for?
- Manufacturing companies of all sizes
- Service companies
- Trades and craft businesses
- IT and software companies
- Consulting firms
- Public institutions
04: Requirements
Key requirements
Understand and document the context of the organization
Define a quality policy and measurable objectives
Assess risks and opportunities systematically
Define and control processes
Ensure resources and competence
Monitor performance and improve continually
05: Demand
Who asks for ISO 9001?
Requests for ISO 9001 rarely come from the quality manager. They usually come from a customer's purchasing department or from a tender.
- Industrial customers and supply chains
- Manufacturers in automotive, machinery and medtech expect suppliers to run a quality management system, often already in the supplier questionnaire.
- Public tenders
- Federal, cantonal and municipal buyers sometimes use ISO 9001 as a suitability criterion for construction, IT and service contracts.
- Construction and building services
- General contractors pass quality requirements down to subcontractors, for example in refurbishments, building technology and electrical installation.
06: Cost
What does ISO 9001 cost? Audit, consulting or self-assessment
The standard is the same, but the routes to it differ widely in price. For a company with 10 to 50 employees the picture looks roughly like this.
| Route | Indicative range | What is behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Accredited audit | CHF 4,000 to 8,000 initial audit, then 2,000 to 4,000 per year | The price follows the number of audit days, which depends on headcount and sites. Travel costs and the recertification audit come on top. |
| Consulting and implementation | CHF 8,000 to 25,000 one-off | External support for building processes, documentation and internal audits. Worth it when nobody in house has the time. |
| Zertify self-assessment | CHF 599 once, valid 3 years | You check yourself how far your system meets the 30 questions. This replaces neither system setup nor an audit, but it documents your position to customers. |
All amounts are non-binding indicative ranges for Swiss SMEs, not quotes. The offers of the individual providers are what counts.
07: Duration
How long does ISO 9001 take?
An accredited ISO 9001 process usually takes four to twelve months. The self-assessment is done in a day.
| Phase | Accredited | Zertify |
|---|---|---|
| Preparation | 2 to 6 months for process map, quality policy, objectives and documentation | None. You answer the questions based on where your business stands today |
| Assessment | Stage 1 and stage 2, usually 2 to 5 audit days on site | About 20 to 30 minutes online, scored immediately |
| Certificate | Report review and issue after 2 to 6 weeks | PDF with QR verification within 4 hours |
08: Sample questions
Sample questions from the ISO 9001 assessment
Four of 30 questions from the catalog, with the reason each one counts.
Are risks and opportunities identified and addressed systematically?
Risk based thinking has replaced the old preventive action since 2015. Anyone who cannot name their risks usually has no priorities either.
Are external providers (suppliers) evaluated and monitored?
Purchased services often shape quality more than your own production. What counts is a traceable evaluation process, not a thick manual.
Is customer satisfaction measured and analyzed regularly?
The standard requires you to capture customer satisfaction actively. Complaints alone are not enough, because they only show the unhappy customers.
Are internal audits carried out according to a planned programme?
Internal audits are the litmus test of a system that is actually lived. Auditors first look at whether deviations are found and fixed.
09: Assessment
How the assessment works
The assessment consists of 30 yes/no questions. You answer them online, at your own pace. With 20 or more yes answers you pass.
| The questions are grouped by these topics: | Questions |
|---|---|
| Context of the organization | 4 questions |
| Leadership | 5 questions |
| Planning | 4 questions |
| Support | 6 questions |
| Operation | 5 questions |
| Performance evaluation | 3 questions |
| Improvement | 3 questions |
10: Price
Price and validity
What is included
- Online assessment with 30 questions
- Certificate as PDF, issued by SICE
- QR code for public verification
- 3 years of validity
- Support by email
The certificate is based on a self-assessment. It is not an accredited certification. Read more in the FAQ
11: More standards
More standards
Many companies combine several standards. From two standards you get a discount.
- ISO 14001:2015: View standard
Environmental Management
Both standards share the same basic structure. If you live ISO 9001, you already have policy, objectives, internal audits and management review, and you add environmental topics with little extra effort.
from CHF 699
- ISO 45001:2018: View standard
Occupational Health and Safety Management
Occupational safety builds on the same processes, and customers in construction and industry often ask for both together.
from CHF 699
- ISO 27001:2022: View standard
Information Security Management
Anyone who handles customer data or supplies software often has to prove information security as well as quality.
from CHF 849
12: Questions
Frequently asked questions about ISO 9001
ISO 9001 certificate within 4 hours.
Start the assessment for free. You only pay after you pass.
The certificate is based on a self-assessment. It is not an accredited certification.