Amazon Suppliers and ISO 9001 Certification

The Amazon Supply Chain Standards clearly state that Amazon expects its suppliers to adopt a management system to drive continuous improvement and ensure compliance with applicable laws and its supplier code. The broadly written requirement affects all equipment and hardware suppliers, including those that deal with:

• Storage (racks, boxes, shelving, pallets, containers, packaging, etc.)
• Inventory control (scanners, barcode readers, labeling, printers, computers, etc.)
• Transportation (robots, forklifts, jack lift, pallet jack, etc.)
• Parcel handling equipment (conveyors and chutes)

ISO 9001:2015 is an international quality management standard that works equally well for small as well as large businesses. As such, it's a logical choice for Amazon distribution center suppliers looking to meet the company's quality management requirement. ISO 9001 certification gives companies a seat at Amazon's very large table.

What Is ISO 9001 Certification?

ISO 9001 certification documents that a company has fulfilled all ISO 9001 requirements. Beyond meeting Amazon's demand for a quality management system, ISO 9001 certification can provide other benefits for your company like improved:

• Internal management
• Waste management
• Efficiency
• Productivity
• Profit
• Customer acquisition and retention

Implementing ISO 9001 can improve overall business performance and mitigate risk.

By undergoing an ISO 9001 audit, companies can use the ISO 9001 certification process as a clear pathway to meeting the quality management requirement for Amazon distribution center suppliers.

ISO 9001 Certification Requirements

The ISO 9001 Certification requirements are set out in 10 clauses. The first three clauses are not auditable and cover details like definitions and key concepts. The auditable clauses deal with:

• Context of the organization — includes processes, procedures and work instructions
• Leadership — covers top management's responsibilities and commitments
• Planning — addresses organizational opportunities, risks, changes and quality objectives
• Support — includes the resources needed for the quality management system (QMS) and necessary documentation
• Operation — covers all aspects of creating products, including design, external providers, the release of services and products and nonconforming outputs
• Performance — addresses the monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation of your QMS
• Improvement — requires the continual improvement of your QMS

Underlying the 10 main clauses are hundreds of sub-clauses and passages that detail the ISO 9001 certification requirements. The standard is written in a way that lets you create a QMS that makes sense for your business..

Smithers and the ISO 9001 Certification Process

Smithers has years of experience helping hundreds of companies navigate the ISO 9001 certification process. We also have a particular expertise in guiding Amazon distribution center suppliers to achieve certification. Through the ISO 9001 certification process, we can help you:

• Boost process efficiencies
• Reduce waste
• Enhance your output quality

Our no-surprises approach to ISO 9001 audits and certification means we offer open, frank communication from the very beginning. We get to know your business from the initial planning stages to certification, ensuring your team plays a vital role throughout the process. At the same time, you get complete access to our experts and materials

Trust Your ISO 9001 Certification Needs to Smithers

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