What We Do
LRQA is the leading business assurance company supplying certification services and training to a wide range of organisations around the world.
Our assessors audit an organisation’s management systems to verify whether or not they comply with the requirements of national and internationally agreed standards and schemes – such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and BS 7799.
International ISO standards focus on the way an organisation manages its organisational processes and is not directly focused on the final product or service delivered. Organisations that are approved to international management system standards need to comply with any regulations applicable to their products or services. In addition, they are required to demonstrate continual improvement in performance of their management systems.
LRQA issues certificates to confirm that a company is operating a system in compliance with such a standard or scheme. We then carry out periodic reviews to check that the approved system is being maintained. The scope of work covered by the approved system is defined on the certificate which also bears the issue and renewal date.
An LRQA assessment combines the:
- Observation of work being undertaken,
- Review of records, and;
- Face-to-face questioning of staff at all levels in the company.
It should be recognised that management system certification can only reduce the risk of a problem and does not guarantee problems are eliminated. Management system certification by accredited, third party certification bodies gives interested parties – such as customers, suppliers, trading partners, local communities, investors and other stakeholders – the assurance that top management are committed to systematic and sustainable improvement of their management systems which is supported with evidence of the way work is actually performed.
Need further information about when companies can use the LRQA ISO 9001 approval mark? Or how a company can have an environmental incident if certified to ISO 14001?
Please visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.
Lloyd's Register Quality Assurance • A member of the Lloyd's Register Group
