Five certifications that performed well in France in 2018

Against a backdrop marked by the transition to the new versions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the International Organization for Standardization highlights the increase in the number of ISO 27001 (information security) and ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety) certificates awarded worldwide. A look back at the major trends in the 2018 edition of the ISO Survey, which covers 12 major management system standards, with a focus on France.

1. Information security: ISO 27001 at the top

The GDPR has had an undeniable impact! Since coming into force in May 2018, the European data protection regulation has triggered a rush to obtain ISO 27001 certification: three times as many certificates were awarded to companies in France in 2018 as in 2017, many of them by AFNOR Certification, bringing the total number of certified sites in France to 925 (and grouped under 223 certificates). The trend is global, with the total number of certified sites now approaching 60,000, compared to 39,500 a year ago and just 10,000 in 2011. This is a sign of a real awareness among companies of this issue, which has become fundamental. Very similar to the requirements of the GDPR, ISO 27001, which provides guidelines for implementing an effective information security management system , has logically met with some success in European Union countries. More than a third of certificates are distributed on sites within the EU, far ahead of the performance of the United States, China, and India.

2. Occupational health and safety: successful start for ISO 45001

Another major trend in 2018 was the rapid uptake of the brand new ISO 45001 certification for occupational health and safety, based on the standard of the same name published in spring 2018. Already, nearly 12,000 certificates have been issued and more than 14,000 sites certified worldwide, with a more modest start for France, which has only 94 certificates covering 208 sites. Like the Axon Cable company , certified by AFNOR Certification This standard, which follows the same structure as other management system standards, provides tools for companies wishing to create better and safer working conditions for their employees and contractors. The construction (1,673 certified sites worldwide) and steel (1,078) sectors are logically the most demanding. It should be noted that China leads the way with 4,000 certified sites, followed by the United Kingdom (1,500) and Italy (1,400).

3. Quality management: the proven value of ISO 9001

ISO 9001 remains the most widely used certification across all sectors. Nearly 1.2 million sites worldwide are certified to the 2015 version (the latest and now the only valid version) of this quality management standard, compared to 1.05 million in 2017. In detail, China leads the way with 297,000 certified sites, far ahead of Italy (126,000), Germany (73,000), and Japan (68,000). Spain completes the global top five, just ahead of France in terms of number of sites. Other countries, such as India and the United Kingdom, rank ahead of France in terms of number of certificates, but not in terms of number of sites, as one certificate can cover several sites (58,467 in France). Including the CNES, certified by AFAQ ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 , by AFNOR Certification.

4. Environmental management: ISO 14001 is essential

Environmental management, with ISO 14001 , remains the second most widely used standard for generating certificates worldwide. 447,000 sites followed its guidelines in 2018. for example Orange France , double certified AFAQ ISO 14001 and ISO 50001 (see point 5) by AFNOR Certification. I have noticed an increase in the number of certified organizations in the construction, engineering services, information technology, and real estate sectors. , explains Anne Benady, who covers environmental issues for the AFNOR group. This indicates greater consideration of their environmental impact... as well as greater demands from their clients! In France, 6,084 ISO 14001 certificates were active as of December 31, 2018, covering 19,468 sites.

5. Energy management: mixed results for ISO 50001

Indirectly related to the environmental theme, ISO 50001 and energy management continue their steady growth worldwide. 46,000 sites are now certified globally, with momentum driven by Germany (14,000) and France (7,700). In terms of sectors, it is logically the energy-intensive industry that has the most certificates of this type, particularly in the agri-food, chemical, and plastics sectors.

But in France, ISO 50001 is marking time. While 938 companies were certified in 2017, only 770 were certified in 2018 according to ISO (for a total of 7,700 sites). Including fire extinguisher manufacturer Desautel , following an audit by AFNOR Certification, based on the 2018 version of the standard. This can be explained by a windfall effect. , says Béatrice Poirier, head of the Environmental Performance range at AFNOR Certification, who believes that there will soon be a surge in certifications. A peak was reached following regulatory measures granting a number of exemptions to companies upon presentation of an ISO 50001 certificate. Once certified, some chose not to continue down this path. An unfortunate decision: we have just released a study emphasizing that an energy management system based on ISO 50001 has immediate effects on energy consumption by correcting obvious anomalies, but also long-term effects by maintaining efforts over several years.

Last but not least, 2018 will also be remembered for the growing interest in ISO 37001 , a new anti-corruption framework for which 1,500 sites worldwide have been certified (for a total of 389 certificates). And by the good health of the ISO 22000 certification on food safety, fourth in the global rankings, demonstrating the interest of professionals in this topic, which is closely scrutinized by consumers (32,120 certificates worldwide in 2018, including 140 in France).

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Information systems: a real craze for ISO 27001

Michel Tudela, auditor for AFNOR Certification

The awareness of the need for certification for information system security is recent, but powerful. Recent cases of hacking into the computer networks of large companies or theft of consumer data have highlighted this crucial aspect: data is valuable and everyone is affected. The response to the entry into force of the GDPR (European General Data Protection Regulation) in May 2018 contributed to this collective awakening. This is excellent news for ISO 27001 certification, whose requirements largely mirror those of the GDPR. Being certified helps you move towards compliance!

This is a highly technical document that covers all issues related to information systems in organizations. The entire customer and internal information lifecycle, its use, and any changes it may undergo are scrutinized by this certification, which is based on four pillars: availability, integrity, confidentiality, and traceability. This explains the enthusiasm for ISO 27001 certification in recent months. No sector is immune. Information management is everywhere. Ensuring its protection is a strategic and economic imperative.

"OHS: raising awareness for ISO 45001"

Béatrice Poirier, Head of Environmental Performance at AFNOR Certification

 Previously, the British standard OHSAS 18001 was the benchmark for occupational health and safety. But since the publication of ISO 45001 in March 2018, economic players have been turning clearly and overwhelmingly to this international standard. This standard is based on the same structure as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 and is part of a fundamental global trend, with the emerging issue of well-being at work.
Beyond employee care, this issue also represents a significant economic challenge. Companies understand this well: creating good working conditions and preventing accidents and occupational illnesses is very cost-effective compared to the costs generated by production stoppages following an accident. ISO 45001 helps to embed these issues in corporate culture. All sectors are concerned. Their credibility and image are at stake. It is also a way of preparing for the future: certification could one day become a prerequisite for responding to a call for tenders, for example.