Publicizing your ISO 9001:2008 or ISO 14001:2004 certification
Table of contents
- Introduction
- In brief
- ISO's logo
- Be precise !
- Certification, registration and accreditation
- The little difference that means a lot
- Process, not product standards
- Scope of certification
ISO's
logo
Upon certification, many organizations turn
to ISO to request use of “the ISO 9001:2008 logo” or “ISO 14001:2004 logo”. No such
ISO logos exist. There is only the ISO logo itself, which is a registered trademark.
Unless authorized by ISO, use of its logo is prohibited. ISO will not allow its logo to be used in connection
with the certification of management systems, even when these certifications attest conformity to ISO
9001:2008, or to ISO 14001:2004.
Examples of unacceptable use of the ISO
logo would include use on products, product labels and product-related information, on Web sites,
in marketing materials, advertisements and company letterheads.
Allowing the ISO logo to be used would give the false impression that ISO carries out certification activities, or has approved or authorized the organization using its logo. These activities are not business functions of ISO.
ISO is not an auditor, assessor, registrar,
or certifier of management systems, products, services, materials or personnel, nor does it endorse
or control any such activities performed by other parties. ISO develops International Standards but
does not operate any schemes for assessing conformity with them.
ISO 9001:2008
and ISO 14001:2004 certificates are issued independently of ISO by more than 2340 certification bodies
worldwide, although the organization does develop voluntary standards and guidelines to encourage
good practice by these certification bodies and by the accreditation bodies that approve the latter
as competent.
ISO reserves the right to take appropriate action
when its logo is used without its permission, or if it is adapted or modified. These remarks apply
not only to certified organizations, but also to accreditation and certification bodies, and to consultants
and trainers involved in activities related to ISO’s management system standards. They also apply to
publishers and journalists when illustrating material dealing with ISO and its standards, whether in
hard copy or electronic publications, or on Web sites.
Prior permission
must always be sought for the use of ISO’s logo.
Remember !
ISO has no “ISO 9001:2008 logo” or “ISO 14001:2004 logo”.
In addition, you are not allowed to use ISO’s logo, which is copyrighted. ISO will take whatever actions it considers necessary to prevent the misuse of its logo.
You can’t use ISO’s logo, nor adapt or modify it. If you adapt your organization’s existing logo to communicate its certification, or if you have a new logo designed to convey this, they should not be capable of being mistaken for the ISO logo. If you want to use the logo of your certification body, you will need to ask for the latter’s authorization.
What logo can I use ?
Your organization may well want to communicate its certification visually in the form of a logo which can be used, for example, in advertisements, in company literature, on company flags or vehicle fleets. What can you do and not do ?
Certified organizations cannot use ISO’s logo, adapt or modify the ISO logo.
One option is to use your organization’s own logo, adapting it by embedding the information that your organization is certified to ISO 9001:2008 or ISO 14001:2004.
A second option is to create a new logo with this information. However, if you choose either of these options, the logos should not be designed in such a way that they could be interpreted as being ISO’s logo.
A third option is to apply to use the logo of the certification body organization and issued an certificate of conformity. The logo belongs to the certifi cation body and, therefore, you will need its permission to use its logo, and to respect whatever guidelines it has for the logo’s use.
A possible extra benefit will be that if the certification body is accredited, you may also be authorized to use the logo of the accreditation body.
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