Top 10 Industries for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certifications in 2022

Results from the 2022 ISO Survey have been released and this simpleQuE infographic illustrates the top ten industries for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications worldwide as of 12/31/22. Organizations that achieve ISO certification gain a competitive advantage that also allows them opportunities to earn the business of companies that require it of their vendors. It shows they have documented and implemented effective quality and environmental management systems that have been verified by a third party. Certification is an important step for manufacturers and service providers, as it emphasizes performance while proving a dedication to quality and customers. For these and many other reasons, organizations across a wide variety of industries in the U.S. and worldwide, recognize the value of being ISO certified.

The infographic shows the industry categories having the highest number of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications in 2022, according to The ISO Survey of Management System Standard Certifications.  The industry at the top of ISO 9001 is Basic Metal and Fabricated Metal Products with 121,728 certifications, and the top industry for ISO 14001 is Construction with 67,058 certifications.  Ranked second for both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 is the category of Wholesale & retail trade, repairs of motor vehicles, motorcycles, personal and household goods. To see the detailed results by country for each standard covered by the most recent ISO Survey, visit the ISO website. You can also see simpleQuE’s other infographics which illustrate the Top 10 Countries for ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 Certifications Worldwide.

Of the more than 24,000 standards, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are the most popular management system standards.  Certification in the ISO standards provides a variety of benefits, including increased confidence in an organization’s operations, including the products and services they provide.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF) and the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) provided a statement of outcomes that are to be expected as a result of accredited certification to ISO management system standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The intent is to promote a common focus in order to achieve these expected outcomes thus enhancing the value and relevance of certification.

According to ISO, an organization with a certified management system has policies and processes in place to achieve the objectives defined by the scope of the specific management system standard.

An organization with a certified Quality Management System (QMS), like ISO 9001, would be managing its systems and processes in order to:  consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements; and generate opportunities to enhance customer satisfaction.

In the case of an Environmental Management System (EMS), like ISO 14001, a certified organization would be expected to manage its interactions with the environment and demonstrate its commitment to:  enhance environmental performance and protection of the environment; meet compliance obligations; and continually enhance its EMS to achieve environmental objectives.

Certification serves to instill confidence in stakeholders that the organization has a management system that meets the applicable requirements of the specific ISO standard.  ISO and IAF have come up with a  list of expected outcomes for an organization that is certified.

So, whether in the public or private sector, or in one of the industries listed above, ISO certification is synonymous with standardization and quality.  According to the ISO Survey, there were more than 525,000 ISO 14001 certificates and more than 1,265,000 ISO 9001 certificates issued worldwide in 2022.

SimpleQuE is a leader in AS, IATF® and ISO consulting, auditing and training.  Whether you are just beginning the certification process or looking for a partner for ongoing gap analysis and internal audit assistance, simpleQuE makes the process easier and more efficient. Contact us for a consult and see the difference that simpleQuE can bring to your quality management process.