IATF 16949 Certification: Automotive Standard

• Obtain the standard:

Get a licensed copy of the relevant standard and familiarize yourself with the requirements to decide if certification/registration to this standard makes good sense for your organization.

• Review available literature and apply digital tools

Explore available literature, guidelines from the standard owners (e.g. ISO/TS 9002 for ISO 9001, ISO 14004 for ISO 14001)   and digital sources and tools that can assist with implementation. Note that as a DNV customer you get access to tailored tools that can assist you.

• Assemble a team and define strategy:

To implement a management system should be a strategic decision for the entire organization. Senior management must be involved in the decision, committed and involved in shaping the system. They decide the business strategy the management system should support. In addition, you need a dedicated team to develop and implement your management system.

• Determine competence needs:

First, your team implementing and maintaining the management system needs a thorough understanding of the chosen standards. Later on, the wider organization needs awareness training. DNV offers a variety of public courses worldwide that meets your competence training needs at all levels within your organization.

• Review consultant options:

Independent consultants can advise on a workable, realistic, and cost-effective strategy plan for implementation if you do not have this competence or capacity already.

• Develop management system documentation: 

Decide on an appropriate platform for your documented information (e.g. software, process map- or SharePoint-based). The right platform is important to ensure effective management, communication and implementation.

• Determine, manage and document processes:

First identify key processes – what they are, how they work, and how they interact. Each process should have a clear purpose, defined responsibilities, and expected outputs. The level of documented information needed depends on the organization’s size, complexity, and the importance of each process, but must include relevant processes and other documented information needed to deliver on intended outcomes and comply with the chosen standard’s requirements.

• Implement management system:

Clear communication and necessary competence training are essential elements. During the implementation phase, you will work to ensure that your organization is working according to defined and documented processes. Once successful, you can prove system’s compliance and effectiveness.

• Select a certification body/registrar:

Selecting the right certification body/registrar can make a difference throughout your certification journey. DNV offers a trusted partnership approach, a risk-based approach and range of free digital tools that help you manage your certification journey before, during and after the audit.

The IATF (International Automotive Task Force) is a group of leading automotive manufacturers and national automotive industry associations. It was established to improve product quality and consistency across the global automotive supply chain. The IATF develops common quality system requirements, ensures consistent application worldwide, provides training and maintains formal liaisons with relevant standardizations and oversight bodies.

An IATF 16949 audit is an independent, systematic assessment of an automotive supplier’s quality management system to verify compliance with the IATF 16949 standard. It is part of a certification process to evaluates how well the organization’s management system supports prevention of defects, reduces variation and waste. Because many OEMs require certification, the audit is often a mandatory step for companies supplying to the automotive industry.

IATF 16949 certification is a formal, independent confirmation that an organization’s automotive quality management system meets the requirements of the IATF 16949 standard. It is granted by an accredited certification body following an audit and demonstrates that the organization has a compliant management system in place to ensure continual improvement, defect prevention and consistent product quality across the automotive supply chain. As certification is often a contract pre-requisite by OEMs, certified companies are automatically listed in the global IATF database, providing evidence of their compliance.