ISO has released the results of its 2012 survey of certifications.

Main trends 
The results of the 2012 edition reveal healthy growth across the board for all certifications to ISO management systems, with all seven standards showing an increase compared to 2011. Of particular note is the significant jump in the food safety (ISO 22000) and energy management (ISO 50001) sectors and, to a lesser extent, in the medical devices field (ISO/TS 13485).

Certification to ISO 9001, which lays down the requirements for quality management systems, remains stable, up slightly from 2011. Europe, in particular, shows an increased uptake by 3 %. Figures for the information technology and environmental management sectors also reflect a steady progress, with growth curves for ISO/IEC 27001 and ISO 14001 rising consistently since the previous year. Only in its second year, ISO 50001 on energy management has shown impressive growth (332 %), generating special enthusiasm in Europe and South-East Asia. In fact, these two regions are still showing the highest demand for certification in general, boasting shares of between 25 % and 55 % for each standard.

Detailed findings 
Asia comes up trumps once again in this year's survey. Spurred by continued economic growth and important industrial and manufacturing production, China remains in the top 10 countries for six out of the seven standards covered in this survey and is the uncontested leader in the number of certificates issued to ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 22000 and ISO/TS 16949 (automotive sector). However, it is Japan that takes the lead in the information security sector (ISO/IEC 27001), with around 35 % of the certificates delivered, reflecting the importance of IT in the country. 

Certification to ISO/TS 16949 – an adaptation of ISO 9001 requirements for the automotive field – shows an excellent growth rate, largely due to the strong automobile industry in the USA that rakes in almost 20 % of the total number of certificates issued. Finally, the survey results suggest that the new energy policy of the German government (the German Energy Transition which was implemented in 2011) is the driving force behind the unprecedented growth in certifications to ISO 50001, placing Germany far ahead of other countries. This trend is expected to rise over the next few years as the short-term benefits of energy efficiency become noticeable. 

Overall, the ISO survey provides a useful barometer of the evolving global economy. Figures bear out, once again, the sustained demand for certification in the Asia-Pacific region as well as in lower-cost labour markets (such as India) as a means of reinforcing their quality credentials in the world marketplace. With a worldwide total of 1 504 213 certificates across 191 countries, the survey underscores more tangibly than ever the global market relevance of ISO management systems.

Here is a summary of the principal results:

ISO 9001:2008 
ISO 9001:2008 gives the requirements for quality management systems. Certification to the standard is used in global supply chains to provide assurance about suppliers' ability to satisfy quality requirements and to enhance customer satisfaction in supplier-customer relationships. 
Up to the end of December 2012, at least 1 101 272 certificates had been issued in 184 countries and economies, four more than in the previous year. The 2012 total represents an increase of 2 % (+21 625) over 2011. The top three countries for the total number of certificates issued were China, Italy and Spain, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were Spain, China and Romania.

ISO 14001:2004 
ISO 14001:2004, which gives the requirements for environmental management systems, retains its global relevance for organizations wishing to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner. 
Up to the end of December 2012, at least 285 844 ISO 14001:2004 certificates, a growth of 9 % (+ 23 887), had been issued in 167 countries, nine more than in the previous year. 
The top three countries for the total number of certificates issued were China, Japan and Italy, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were China, Spain and Italy.

ISO/TS 16949:2009 
ISO/TS 16949:2009 gives the requirements for the application of ISO 9001:2008 by suppliers in the automotive sector. Up to the end of December 2012, at least 50 071 ISO/TS 16949:2009 certificates, a growth of 5 % (+2 559), had been issued in 83 countries and economies, three less than in the previous year. 
The top three countries for the total number of certificates were China, the Republic of Korea and the USA, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were China, India and the Republic of Korea.

ISO 13485:2003 
ISO 13485:2003 gives quality management requirements for the medical devices sector for regulatory purposes. Up to the end of December 2012, at least 22 237 ISO 13485:2003 certificates, a growth of 12 % (+2 388), had been issued in 97 countries and economies, two more than in the previous year. 
The top three countries for the total number of certificates issued were Germany, the USA and Italy, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were Italy, Germany and the USA.

ISO/IEC 27001:2005 
ISO/IEC 27001:2005 gives the requirements for information security management systems. At the end of December 2012, at least 19 577 ISO/IEC 27001:2005 certificates, a growth of 13 % (+2 222), had been issued in 103 countries and economies, three more than in the previous year. 
The top three countries for the total number of certificates issued were Japan, the United Kingdom and India, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were Romania, Japan and China.

ISO 22000:2005 
ISO 22000:2005 gives the requirements for food safety management systems. Up to the end of December 2012, at least 23 231 ISO 22000:2005 certificates, a growth of 20 % (+3 880), had been issued in 142 countries and economies, two more than in the previous year. 
The top three countries for the total number of certificates issued were China, India and Greece, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates in 2012 were China, Romania and Japan.

ISO 50001:2011 
ISO 50001:2011 gives the requirements for energy management systems. It was published in mid-June 2011. Up to the end of December 2012, at least 1 981 ISO 50001:2011 certificates, a growth of 332 % (+1 522), had been issued in 60 countries and economies, 28 more than in the previous year. The top three countries for the total number of certificates were Germany, Spain and Denmark, while the top three for growth in the number of certificates were Germany, Denmark and Italy.

Source:www.iso.org

Please visit ISO website to view complete survey.