Can I do it myself?

Yes — there’s no rule that says you must use a consultant. You can:

• Read the ISO standard
• Build your management system
• Implement it in your business
• Prepare for the audit
• Get certified by a UKAS-accredited body

But should you?

You might do it yourself if:

• You’ve got time to dedicate to learning the standard
• You’re confident with writing policies, setting up procedures, and managing change
• You’re good with detail and can interpret standards and apply them to your business
• You’re okay with figuring out the audit process and what certifiers expect

It might be worth getting help if:

• Time is tight and you need to get certified quickly
• You’ve never worked with ISO before
• You don’t have in-house experience with audits or compliance
• You want to avoid common pitfalls or rework
• You want a system that adds value (not just a paper exercise)

What about the cost?

Doing it yourself saves on consultancy fees, but:

• You’ll still need to pay a certification body (that cost doesn’t go away)
• If things go wrong, you might need to pay for re-audits or extra support later
• It can eat up a lot of internal time—especially if you’re learning as you go

A middle-ground option?

Lots of businesses go for a hybrid approach:

• Do most of the work yourself
• Bring in a consultant for a few key parts: gap analysis, documentation review, or a mock audit

That way you keep costs down but still get expert input where it matters most.

Final thought?

Yes, you can do it yourself - but doing it well takes time, planning, and ISO knowledge.