Will my system need to be perfect before I can get my certificate?

No organisation is perfect 100% of the time and certification bodies recognise this.

Certification bodies will be looking to provide you with a certificate if you can prove that your management system has interpreted the whole Standard
correctly for your business, and that you can evidence that you are complying with it. Certification is only withheld if a major non-conformity is raised.

An example of a major non-conformance would be the failure to conduct internal audits or management reviews. Minor nonconformities would include temporary
lapses in an implemented procedure e.g. updating competency records. At the initial assessment stage most organisations will obtain a certificate even
though they have a number of minor nonconformities.