Many companies invest in implementing ISO standards to achieve certification and compliance with requirements because they are compelled to do so by their business clients. But certification should also be applied simply because you as a company desire to advance and improve for the sake of being better
ISO standards are elaborated through an extensive study to improve the company’s processes and reduce the risks they involve. Based on this premise, we must see ISO standards not as an obligation, but as something that will help the management of a company and because it is a requirements rule, it becomes mandatory and not the other way around.
As an example, the standard’s application of the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, action) is also an unconscious process that we use in our work routine and even in personal life. Nonetheless, standardizing and creating a structured process for this will bring much more effective and measurable results. It is necessary to plan what will be done, to do as planned to identify the flaws, to analyze what has been done and to correct. This is sometimes overlooked and we often take actions in our work without measuring whether it is a de facto positive action.
Therefore, an organization that has or wants to achieve ISO certification, should not only do it for a certificate on the wall, but rather because they want to improve its management system, believes in the potential of the company and therefore applies a standardization study that was done precisely to assist in this process. Naturally, having this effort recognized with a certificate by an international body and using this as a competitive advantage is valid and valuable, let’s not deny.
By applying ISO standards we become more critical with processes, not only within the company but also with partners and suppliers. This leads us to make decisions that are more cost-effective and secure. We also have a better structuring of the processes, with each employee understanding their commitment and organizational values.
So it’s time to plan your goals with the management system, apply it, evaluate the results and always improve. Do it for yourself and your company, not just the certificate.
To get a quote for ISO certification, please write to contact@qms-certification.com.
