Election of IQNet’s new Board of Directors (BoD)

By Carla Pinto, Vice-President of IQNet

3 4

Newsletter No23

From 2nd to 8th of June, the 25th IQNet General Assembly took place in Saint Petersburg, Russia hosted by our partner Russian Register.

There the IQNet Partners, representing premier certification bodies worldwide, elected the new Board of Directors of IQNet for the next two years mandate.

Michael Drechsel (DQS) was re-elected as IQNet President.

The four Vice Presidents, also responsible for Standing Committees, are Eli Cohen-Kagan (SII), Alex Stoichitoiu (SRAC), Carla Pinto (APCER), Alister Dalrymple (AFNOR).

The two Non-Executive Directors also elected are René Wasmer (SQS) and Toru Mikami (JQA).

Therefore IQNet has now an extended Board of Directors constituted by seven Directors with full voting rights.

Additionally, and in order to guarantee the geographic representation of all Partners, three Advisors of the BoD were appointed, Zhang Wei (CQM), Gustavo Pontoriero (IRAM) and Aykut Kirbas (TSE).

The new BoD of IQNet, is honoured to represent the most extensive and reputable network of certification bodies worldwide.

New Managing Director of IQNet

By Carla Pinto, Vice-President of IQNet

5 6

Newsletter No23

After a thorough selection process, where IQNet received some outstanding applications for the vacant position of Managing Director, the IQNet BoD is delighted to inform that Pedro Alves was selected to fill in this very relevant position for the network.

Pedro Alves is involved with IQNet for the last 15 years in several projects and has a lot of experience in the certification industry and an excellent understanding of the operational and management requirements for running a successful organization.

The new Managing Director will start his activities in Berne in the 1st of

October 2013 and we wish him very success in his new assignment.

Carlos Pedro de Castro Fernandes Alves

• Portuguese, born 1968-05-03, married

• Chemical Engineer, advance studies on quality management and MBA

• Over 21 years of work experience on technical and managerial positions:

- Scientific investigation (Porto university), Consultancy Coopers & Lybrand) and certification/conformity evaluation (17+ years, at APCER and AENOR)

- More than 15 years of experience working with IQNet - Quality, innovation and social

responsibility management sytems qualified auditor and trainer

- Extended experience working in conformity evaluation value chain at an international level

• Previous position: General Director of AENOR office in Portugal

Finally, the IQNet Board of Directors would like to express its gratitude to Tony Di Palma, IQNet’s Managing Director for the past seven years, for his commitment and achievements for IQNet and wish him personal and professional success in his future endeavours.

Pedro AlvesNew Managing Director

Rob Steele, ISO Secretary General

Guest Speaker at IQNet Board of Directors Meeting 19 March 2013

By IQNet

Newsletter No23

7 8

IQNet and its partners are significant stakeholders in the conformity assessment business and participate frequently in many ISO meetings globally.

As IQNet is very much interested in close relations to ISO, R. Steele, ISO Secretary General has been invited as a guest speaker to the IQNet Board of Directors (BoD) meeting in Bern. R. Steele explained in a very interesting way the

role of conformity assessment bodies in the future e.g. the arbiter of quality, evolution of quality, sustainability and quality. An intensive

discussion took place and opportunities for common ground between IQNet and ISO have been stated:

• IQNet to consider what further mechanisms might be available to identify and qualify customer’s needs for standards in existing and new subject areas

• IQNet and ISO to work together to consider how the value of good standards that are properly implemented can assist industry to increase sales, decrease costs and

increase profitability and to improve their image and performance in environmental and societal sustainability

• ISO and IQNet work to identify the opportunities and risks of a global database of certificates issued by accredited certification organizations for management systems standards developed by ISO

ISO and IQNet share common interests and have opportunities to build further their close

relationship and will enhance their con-tinuous close contact.

R. Steele, Secretary General of ISO M. Drechsel, IQNet President

IQNet Board of Directors Meeting – Bern March 2013

IAF after 20 Years

By Randy Dougherty, IAF Chair and President

Newsletter No23

9 10

January 28, 1993. This was the date of the meeting that resulted in the formation of IAF. This was the beginning. This was the founding of IAF. This was the birth of IAF.

Participants and observers at that first meeting represented organizations that we know of now as ANSI, RvA, UKAS, JAS-ANZ, SCC, ANAB and JAB.

A communiqué of that first meeting is accessible on the member’s side of the IAF website.

. Consider all of the concepts embodied in one paragraph of that communiqué: “The concensus…was to cooperate…with organizations who operate similar

accreditation programs in exchanging information and

procedures in meetings to be known as the International Accreditation Forum. The meetings are intended to contribute to mutual understanding and to build confidence in the operation of such accreditation programs in the interest of international trade.” The key concepts identified in that one

paragraph are what IAF was and still is, about:

• Consensus• Cooperation• Confidence• Equivalence of conformity assessment• Equivalence of accreditation• Certification in one country being accepted in another country• In the interest of international trade

Some other key dates are as follow:

January 1998 -- AF Bylaws formally adopted.

January 22, 1998 -- the first MLA for QMS.

September 27, 1998 -- IAF was legally incorporated in the State of Delaware in the US.

November 2000 -- IAF Charter was adopted and published.

November 2000 -- The new structure of IAF, as exists today, was announced and implemented. This was also the first joint general assembly with ILAC.

November 11, 2003 -- IAF Code of Conduct

October 9, 2004 -- MLA for EMS and Product

IAF has evolved from six accreditation bodies at that first meeting in 1993 to 62 accreditation bodies, 18 association members, and 4 regional cooperations, with two new regional cooperations in development. While primarily an association of accreditation bodies for conformity

assessment, association members at IAF enjoy voting privileges and positions on the IAF Board and IAF Executive Committee thereby being able to influence IAF policy.

Several years ago IAF from the User Advisory Committee (UAC) to obtain more specific input from the end users of accredited conformity assessment such as government/regulators, industry purchasers and conformity assessment scheme owners.

The intent is to obtain information from users that helps us to keep accredited conformity assessment relevant and of value.

The UAC was been so successful that another evolutionary change is the formation of the Conformity Assessment Body Advisory Committee. Chaired by Roger Bennett, the Board member elected by all CAB association members, chairs the CABAC.

11 12

Newsletter No23

The IQNet is a valued association member of IAF and a member of CABAC.

Again, the intent is to obtain information from accredited conformity assessment bodies, such as the certification body members of the IQNet, to allow IAF to improve and change as needed to provide value.

In cooperation and partnership with the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation (ILAC), we are reaching out to the World Trade Organization and government bodies to gain greater visibility and greater recognition of the value of accredited conformity assessment.

We are striving to inform them about accreditation by bodies that are signatories of the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA.

We are also informing them about the use of the IAF MLA and ILAC MRA marks.

We hope to persuade WTO members and government bodies that they can have confidence in accredited conformity assessment results bearing the IAF or ILAC mark, along with the marks of the AB and CAB.

We hope that they will recognize these conformity assessment results and accept the products and services without the need for any additional conformity assess-ment.

The future is up to all of us, the AB, CAB and User members of IAF and the members of our partner organization ILAC.

We need to continually improve our competence and our capability to counter the competitive-commercial threats to impartiality.

IAF and ILAC, and the IAF CABAC, are meeting in Seoul, Korea 16-25 October.

I hope to see you there.

Randy DoughertyIAF Chair and President

Quality, social responsibility, social networks:

customer relationship 2.0

By AFNOR

Newsletter No23

13 14

As a key process in consumer loyalty building, customer relationship has accomplished a genuine qualitative leap over the last ten years, with the help of demanding frameworks. And as the sector takes on the digital revolution, quality approaches adapt to new challenges.

To tweet or not to tweet?

That is the question. Internet and social networks nowadays constitute the heart of the new issues that an up-until-now phone-dominated world, has to address. “Customer relationship really turned a corner when it became multi-channel, explains Arnaud Félix, key accounts manager for AFNOR

Certification. The consumer now disposes of a whole battery of

Medias: in addition to telephone, mail and email, the various Internet supports enable him to self-manage, and face-to-face contact in stores tends to multiply. So when clients call their customer service, they already have a high level of expertise and expect advisors to be able to assist them from the beginning to the end while delivering a true “bonus”.In other words, a revolution is

underway for customer relationship, an activity that covers “customer service” (information, assistance, follow up, complaints), a “commercial” function (canvassing, sale, analysis, survey) and “support” functions (technical support, hotline), whatever the sector or the size of the company may be. It represents thousands of jobs in many countries.

Supporting mutations and developing competence

Deeply aware of the strategic importance of a high quality Customer Relationship, organisations now rely on several frameworks in order to add value to their services. The sector’s players initiated standardisation work under the aegis of the AFRC as early as 2000. A French standard, focusing on the quality of customer relationship call centres was published in 2003. In 2004, AFNOR Certification launched the NF Services “Centre de relation client” (Customer Relationship Centre) certification, aimed at internal call-centres, principals and CRM outsourcers. In 2009, the European standard NF EN 15838 “customer contact centres” was released and the NF Service certification was reviewed in its wake. “With its organisational, HR and performance sections, NF Service CRC enables companies to improve their management, to ensure

the development of their employees’ competencies, while guaranteeing their customer a certain level of service, from the reliability of the answer to its swiftness and its traceability, analyses Arnaud Félix. The framework has become a marketing tool as well as a prerequisite to enter the market.” Today, 34 companies hold a NF Service CRC certificate, i.e. 185 call centres and 75 000 jobs. Enthusiasm should only increase with the release of a revised version in 2012, which integrates the new expectations of customers as well as the face-to-face and multi-channel aspects. Also born in 2004 following the AFRC’s impulse, the Label de Responsabilité Sociale (Social Responsibility Label – LRS) focuses on the societal side of things. “In the customer relationship, advisors constitute the heart of the reactor!, Arnaud Félix insists. Being attentive to employees’ well-being boils down to improving client service. In this regard, LRS completes

Newsletter No23

15 16

NF Service CRC based on ISO 26000.” In 2012, AFNOR Certification took over the management and marketing of the label, which already convinced around forty enterprises. ISO 9001 also occupies an important place in the approaches likely to improve the quality of customer relationship. Finally, willing companies can henceforth have their sales and marketing persons’ competence certified.

A strategic differentiation factor

SFR, a major Telecom Operator, recently opted for NF Service CRC. Their goal? Harmonising practices and language for all the customer advisors – whether inbound or outbound - in charge of customer relationship after the Neuf/SFR merger. “Our customer relationship is operated by both company employees and outsourced

partners, explains Françoise Stoll, Head of Quality for the

customer department. With 180 000 phone calls a day and 130 000 letters a month to process, homogenising our vocabulary and our practices stood as a real issue. The certification approach helped improve the quality of phone calls and structure the management of indicators related to the contact quality on every site and call centre. The project, implemented in less than a year, created a positive impetus and overwhelmingly rallied every participant.”As for La Poste , it has been implementing

a modernisation policy of its customer relationship since 2008. Among other actions, the Group has created a multi-channel consumer service in 2009, designed to propose a unique and easy access to every single one of its services. This transverse project regroups the 3631 hotline, a dedicated space on the web portal laposte.fr, a free postal address, as well as Twitter and Facebook accounts. “The Group also devoted a great deal of attention to coaching

while implementing this operation, and service advisors received up to 15 weeks of training, specifies Xavier Quérat-Hément, Head of Quality for the Group. The teams defined attitudes conducive to differentiation by themselves in the framework of the “Spirit of Service” project.” Awarded with a Palm of the Customer Relationship in the innovation category in 2009, La Poste’s consumer service holds a NF Service CRC certificate since 2011 regarding its “Mail” division. “Customer relationship constitutes a strategic differentiation and sustainable performance factor”, continues Xavier Quérat-Hément. As leverage to provide recognition for employees and to gain customer confidence, certification approaches are in this regard at the very heart of La Poste’s ambitions. A service commitment approach thus supports the modernisation of the customer relationship. “Since 2009, 20 000 counter clerks have received a “winning service”

training and, mid-2012, 1200 post offices were certified “Service Commitment” by AFNOR Certification while 1 300 have been converted into “Customer Service Spaces”, he concludes.Today, La Poste is involved in the

extension of the scope of the NF Service CRC framework and in the standardisation projects for online - consumer advice and service excellence. And, as the rest of the sector, the Group will watch out for the beginning of the standardisation process for an ISO standard set to tackle every aspect and channel of customer relationship. It is set for release in 2016.

Simply Beef – a Chain of Custody Certification

By APCER

Newsletter No23

17 18

Today’s food industry needs to look beyond only food safety issues, to topics such as sustainability and chain of custody (including Origin Control of some products), which are important topics in current times.

Today’s food industry needs to look beyond only food safety issues, to topics such as sustainability and chain of custody (including Origin Control of some products), which are important topics in current times.

Taking these factors and the recent “horse-meat” scandals in Europe into account, APCER has developed a tailor-made methodology to increase consumer confidence in the origin of

their beef products.

The methodology was defined in order for it to be adapted to a range of different meat products and involves the following phases:

• Analyze the specifications of the company/client’s supply chain from animal to the consumer;

• Adapt the requirements and check-lists to all the steps of the company/client’s supply chain;

• Audit all the steps of the supply chain and sample the final products for laboratory tests.

In the developed methodology there are clearly defined audit frequencies and durations for each one of the supply chain steps, as well as for the final product sampling.

Requirements for the chain of custody audits are based on management systems and traceability issues (including mass balances), and can be combined with other Food Safety audits such as GlobalGap, ISO22000 or GFSI standards.

Although this methodology was developed primarily for beef products

it can be adapted to other products and to different supply chains. This certification allows companies to set a “Simply Beef” Chain of custody certification brand for their products.

Andreia MagalhãesAgro&Food Business Manager

19 20

Daltile México certified according to SA8000 (Social Accountability)

By DQS

Newsletter No23

First certification audit under IQNet accreditation by DQS UL México Daltile México, an internationally renowned manufacturer of ceramic tiles, has been a loyal customer of DQS México since 1996, with great success stories along the way.

The company operates an integrated and certified management system according to ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 in all their companies and divisions. In order to provide a vision for the future, they are always aiming for improvements in the quality of their product, their environmental responsibility, and the security for all their employees. In addition, they know that certifications to certain standards will help to increase the

company value, as well.

For this and other good reasons, Daltile recently decided to undergo assessment to SA8000 by DQS UL México. The actual certification then takes place by IQNet Ltd., the accredited certification body, on behalf of which DQS UL offers assessments to SA8000 worldwide.

Considering the magnitude of the audits, the amount of preparation and planning on the part of both Daltile and DQS UL México, this kind of certification project has to be founded on trust in each other and a good working relationship of work. DQS UL México is very proud to serve a company that has an instinct for innovation, and is always aiming in

the direction of growth, marking the path for many other organizations

Norma Escobar (Legal & Technical Expert), Jürgen Schoeneck (Co Auditor), Aik Loong (Lead Auditor), Carlos Rivera (Co Auditor), Javier Viezca (Quality Manager Daltile México), Tania Trujillo (Legal & Tecnical Expert).

that share this feeling of turning a challenge into a great success.

The 16-day audit took place in December 2012, and included one weekend and several night shifts to cover all the requirements and to interview enough people according to the SA8000 requirements.

The audit team from different offices and countries was a colorful and complex mix of ideas and cultures that were perfectly harmonized in such a way that nobody would have thought this was their first time working together. Starting with the Lead Auditor

21 22

from Malaysia, the team included two co-auditors from El Salvador and Germany, and two legal & technical experts from México.

The harmony and communication within the team, and their positive mood and cooperative spirit provided the customer with a good impression of the DQS UL group offices. On the part of Daltile, the amount of employee involvement was very high, which helped the company achieve a standard that sets an example for other companies as well as for their community.

DQS–UL de México is one of a few certification bodies in México to provide this service, and to have a competent audit team that can deliver a complete perspective of the SA8000 standard with a point of view from around the world.

We are proud for doing what we do best: provide services with meaningful added value.

Tania TrujilloDQS - UL MéxicoTechnical Director

Newsletter No23

Getting to a brand in a well-aimed and simple manner

by using quality management

By QA

Newsletter No23

23 24

Brands successfully brave crises - this could be read again quite recently (MillwardBrown Optimor). However, a brand is no product of coincidence. Many fail, above all if the processes do not fulfil the value proposition. What reasons are guaranteed to lead to failure? What obstacles for developing a

brand will occur again and again? Experts for brands state six factors:

1 The fact that understanding of the strategy is missing;2 Inefficient Top Management Team;3 Lack of systematic processes;4 Insufficient internal communication;5 Missing coordination of the functional

areas;

6 Insufficient skills and capabilities

And what does branding have to do with quality management?

It is exactly these factors that can be managed proactively, in a well-aimed manner and systematically.

Instructions for being successful can also be found in the Quality Management Standard ISO 9001.

The relevant guidelines can be deepened and sharpened even more by Total Quality Management Tools, such as those provided by the EFQM Business Excellence Model.

How can what the International Management Standard ISO 9001 says be summarized?

1. Leading on the basis of your clear strategy (MbO - Managing by Objectives)

Top Management is responsible for the vision, policy and objectives.

It is not only the direction that is established but also the framework and guardrails for everyday life and work.

It also is a matter of documenting them, making them accessible to the employees, actively imparting them and ensuring that they are actually understood. In this respect, the communication process is of utmost importance. This process will help to systematically do something about the fact that understanding of the strategy is missing and correspondingly align the way the employees think and act to the strategic goals.

As Quality Austria sees integrated management systems, this is top-down integration.

2. Managing effectively

Thanks to the Plan-Do-Check-Act approach, which also is called PDCA Cycle and is required in strategic and operational terms, effectiveness and efficiency of what you are doing is not only fostered on the top level but also on the other levels.

Furthermore, ISO 9001 demands a periodic management review with the aim to scrutinize and assess what has been implemented.

This process will be fed by results of the measurement of process performance and relevant lessons learned, customer feedback and complaints, internal and external audits, the previous review, implementation of preventive and corrective action, etc.

Thus the management review will become a very effective steering tool for an organization.

Newsletter No23

25 26

This means that the first reasons of failure that are guaranteed have been turned around.

Side step: According to the earlier productiveness studies made by Alois Czipin, insufficient planning, communication and controlling are important causes for losses of productiveness within the companies.

3. Design your processes

The process approach is the heart of the Management Standard ISO 9001. Based on the customer needs, it is necessary to identify, document, measurably design and monitor the key processes for the operational value added chain, quasi the correct sequence of operations.

Interfaces to processes that have been outsourced but are relevant for value creation will also have to be modelled. Moreover, it is required to record and assess

interactions and interrelations to possible support processes.

Here it becomes obvious how the processes are interlinked and influence one another.

It also is within the organization that the following motto should apply: “The next process is your customer”.

The result is the company specific process map, which will thus become the organization’s backbone.

Even more so: The process approach will become the integration platform for additional requirements relating to such areas as industry standards (e.g. ISO/TS 16949, ISO 13485, TL 9000 (Telecom Leadership), ISO 22000, IRIS (In-ternational Railway Industry Standard), social responsibility (CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), ONR 192500), en-vironmental protection (ISO 14001, ISO 50001) or OH&S (occupational health and safety) (OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health and Safety Assessment Series), SCC (Safety Certificate Contractors)).

As Quality Austria sees integrated management systems, it is a question of integrating the requirements and their interactions and interrelations.

In this respect, it should be emphasized that the process map always needs to be scrutinized and developed further and must not be chiselled in stone so that it can continue to live up to the changed basic conditions.

Even more so: Processes need to be improved continually.

This also is required by ISO 9001.

Side step: It is with a good reason that KSV 1870 (“Kreditschutzverband” - “Association for Credit Protection”), points out in its analysis of causes for insolvency that the fact that the processes are not improved is one of the causes for the bankruptcies in Austria.

4. Enter an active dialogue

Communication is leadership. Com-munication helps to give a sense and purpose to what you do every day. Repetitive communication will set new impulses again and again so that tension and concentration can be maintained. ISO 9001 also requires a communication process. The strategy, objectives and targets and corporate policy should be no business secret of management.

Training and measures for raising awareness are required by ISO 9001. It is necessary to clarify what information the next operating step precisely needs to enable troublefree continuation.

It always is required to make target-performance comparisons and align the actual state to the desired state by, e.g., measuring customer satisfaction or considering complaints (number, type, causes). This will help to find out whether you are on the right way.

Newsletter No23

27 28

Thus we have also already successfully overcome the 4th obstacle. Some other requirements placed by ISO 9001 actively support this process: control of documentation and records, assessment of action implemented in CIP projects (continual improvement process) and preventive and corrective action. Internal and external audits also are important and very instructive communication platforms for scrutinizing the organization (system), the processes and fulfilment of the value proposition for products and services systematically and constructively.

5. Foster interplayThis will also help you to overcome

the 5th obstacle “Missing coordination of the functional areas”. For it is clear modelling of the processes, above all the key processes in interaction to the support processes, incl. the documented procedures and work instructions, that is

to achieve this coordination, in particular.

Different audit methods, such as process focused audits, change focused audits or function focused audits, are very effective tools for detecting the “sand in the works”.

Or let us use still another image: blind interplay like at the “ Tiki-Taka” of FC Barcelona.

6. Develop competenciesEven today many companies lament

about the lack of skilled workers. The only constant is change: new business models, new markets, new technologies, new products, … In this light, qualification will soon be obsolete.

Therefore, it is of utmost importance to define relevant competencies so that new situations can be mastered successfully while focusing on problem resolution on different levels and in technical, methodological, personal and social terms.

However, the challenge is not that of generating profiles of competence

but rather that of measurement and assessment. It is not only in ISO 9001 that these requirements (training, raising awareness, role profiles) are described fundamentally. Other standards and regulations, such as ISO 19011, ISO 17025 (auditing), ISO 29990 (organizations providing further training) demand management of competencies.

In this respect, finding out what contribution can be made to quality management and implementing the relevant actions particularly devolves on HR (Human Resources). It is a question of the skills and capabilities necessary today and, above all, tomorrow.

The key to success is quality management. ISO 9001 gives systematic instructions to success if the requirements are met specifically to the respective companies with esprit, endurance and consistency.

Quality management is organizational development. Quality management fosters the power of the brand - quasi automatically. Be successful with quality

Axel DickQuality AustriaExecutive Vice President MarketingE-Mail: axel.dick@qualityaustria.com

Determine the audit duration it is not just a matter of counting

heads for a certification body.

By German Lombana Co-convenor of ISO/CASCO WG 37 ICONTEC

Newsletter No23

29 30

One of the key processes of a certification body management system is the review of the client´s application, and in this process the determination of the audit duration, in order to offer reliable results in the verification of conformity and effectiveness of management system.

By the other hand the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021 specifies that the certification body shall establish procedures to determine the time needed to plan and conduct a complete and effective audit to client´s management system. This standard sets out the factors to be considered in the methodology for determining the audit duration, but does not specify methods or details of the

procedure. The experience of accreditated management

system certification bodies evidences that the audit duration depends on several factors, including those established in ISO IEC 17021 and others factors, and they can also be different possibilities of methodology or process that meet the fundamental purpose of “plan and accomplish a complete and effective audit of the client’s management system”.

The facts evidence that the use of “effective number of persons”, as the only parameter determining the audit duration, can lead to insufficient time in companies with low number of people involved in the scope of certification or excessive time in cases of companies with a high number of people who performrepetitive and simple activities.

Additionally there are difficulties for founding solid and technical basis for determining audit duration based on the effective number of persons, as the only factor.

Given this reality and relying on standardization as an activity that provides by consensus solutions to a problem, the ISO´´s committee on Conformity Assessment (ISO/CASCO) created the WG 37, starting the year 2012 with the purpose of developing a technical specification with guidelines for determining the audit duration ,this future standard was designated as ISO/IEC TS 17023, the working group has of representatives from national standards bodies members of ISO/CASCO, with experts from big customers require to their suppliers the management system, accreditation bodies, certification bodies and associations as IQNet.

For the development of future ISO/IEC TS 17023 were included as

inputs documents as: the requirements of ISO/IEC 17021, ISO/TS 22003, ISO/IEC 27006, IAF mandatory documents and ISO 19011, among others.

As users of the standard, in addition to management system certification bodies may be mentioned scheme owners, clients of the certification body, accreditation bodies and regulatory authorities.

It is expected that the ISO/IEC TS 17023 will be published in the third quarter of 2013 and is stage is Draft of Technical Specification (DTS).

The identified key factors for which the future ISO/IEC TS 17023 provides guidelines including:

• Relevant management system standard and other normative documents• Size and location (s) of the organization• Complexity of the organization and its

management system

Newsletter No23

31 32

17021 related to the determination of audit duration and additional criteria established by the accreditation bodies.

• Technological and regulatory context• Activities included in the scope of the

management system• Maturity and effectiveness of the

management system• The risks associated with the products,

processes or activities of the organization • Culture• Integrated management systems• The composition of the audit team

The proposed methodology consists in selecting from among the above key factors as starting point for determining the audit duration and defined the degree of importance of these key factors selected and once established the metodol-ogy in the procedures to implement, validate and review the effectiveness of the methodology.

The guidelines established in the future ISO/IEC TS 17023 can serve as input for future revisions of the

requirements of ISO/IEC

Significance of Management System for organizations´

sustainability

By Juan Cristobal Becerra Díaz. ICONTEC

Every organization is exposed to high risk levels coming from the environment and from the decisions made by the top and medium management. It is possible to take advantage of these risks, since they can increase company´s profits if suitably controlled; they can help to avoid unnecessary costs and expenses. Otherwise, profitability, competitiveness, and also business sustainability and continuity will be affected.

Many expectations and formal requirements concerning nation-al economy have been set out by organizations directly or indirectly interested in its performance, clients among them. They increasingly are more demanding and their requirements

include, besides compliance of product andservice specifications, fulfillment of requirements concerning environmental responsibility and implementation of a healthy and safe environment for employees.

Organization and interested parties: Contractor/ Provider, Employees, Client, Industrialists, Government, Shareholders, Certifying Bodies, Community, Environmental Authority.

Also, international and national standards are increasingly demanding, financial sector is making demands about management systems, aiming at reducing risks for business continuity, and community and NGOs are bringing pressures on the companies´ performance.

German Lombana ICONTECCo-convenor of ISO/CASCO WG 37

Newsletter No23

33 34

How the implementation of management systems could increase sales?

The proposal set out by a management system is to provide satisfaction to the customers. If our client gets satisfaction, would he/she probably come back? If your client gets satisfaction, can we ensure that he/she will speak well of your organization? Experience shows that it is true that a satisfied customer is loyal to the company and brings new clients. However, a client dissatisfied will not come back, and will speak about his/her bad experience to other people, this way reducing the possibility of them to become clients.

Could the system help to reduce costs and expenses?

To be able to operate, any organization shall use resources. These resources are related to labor, environment,

Regardless its sector, every organization is found in a risk scenario related to quality, environment, occupational health and safety. It has made companies to implement administrative tools which help to materialize the strategic and operational components in their permanent search for sustainability and growth; to that end, they have implemented management models based on international standards such as ISO 9001 for quality.

The implementation of these mod-els provides advantages which are significantly higher than just being able to show a certificate. As to an organization´s sustainability and growth, the basic equation has to be in mind: profit is equal to income minus expenses. No organization will be willing to achieve negative outcomes.

Can management systems help to im-prove outcomes?

• Uncontrolled use of materials• Wastes from design• Inadequate operational practices• Excessive use of raw materials and

supplies• Wastes and reworks due to non

skilled personnel• Excessive payments in compensatory

rates• Payment of penalties due to non fulfillment of legal environment, safety or health issues• Costs of work accidents• Overtime costs• Absenteeism costs• Possible labor lawsuits among others.• Do you find any other?

Where to find risk of wasting?• Work Force: Non competent / indecisive personnel, Demotivated personnel,

Untrained personnel

materials, measurement, machinery and work methods.

What does happen in an organization when any of the following situations occur?• A product rejected by the client• Returns leading to reworks• Reworks due to operation failures• Costs of recalling goods at customer

facilities• Loss of goodwill• Client´s health or safety is affected• Losses due to start up times• Losses due to inappropriate decisions• Losses related to lack of information• Losses due to materials damage or

obsolescence• Losses due to defective products,

caused by an inadequate mainte nance of machinery• Corrective maintenance due to lack

of planning• Uncontrolled use of water• Uncontrolled use of energy

Newsletter No23

35 36

• Materials: Buy more, A bad purchase, Buy less • Machinery: Dangerous wastes / scrap, non maintenance, Downtime• Environment: Deteriorated product, Penalties / Fines, Resource waste • METHOD: Absence, inadequate, Uncalibrated equipment, Unknow

LACK OF CONTROL = WASTES

In brief, the money that could be used in reinvestments, technological im-provement, life quality improvement of employees and shareholders is being wasted.

Can management systems help to con-trol wastes?

• ISO9001:

Satisfy client needs/Risk of dissatisfaction, loss of market / complaints… • OHSAS 18001:

Health and safe environment: Lawsuits, sick/injured personnel • ISO14001:

Prevention of pollution, Risk of penalties, fines, loss of goodwill

Implementation of Management Systems requirements include the need to have competent personnel, acquisition, storage and use of materials which are environmentally friendly and safe for employees, infrastructure suitable maintenance, work methods standardization, setting up environmental conditions favorable to environment and products, use of suitable measurement tools, every and all of them aimed at reducing risks, thanks to the rational use of resources.

Through a well implemented system the following is achieved:

• Work Force: competent / decisive personnel,

motivated personnel, trained personnel, healthy and safe personnel.

• Materials: Good quality and adequate purchase,

safe materials, less waste.

• Machinery: Suitable PEM, Proper waste management,

Suitable maintenance.

• Environment: Prevention of pollution, Sustainable

development, Optimal use of resources.

• Method: Internal standardization, calibrated

equipment, Documentary Control, Control of records

Social Responsibility: With Customers, With Collaborators, With Environment, With Community And Adequate Risk Control.

Real benefits offered by a management system:• A tool for achieving competitiveness

and sustainability • A methodology for internal

organization • Improve client satisfaction • Improve organization´s goodwill • Improve Social Responsibility through

provision of a healthy and safe environment • Improve Social Responsibility

through prevention of pollution and environmental impact management • Risk control

Consequently, organizations’ profits are increased.