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You’ve worked hard on creating all the necessary policies and procedures, systemised your way of working, informed the workforce and carried out internal audits to verify compliance.  Well done!  The next, and final stage towards achieving ISO certification is the so-called ‘dreaded’ assessment.  However, with the right approach and preparation, you may even enjoy your assessment!  Hard to believe? Read on…….

So what should you expect to happen?

The assessment, regardless of which ISO Standard you are implementing is split into two stages.  The Stage 1 Assessment is quite simply a Document Review.  This is where the assessor will expect to see all the key documented information that the standard requires.  So where the standard states that you ‘shall provide documented procedure/policy for XXXX’, this is what you need to have available i.e. a documented Environmental Policy if your assessment is for ISO 14001.  Make sure you have all of this documentation easily accessible on the day of the assessment.  Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and the assessor’s time if the information isn’t readily available either online (electronic information available on your server/intranet/Sharepoint), or if it’s easier for you, a hard copy (paper version of a Policy document).  It doesn’t matter if it is a hard or soft copy, so long as it is available and meets the requirements of the ISO Standard, and most importantly, your own business requirements.  If you have a small business the Stage 1 Assessment for one ISO Standard is likely to be just the one day. If you have a micro business, some certification bodies offer a remote Stage 1 Assessment, whereby you submit the documentation electronically.

Typically, by mid-afternoon the assessor is likely to be writing up the findings of the assessment, so by the end of the visit you will be provided with a Stage 1 report, which will outline the scope of certification, and the key findings for all the clauses within the standard/s.  The report will highlight any positive aspects of the documentation and will also raise any minor or major non-conformities which you will need to address prior to the Stage 2 Assessment.  Do not be worried to ask questions if some of the terminology may seem rather technical (ISO gobbledegook), your assessor will be happy to explain their findings so that you are clear on the next steps.  You may feel like your question is a bit silly, but don’t worry about this, they are there to ensure that you fully understand the findings and will be happy to explain the findings and recommendations in a slightly different way so it makes sense for your business.

Most Certification Bodies also provide ‘opportunities for improvement’ which can be very helpful in terms of identifying further improvements that can be made within the business.

The Stage 2 Assessment can be carried out anytime up to 3 months after the Stage 1. We would normally recommend booking this approximately 4 – 6 weeks after the Stage 1 Assessment to ensure that you keep the momentum going on continual improvement, yet still have time to address any improvements to your management system that need to be made.

The Stage 2 Assessment is carried out to simply demonstrate compliance that you operate in the way that you say you do in your Management System! In effect it is a ‘show and tell’.

So, for example if you have a procedure for training, you need to prove that it’s working.  How? Show evidence of your records i.e.  your company Training and Skills Matrix or individual training records.   If you have a procedure for internal audits, simply show your Audit Schedule for the year, and the internal audit reports.  It is basically proving how you are running a successful business.  This is your opportunity to shine, enjoy and be proud of your company’s operations – from Leadership to operatives.

If you’ve got a brilliant way of working for sales or operations, great! show it off!  The assessor will be shadowing you and individual process owners to listen, observe and make notes on how you operate your business.  At the end of the visit, they will provide you with a report on their findings and all being well, you will be recommended for certification.  Worst case scenario if there are any major non-conformances at the end of Stage 2, you will be given time to provide a corrective action plan.

At Blackmores I’m proud to say we have a 100% success rate at helping our clients achieving certification, so if the thought of an assessment is still daunting, we can be there to give you a helping hand and act as your ISO ambassador to support the management team if needed.

In my experience, I would estimate that 8 times out of 10 organisations seek to achieve ISO certification to win new business, not necessarily to improve their business – sadly.  So, what is it about ISO Standards that is so attractive to prospective clients?  Why are they like gold dust in certain industries? And in some cases, a pre-requisite to tender?

One of the reasons is that certification to ISO Standards demonstrates credibility and confidence to stakeholders.  What this means is that a business is not just blowing their own trumpet, by saying how marvellous they are, an accredited certification body is independently verifying this against an internationally renowned standard of excellence.  Regardless of which ISO standard is implemented, it is recognised that if a company meets these high standards, they are practising what they preach and have a certificate to prove it.

Once a company is certified, they need to capitalise on the investment they have made (in terms of effort, time, resources and finance) to make the most of the opportunity, particularly when it comes to winning new business.  An ISO Standard can be viewed as a great tool for sales and marketing teams to have in their toolkit. 

If you’ve got it, flaunt it!

Some say, ‘it’s only a number, ISO 9001, ISO 14001’……… Well, those numbers add up, and add up to profit if used in the right way.  You should be referencing your ISO Standards (only UKAS Accredited Certifications of course) on your website, thus demonstrating leadership and commitment.  This includes the logo and a message from the CEO/Managing Director.  The ISO Standards logo and information related to your achievement could be referenced in proposals and tenders to give you a better chance of winning the contract.  Many Sales and Marketing Departments find it a blessing to have a well-structured and documented ISO Management System that they can easily extract key tender documents from i.e. Environment Policy, Complaints Procedure, company procedures, Business Continuity Plan, Customer Service KPI’s, plus many more, and therefore, making it easier for a Sales and Marketing Team to showcase why your business is as good as it is.

Some companies use the ISO logo’s on marketing collateral such as brochures, online E-brochures, business cards, newsletters, letterheads and catalogues to give them a competitive edge.  However, it can also be promoted via other visual methods i.e. sign-written vehicles, products, PowerPoint presentations and in-house company signage.

In some industries such as the Construction sector, it is much easier to win and retain valuable clients if you have certain ISO Standards – ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001, or in the Technology sector, the expectation is to have ISO 27001 to ensure data assets are secure.

Where we have seen the greatest advantage for businesses, is where the early adopters embrace a new ISO standard to give them a competitive edge. For example, in 2018 we implemented BS 10012, the new Personal Information standard aligned with GDPR requirements.  More information will follow regarding early adopters and new standards in a forthcoming Blackmores blog.

For a ‘Winning new business with ISO Standards checklist’ please contact enquiries@blackmoresuk.com

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Organisations who hold ISO standards across the UK will all be looking to determine what they do next after 29th March 2019. The good news for organisations who hold ISO certifications is that they may be better positioned to cope with the impact of BREXIT than those who do not.

Organisations who hold ISO certifications have been required to give thought to the issues affecting the organisation (the key one being BREXIT!) and those interested parties that they will need to engage with both during and after BREXIT. This will no doubt include the stability and security of their supply chain and the needs of customers. With the focus on risk-based standards, this will increase focus on the risks and opportunities that BREXIT may bring. This enables these organisations to take the necessary actions to mitigate risks and establish objectives and actions to exploit opportunities.

Organisations with ISO standards will be thinking about their resources, the most important of these being human resources. A significant drop in EU workers in the UK will need to be plugged and those organisations the ISO standards will be investing in recruitment, training and upskilling of staff, supported by investment in the necessary infrastructure and facilities to ensure their products and services can continue to be delivered post BREXIT.

Organisations who hold ISO standards will be seeking improvement, backed by regular audits, supported by actions to address identified non-conformities and actions to address identified risks and opportunities, this will provide them with a leading edge and positions UK organisations at the front of the queue when competing on a global stage.

Let’s not forget that ISO certifications are recognised globally, so organisations who hold accredited ISO certifications hold a badge of credibility which is recognised across the globe and breaks down language barriers.

If you haven’t already done this, then you really should consider how ISO standards can support your business to ensure that quality, risk and sustainability can be assured after BREXIT. Blackmores can support your business to implement ISO standards across a range of subject areas and drive continual improvement within your business.

If you would like assistance with ISO standards, please contact us on: enquiries@blackmoresuk.com