Why most local ISO Certified business management systems fail

Have you been ISO Certified? Well done!

Now that you have been certified, does it mean you have achieved it all? Definitely no. Have you fulfilled your bucket list? For some, maybe yes. If your business is aiming to rise above all odds and withstand the test of time it is just the beginning of a never ending journey. There are several reasons why companies get ISO certified:

• Appeasing the Customer by the ability to consistently deliver on the needs and expectations of the desired product and service
• Appeasing the Business by optimally using the available resources at very efficient levels e.g. labour, technology, materials, etc.

Basically an ISO Standard is designed to help organisations achieve goals and objectives set out in its policy and strategy, it is not a means to an end but simply an enabler. The Standard being a standard, emphasises on results and consistency. The ISO standard is not necessarily bent on perfectionism, but promotes incremental improvements therefore results maybe negative because it focuses on correction and positive progression. Unfortunately people are getting certified for the wrong reasons:

• Because the tenders are always qualifying ISO certified companies
• Because key Client A was certified and so wrote to us requesting that we follow suit so we cannot afford to lose them
• Because everyone in the industry is getting certified, so should we
• Because, because and because…

Getting certified on the wrong reasons lead to incompatibility of the system with the organisation. Personally, I have experienced companies getting ISO certified, celebrating certification like they have won a lottery, inviting ministers to handover certificates, issuing branded corporate gifts and uniforms, posting newspaper articles telling the world of the new certificate on the wall… all for what? Celebrating the premature death of their newly born system. Having embarked on a ‘systems’ journey for the wrong reasons, we get stuck in audit mode such that we focus on deadlines, non-conformance, corrective action, etc. whilst forgetting to cultivate a conducive systems culture. This is why you find on the certification day – files are put away, leaves are taken, people disengage and revert back to our old way of doing things whilst waiting for the surveillance audit. This cycle has not only failed in achieving the top two (2) reasons why the business should get certified, it has created a sunk cost for the business through audit fees, time spent on developing the system, new employees recruited to document the system and subscription fees with no corresponding reduced workload through simpler way of doing things, increased sales from exceedingly satisfied customers or reduced cost of production. To fully benefit from the system, it goes beyond the Stage 1 or Stage 2 success, it is the everyday execution of activities in the documented processes by the People as defined by the System. Companies’ window dress to the auditor for certification, some bribe the auditor while some Registrars go as far as certifying for business purposes – just to add a new company to the revenue stream.

People are the System - System is the People! You may have started the ‘systems’ journey for the wrong reasons but now that you have started it, you have completed the hardest part – STARTING. To ensure that the business reaps full benefits of running on ISO management systems, ensure the people buy into the systems culture. Initially, the business set out on The System journey because The People agreed to it. The People are developing The System by defining and documenting how they want things done to the benefit of the business. The People will run The System every day, every hour, in every activity. The People will be audited for compliance to The System for certification and recertification. Is it now crystal clear how The People play a crucial role in the sustainability and viability of The System?

Let’s face it, The People can make or break The System. In this case, we will focus on why The People break The System.

I am an employee and not the company. If you get that right, then you will understand my point. The name on the certificate is that of the company, not the Managing Director, not the Management Representative, not the SHEQ Manager, not the Line Supervisor, Not me the auditee…but the organisation. Not to downplay the essence of winning as a team or what, but that the same reason why I am getting a salary at the end of the month and not a dividend or profit share at the end of the year, that is the same vein I should get recognised for my work effort in sustaining a systems culture. The moment I realise after certification that the business is the net gainer and that nothing significant have I gained – that is the day The System breathes its last. Whether I comply or choose not to comply with the System, worst case I will receive a non-conformance report that is if anyone dares to challenge me on it, because I participated in the system development therefore I should be immune.

Therefore most business fail to fully realise the benefits of Systems because of the reasons why the business chose to get certified for and choosing to not work on the people to abandon the old way and embrace the new way. As a Business Systems Engineer, I will only celebrate when the system fully takes off and is sustained, not on certification day. I will conduct cocktails each time we look back after every year to find a fully attended to system amendment or RCA for Continuous improvement or Corrective Action.

However, it is not too late to rectify or rather recalibrate the machine into tune. A more radical and results oriented business reengineering can be done to ensure the ISO certificate does not lose its lustre but rather shines more than ever to bring light to attract more business.