ask the
EXPERT
The Reality of implementing ISO Standards You may be prompted to implement an ISO standard in order to win or retain a client or customer but whether the decision to implement is reactive or proactive, you need to understand the requirements of the chosen standard before you start. You don’t need to understand the technicalities or the detail – that’s what consultants are for, but you need to be familiar with the basic requirements in the context of your business. Having reasonable awareness of the standard can save you time and money as you’re able to make informed decisions from day one and on-going management is also going to be easier. Consultants are there to help with understanding, training and so on but making the effort to read up is worthwhile. In terms of cost, not all standards are equal. Implementing 9001 on its own is relatively straightforward compared to 27001. That’s due to the complexity and reach of the 27001 standard. More complex standards usually take longer to put in place and that means higher consultancy fees, a greater requirement for training and so on. Of course, your baseline as a business also has a bearing on project costs. ISO standards require a process approach so if your business doesn’t have documented processes in place there will be a lot more work to do. Records are also important. If your business is weak on record keeping that will increase the amount of preparatory work needed to get everything in place.
Nowadays many businesses have an ISO standard in place typically ISO 9001 (quality management) or ISO 9001 combined with other standards relevant to their sector or required by their clients. As Information Security (ISO 27001) and Environment (ISO 14001) become increasingly relevant many sectors are demonstrating their commitment to these and other standards through accreditation within the ISO framework. If your business hasn’t yet taken the plunge, there are some things to be aware of before you start. Regardless of which standard or standards you want to adopt, implementation requires a significant commitment in terms of time (typically months not weeks) and resources, both physical and financial. Many businesses opt to use a consultant like me to help them with implementation but that doesn’t mean you can step away and come back when everything is in place. The adoption of ISO standards requires changes in how you operate, so any implementation project is going to require significant input from the client. Be prepared to appoint an implementation team who are able to take on an additional workload for the duration of the project. Because of the degree of change involved, you may need to manage negative reactions to the implementation project itself or to the new ways of working required by the standard. Positive messages from Senior management throughout the project can go a long way towards reducing resistance but an on-going education and awareness programme is also important. Ideally, you’d be doing both. Some Standards, ISO 9001 included, specifically require demonstrable and on-going involvement from Senior management to achieve accreditation. 16 connected
Costs don’t stop at the implementation stage. Having achieved your accreditation you need to shout about it – that may mean updating your marketing, carrying out a comms campaign to make your sector aware of your accreditation and you may need to incentivise staff who’ve taken on additional responsibilities for managing the standard going forward. You may also decide to use a platform to help you manage documentation – that’s another layer of costs to be considered. Although these are often very affordable they do represent an on-going cost. ISO implementation projects usually cost upwards of £50,000 not including the ongoing costs I’ve mentioned here so planning ahead is helpful if you can do it. The implementation of any ISO standard should be considered a business project rather than being departmentally-focussed as the long-term commercial benefits are undeniable. With all of these factors in mind, choosing the right consultant is crucial. They need to be a good fit with your business as they’ll be immersed in it for the duration of the project. They should be working to help keep your costs to a minimum where possible. They need to be flexible and adaptable to work with you and your operation as painlessly as possible and most of all they should leave you in a position to pick up the reigns and keep going. Get in touch for an informal conversation about cost-effective ISO implementation for your business. Annie McNeely, AMC Operations, annie@anniemcneely.co.uk, 07590 267209
