Results of the 2010-11 ISO User Survey are reported in the current issue (December, 2011) of ISO Focus+. The survey was coordinated by TC 176, subcommittee SC2 and had 11,722 respondents from around the world. The full survey can be downloaded from the ISO website. Some of the findings that caught my attention follow.
Factors influencing certification. The three largest drivers that influence the decision to pursue certification are: customer satisfaction (4,222); market need (3,689); and, mandated customer requirements (3,290). These findings are consistent with what I have been seeing with my clients, in particular customer mandated requirements for integrated EHS management systems.
Important benefits of applying ISO 9001 in an organization. Customer satisfaction was the top response (5,886) as would be expected with 9001. Of interest is that many of the top responses also point to value with business process improvements, including: standard business process (5,821); increased management commitment (4,125); and more effective management reviews (3,975).
Sustainability is on every corporate radar. The strength of the signal and distance from action vary. In some cases, internal task groups have been formed, sustainability risk assessments have been performed, and actions have been incorporated into operations, products, and services. In other cases, none or some of these activities have been started, or actions have not gone beyond PR drivers.
As a living system, a company’s risk profile is continually shifting. The growing attention on sustainability and corporate responsibility (CSR) has stretched companies as they wrestle with ways to characterize and manage their sustainability and CSR risks.