ISO (International Organization for Standardization) emerged in 1946 in Geneva, Switzerland, with the aim of creating and promoting standards that can be used worldwide.
Brazil is represented by ABNT (Brazilian Association of Technical Standards). Despite this, even today, ISO represents a challenge for companies in the country.
According to Heron Berton, CEO of Veloxi S/A, the achievement of ISO certifications must be implemented correctly and effectively in a company. ”The transition procedure focuses on challenges involving employees, the production process and economic factors”, he says.
“The biggest challenge is the team itself, which is often unwilling to undergo transformations, generating a lack of engagement and commitment to the objectives defined for the company’s approval”, he adds.
The specialist explains that, for industries in the production process, the approval of certificates requires the adequacy of manufacturing processes to bring efficiency to the production chain, compliance with legal and regulatory requirements, “besides the identification and solution of failures and risks found”.
Heron says that the constant creation and modification of technical documents and process instructions is also seen as a challenge to be overcome by the company. “Using up-to-date files on work procedures and technical instructions for the service offered, protects the business against deliveries of non-compliant products to its customers, ensuring credibility and trust in the brand”, he says.
The expectation in relation to the audit is a factor that generates discomfort for entrepreneurs and can create insecurity and hinder progress. “When the audit takes place, the climate is tense, and it is normal for different reactions to occur among employees – which highlights the importance of training and preparation for an external audit”.
To alleviate this “pain”, he continues, companies must carry out a pre-audit by the certifier – which is not the official one for certification, but helps to identify the current state of the Management System for the official audit.
“The person responsible for the implementation must guarantee a safe environment and provide confidence so that everyone feels good. In addition, internal audits help employees with the development of self-confidence, preparation and caution about processes, ”he says. “Audits can be carried out by consultants or employees trained in internal auditing with the objective of identifying possible discrepancies and suggesting ways to work around the problems found”, she says.
Heron points out that some professionals are uncomfortable with the transformation, which can generate mistrust about layoffs and adjustments to the business process. Therefore, the process must involve members and use efficient communication resources to pass on transparency about what can happen – which involves the challenges that must be faced and the benefits to be achieved.
What are the most common ISOs?
The CEO of Veloxi S/A says that the most common ISOs are ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 that make up the SGI (Integrated Management System), representing a set of standardized requirements that can be applied to any type of organization . “Standards help companies break down international barriers, promoting good management practices and technological advancement to make business more efficient and effective”.
According to him, the circumstances may not be favorable to meet specific segments, or the demands of a type of customer, requiring the implementation of complementary rules. “Under these conditions, some standards are limited to a group of organizations, usually in the same segment or serving similar customers. Such standards are called sectoral standards ”, he clarifies.
What are the benefits of certification?
For Heron, the implementation and certification of a quality management system can bring many advantages, such as improvements in process management, greater customer satisfaction, competitive advantages and market differentials. “A diagnostic assessment of the company’s current scenario should be carried out to identify the level of fulfillment of business requirements and obtain the ideal planning to be followed”, he teaches.
After identifying the needs, it is worth taking stock of the requirements that must meet the conditions for implementation and approval. “Given the planned objectives, there must be a structuring or restructuring to adapt to the standard required by the desired certification”, he points out. “Identifying specialists with know-how in the segment will facilitate the process of restructuring and adequacy”, he adds.
According to Heron, using flexible and intelligent systems that collect data and allow the control of processes, operations and quality inspection plans to be carried out by employees – without deviating from the pre-defined steps – will allow the verification of performance control requirements and quality along the entire production chain.
Finally, the expert emphasizes that, in addition to the company’s adjustment and restructuring procedures, it is important to carry out pre-audit sessions to analyze the results of the system’s improvement, in order to identify points that still need to be improved to comply with the requirements. of regulatory standards.
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