Civil Engineering August 2022 | Vol 30 No 7

T he ISO 9001 standard, which is applicable to businesses of any in- dustry, size, or kind, helps organisa- tions minimise efforts and streamline re- sources in order to excel in their operations and find possibilities for improvement in projects, processes, products, and services. According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), ISO 9001:2015 specifies requirements for a quality management system when an organisation: Q Q Needs to demonstrate its ability to con- sistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements Q Q Aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improve- ment of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. Achieving ISO 9001 compliance does not require a complex and difficult-to-manage set of documented information. Rather, the goal is to develop a functional management system that can be used by your organisa- tion. You will end up with a defined system that will enhance all areas of your business provided you have the necessary support and expertise from your staff. Implementing an efficient and consistent ISO 9001 quality management system (QMS) will allow you to concen- trate on the most critical aspects of your organisation and increase efficiency. The management systems that you implement throughout your organisation will build a solid basis for enhanced productivity and profit, and ultimately improve client trust and loyalty. When evaluating suppliers, some clients may insist on a valid ISO 9001 certificate, while others will consider it a ‘good to have’. A valid certificate is received from an accredited certification body and provides your clients with assur- ance that you are adhering to standards and processes that will ensure they receive excellent customer service. IMPORTANCE OF ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFICATION The application of ISO 9001:2015 will help your organisation realise benefits that will aid in its survival and growth. Among many of the benefits are: Q Q Cost savings: The processes you implement can improve operations by reducing wastage and errors, thereby benefiting the organisation’s bottom line. Q Q Customer satisfaction: Customers are the lifeblood of every business, and by enhancing the quality of your product or service, you may boost customer satis- faction while also increasing revenues. Q Q Gaining access to new markets: Because ISO standards are interna- tionally recognised, they can assist businesses when entering new inter- national markets. Closer to home, they are increasingly required in public sector tenders. Q Q Market share growth: By improving your productivity, you might obtain a competitive advantage over your compe- tition and improve your market share. Q Q Independent auditing and evalu- ation: Customers have faith in your systems when they receive an impar- tial audit of your organisation. Q Q System integration: ISO 9001:2015 does not need you to start from scratch with your processes. Rather, it requires you to ensure that your sys- tems are interconnected and properly ‘talking’ to one another. To learn more about ISO 9001:2015 visit www.iso.org/standard/62085.html .  Qual i t y Management Is your organisation leveraging the benefits of world-class management systempractices? Musiwalo Daniel Mawela Lecturer: Tshwane University of Technology CEO: Thandela Certification Services ceo@thandela.com Many Southern African businesses are establishing management systems as one of their major initiatives for promoting organisational performance. ISO 9001:2015 has been the most extensively utilised approach for building management systems in businesses throughout the world. 28 August 2022 Civil Engineering