About Management Systems

Realizing the need for more sector specific guidance of quality assurance of training, a working group was created within International Standards Organization (ISO) to draft a guideline standard for training. Twenty-two country representatives developed the draft text over several years, culminating in the publication of a final official standard ISO 10015 issued by the ISO secretariat in December 1999.

THE NEW ISO STANDARD OFFERS TWO MAIN ADVANTAGES NAMELY:

a] being based on the process oriented concepts of the new 9000:2000 ISO family of standards and being easily understandable for companies used to ISO related Quality instruments, but also readily available to non ISO based companies since ISO 10015 can also be used as a “stand-alone” quality instrument.

b] being a sector specific that is pedagogically oriented or standard offering companies specific guidance in the field of training technology and organizational learning depending on the competence required by a company or public organization.

What follows is the description of two key features of the new ISO 10015 standard.

A. LINKING TRAINING INVESTMENT WITH ENHANCEMENT OF A COMPANY

The key to assessing the return on investment of in-service training is its link to company performance. In other words, the key client is you the organization, not only the people being trained.

A company has to recognize first what is the performance challenge (performance gap) it faces and what are the causes of it. Following the decision tree, if the performance gap is linked to under-performing human resources, then the company should ask itself, why do our people under-perform -Is it because their competencies do not fit the job requirements? If so, it might be that their under-performance is due to the skills set of the current employees. Then training could be the right solution.

ISO 10015 in this regard offers a clear road map in guiding the company to make sound training investment decisions by asking the top management to connect training to performance goals and use it for individual and group performance improvement.

B. ORGANIZING TRAINING ON THE BASIS OF PEDAGOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND PROCESSES

Training as an intervention strategy will be called into place once a company has determined that training of the current staff is the optimal approach to close an identified performance gap. The next critical phase of investing in people is that of establishing an appropriate training design and effective learning processes. In this regard, ISO 10015 serves as the management tool to ensure that training is organized efficiently in its use of resources (finances, time and energy) and effectively in closing the performance gap.

ISO 10015 defines training in a four-step process, namely, Analyze-Plan-Do-Evaluate. Each step is connected to the next in an input and output relationship. As a quality management tool, ISO 10015 helps to specify the operational requirements for each step and establishes procedures to monitor the process. Such a transparent approach enables training management to focus more on the substantive matter of each training investment rather than merely on controlling costs.

Unlike other quality management systems, ISO 10015 helps a company link training and evaluation to performance objectives. Such a training approach provides companies with constant feedback regarding its investment in human competencies and in turn regarding productivity improvement resulting from training. This feedback allows your organization to take a closer in depth look at your training system with new data and to refine it.

The quality of a company’s human capital is quintessential to ensure long term competitive advantage and survival in today’s global economy. In knowledge based economy, training is “mission critical” to develop and maintain high levels of human capital.

Training needs to be managed carefully like any other major investment. ISO 10015 offers a new and specific quality management tool to ensure the link between training and organizational performance needs. Supported by an ISO 10015 certification, managers are better guided in making strategic decisions about human capital investment that will have direct impact on bottom -line performance.

Companies that are seriously committed in taking up environmental issues and intensifying the quality of their Environmental Management Systems (EMS) usually don’t mind going through the whole tedious process of getting an ISO 14001 certification – the internationally accepted standard that addresses the ‘delicate balance’ between maintaining profitability and reducing environmental impact.

The standard helps organizations better manage their environmental impact and risk. It covers anything that concerns the environment such as climate change, environmental degradation, water and air pollution, and many others. Achieving this certification is normally considered a significant milestone.

The first few years that ISO 14001 was published, Asia saw an influx in the number of companies which on top of implementing a sound EMS, adopted the standard, particularly in the electronics sector.

Today, regardless of what industry they belong to, many companies take the initiative to align their operations to the environmental standard.

The ISO 14000 series – composed of about 12 standards – was first conceptualized when the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992 generated a commitment to protect the environment across the world. The environmental field emerged as a steady growth of national and regional standards. The British Standards Institution has BS 7750, while the European Union has environmental management, auditing, eco-labeling plus the eco-management and audit regulations.

The Expected Results

Implementing an EMS generally turns the favor to the company in terms of the bottom line. Cost savings and reduced expenses, liabilities, insurance premiums, and waste management costs can be made through improved efficiency and productivity. It can also improve product quality, competitiveness, and enhance market responsiveness.

ISO 14001 verifies compliance with current legislation and makes insurance cover more accessible. Moreover, it helps produce objectives for improvement and a management program to achieve them, with regular reviews for continual improvement.

The Keys to Success

ISO 14001 requires documented procedures that are implemented and maintained, which clearly identifi es the company’s environmental goals. An Environmental Policy strongly backed up by the management should be in place. It provides the foundation and direction for the management system.

In addition, procedures should be established for a continuous review of the environmental aspects and the impacts of products, activities, and services. Based on these environmental aspects and impacts, goals and objectives consistent with the environmental policy are established.

As with a Quality Management System (QMS), internal audits of the EMS should be conducted routinely to identify and address non-conformances in the system. In addition, the management review process must be in place to ensure top management’s involvement in the assessment of EMS.

Who needs ISO 14001?

The increasing awareness on environmental impact is an outcry that is far more intensified by the combined efforts of the local and national governments, regulators, trade associations, customers, employees, and shareholders.

The standard is not limiting; it is relevant to all types and sizes of organizations and is designed for diverse geographical, cultural, and social conditions. ISO 14001 is relevant to every organization, including: single site to large multinational companies; high risk companies to low risk service organizations; manufacturing, process and the service industries, including local governments; all industry sectors including public and private sectors; and original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers.

An organization implementing the standard decides the extent of its coverage. It can include the organization’s products, services, activities, operations, facilities, transportation, and others.