Certification is not the end, it's just the beginning

As a consultant I'm often asked to "achieve certification" for businesses. When quality (ISO9001), safety (AS4801), environmental (ISO14001) or integrated system certification is achieved I get paid and go on my way. However, did you know that certification just sets the scene for a limitless set of opportunities? Believe it or not, this aspect of the certification process is poorly understood, even by the experts.

You see, the "experts" do just what I describe above. Facilitate the initial goal and then go on their way. As an experienced Quality and Systems Manager I know what comes of good and effective management of a system over a period of years. And it's not what you may think.

A key aspect of all these systems is the integral use of internal audit. Did you know that internal audit is the best tool there is for achieving continuous improvement? Many would disagree, citing the many theories and published processes for achieving continuous improvement (TQC, TQM, Six Sigma, TPM, BPI etc). While each of these processes, applied well, will achieve good outcomes in a comparatively quick time, there is nothing, and I repeat nothing, that provides as good a foundation for lifelong organisational improvement as the regular internal (supplemented by 3rd party) audit of the management system.

The best thing about the power of internal audit is that it's not a "flag waving", "flavour of the month" process like many of the other processes, that management promotes feverishly and then forgets when the next urgent priority comes along. It's just a regular hum-drum review of operations that happens every few months. No-one cares, no-one notices, but over the years a fantastic operation is built step by step. I've seen this happen, without even trying, almost by surprise.

Of course, there are many ways to audit, but there's only one best way. Want to know how, just ask me.