Management systems programs such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 were originally implemented to help organizations gain market access, satisfy mandatory customer requirements, streamline processes, manage growth, drive continual improvement, and generally keep up with the competition.

In today’s business environment, which is full of financial turbulence, eroding bottom lines, decreasing efficiencies, and changing requirements, these reasons are far less relevant. Management systems are sometimes misunderstood by senior management as nothing more than a heavy administrative burden: difficult to implement and providing no business benefit or improvement. What they don’t understand is that your management system is a way of providing continuity throughout your operations. It’s the link between policy, performance, objectives, and targets.

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