More than a marketing tool?
The incentive to voluntarily introduce and have certified a management system according to an ISO management system standard varies. The majority are customer requirements that lead to a company needing proof that its processes correspond to effective corporate governance and that these are mastered. Others benefit from tax incentives (in Germany) or are required to do so by the parent company. Some see a direct benefit in their management system, especially with regard to risk management.
Apart from the fact that it can be mandatory to have certifications due to customer requirements, it is also undisputedly an advantage if a company can distinguish itself from the competition with positive characteristics. The presentation of a certification according to a management system standard is a positive feature, even if there are great differences among certified companies. The certificate shows that an organization is concerned with its processes and the standard-specific topics and is continuously optimizing itself. It must be taken into account that the presentation of tried and tested management system certifications such as ISO 9001 for quality or ISO 14001 has long since ceased to be a "unique selling point" (USP), but is very common in certain sectors. It is therefore a basis for having any chance at all on the market. The situation is different for new standards or standards that are not yet widely used (e.g. ISO 37001 Anti-Corruption, ISO 19600/37301 Compliance Management, ISO 50001 Energy). Here, companies can still stand out and possibly benefit from the pioneering role.
However, the actual certificate is only one of the advantages that can be used for marketing purposes. After all, the purpose of the management systems is not the certificates themselves, but results such as process control, continuous improvement of performance, ensuring compliance with the law, etc. These results can and should also be communicated, e.g. in the form of CO2 savings, customer satisfaction, rating results, etc. Management system standards help to build and maintain the necessary structure to regularly achieve and document presentable results.
Last but not least, a well-run, certified management system is always an expression of the inner values and convictions of an organization and its leadership. The credible representation and implementation of strong values and convictions is an important characteristic of successful companies.
Which management system standard should it be?
The most widely used in Switzerland and usually the basis for other management systems is ISO 9001 for quality management systems. The implementation of the standard in the company is intended to ensure, among other things, that verifiable products and services are offered that meet customer requirements, internally defined specifications and legal and regulatory requirements, that opportunities and risks are addressed and that continuous improvement takes place. ISO 9001 and other classics such as ISO 14001 for environmental management or ISO 45001 for occupational safety are suitable for a great many companies and industries. Of course, the purpose and environment of the certified organization must always be considered. In industries with hazardous activities such as construction, ISO 45001 certification (occupational health and safety) will carry more weight than in a pure office operation. The advantage of the ISO series on management systems is that most standards now follow the same structure. Core elements such as the analysis of stakeholders and the environment or the goal-setting processes remain identical. Depending on the subject area, only individual topics such as energy, environment or occupational safety need to be analysed in more detail, mainly for planning purposes. Once a system has been introduced, it can therefore be extended to other subject areas with relatively little effort.
Certification in Switzerland with relatively little effort
In Switzerland, it is already possible to become a certifiable company with moderate efforts. In Switzerland, strict legal requirements must be met anyway, and the standards no longer require system manuals that are as document-heavy as they used to be. Nevertheless, the effort just to achieve a certificate is probably only worthwhile in very few cases. It becomes more interesting when a management system brings effective benefits. The most important prerequisite for this is that the system is actively supported and carried by the top management of an organization. It should set the direction and represent the management system internally. In order for the established system to become and remain alive in everyday life, it is important that employees from all levels are involved at an early stage. The concrete measures are then planned and implemented at the lower levels.
It is usually also advantageous not to simply add the necessary elements on top of existing ones, but to merge them with existing processes and documents where possible. This is an opportunity to question and optimize historically grown procedures and processes. Each management system should therefore be individually tailored to the circumstances of an organisation. This is the only way to ensure that the system that has been set up really does have an impact and that the whole result is not "just" a certificate.
Conclusion
A management system adapted to the company is clearly more than pure marketing, it is first and foremost a management system and serves the comprehensive success of an organization. However, the results and "by-products" achieved with it, such as certificates, reports, performance improvements, etc., are valuable for the marketing department if used skilfully.
