SLAQ Awards for best ISO Systems

ISO program to improve the business as well as social well being had issued many standards and the system based standards and these are expected to play a major role in improving the industrial progress, safety as well as environment. These standards are used in many developed countries with proven results. ISO had also issued many guides to support the certification based on these system standards.

Whilst ISO produced the base for these guide ands standers, accreditation boards and certification boards, training organizations, consultants and auditors are developed to implement these standards effectively.

The recent information indicates that in many developing countries these certifications are used more for commercial purposes and the organizations look for ‘cheap certificates' whilst some certification bodies cater for such type of ‘customers'. This had resulted in loss on national productivity whilst commercial interests of stakeholders are fulfilled at the cost of the organizations seeking certification.

SLAQ had taken many steps to educate organizations to use these standards effectively for business improvements.

SLAQ had already established ISO FORUM to educate the organizations practicing or planning to introduce ISO Management Systems and to provide information on latest developments in this the development of standards and certification related activities. ISO FORUM NEWSLETER is published periodically to ensure this information reaches these organizations regularly. In addition ISO FORUM seminars are held and it is proposed to conduct an annual seminar to share the experience of organizations that are benefited through these systems.

ISO FORUM news release informs that as a major drive in promoting these standards and for effective contribution to the national economy Sri Lanka Association for Quality (SLAQ) ISO Management System Development Program (ISO MSDP) is launched to promote effective implementation of ISO Management Systems. For supporting organizations achieving the best results through the implementation of Management Systems based on ISO International standards, SLAQ will select a group of organizations for “SLAQ ISO awards”. This is an effort to encourage Sri Lankan Organizations to practice ISO standards and benefit out of these rather than merely achieving a certificate.

This present situation had resulted in ISO Certifications are used merely for marketing benefits rather than business improvement. The ISO MSDP program of SLAQ will also encourage certification bodies also to be more genuine in granting certifications.

News release further states that this will lead to more organizations making use of these management systems, which had proven success in business improvements in many countries. This will also ensure customers, both local as well as overseas receive products and services of reliable quality. This will make Sri Lankan Organizations becoming competitive both at national and international level.

Dr. Srilal de Silva, President of SLAQ stated that these awards will made to organizations implementing these systems effectively by an independent panel of judges who will look for evidence the effective implementation of these standards and the awards will be made on specific scoring guidelines applicable to each System. The panel will consist of professionals, academics representatives from chambers and also observers from reputed auditing firms.

Dr. de Silva further explained that the three main standards considered for these awards would be ISO 9001:2000, ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 22000:2005. However the awards for 2006/2007 will cover ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 22000: 2005 will be include in the 2007/2008 program. This will enable ISO 22000 certification program to be adequately established before incorporating into the awards program. Other ISO Management Systems such as Information Security Management Systems (ISO 27001:2005) will also be gradually incorporated in the program.

The basic requirement for application will be that the applicant organization had received an internationally accredited certificate in the receptive field.

Separate awards for service and manufacturing categories will include in the program and to accommodate organizations of all sizes in the program three classes of organizations i.e. large, medium and small, will be evaluated separately and separate awards will be made. There will be one main award for each category.

For granting more opportunities and also to standardize the scheme different industry groups will be evaluated separately for certificates will be awarded to the best in each industry group. This will enable uniqueness of each group to be considered.

Initially construction, building materials, food processing, computers and software, arts and crafts, stationary will be considered. This will be further expanded depending on the applications received.

Major industry groups such as food processing will be further classified as tea, spices, fishery products, meat and poultry products, horticulture, fruits and vegetables, bakery products. Construction industry will be further classified as buildings, roads and machinery.

Service categories identified will be healthcare, transport, communications, printing, banking, and insurance and security services.

SLAQ expects this program to be the major event on for quality awards and have a significant improvement in the industries. This will amount to 6 main awards for each system and certificates in industry sectors. It is expected that around 8 awards and 25 certificates to be issued annually.

However each award will have a minimum score so that the awards will be of standing. If none of the organizations in each sector had reached the minimum score awards will nor be made for that particular year.

To support this ISO MSDP, awards of recognition will also be made to training organizations that contribute to the ISO MSDP effectively. Training will be linked to internationally accepted programs such as IRCA or ASQ auditor training and certification programs as these are indicators of standards of the programs conducted.

This scheme will further extended to cover consultancy services contributing to developing effective systems and the proven competencies and demonstrated contributions of these services will also be recognized.

SLAQ will introduce a system, to review the success of the scheme periodically using independent organizations.

Dr. de Silva outlining the future actions under ISO MSDP explained that SLAQ is proposing to extend this program for other systems where ISO standards are not presently available. These include OHSAS, SA 8000, organic farming, and forestry management etc.

For details check SLAQ website: www.qualityassociation.org