Quality and Environment Integration: Uncovering Management System Connections
Over the past few months, I have overseen the certification processes for Quality (ISO 9001) and Environment (ISO 14001), gaining a deeper understanding of their connections. What might be a not obvious synergy holds transformative potential.
If, by quality, we mean enhancing efficiency, reducing the waste of resources (be they material, intellectual, or simply time), it becomes obvious that quality and environmental management systems share the same objectives.
Working simultaneously on these two spaces can offer several benefits, as they mutually influence each other in ways that could result in transformative change.
What is a management system?
According to ISO principles (International Organization for Standardization), a management system, is a structured approach adopted by an organization to guide its operations and achieve specific objectives.
ISO 9001 focuses on processes and efficiency with customer satisfaction as its gravitational center, while ISO 14001 addresses environmental impacts. Both provide similar frameworks based on:
- Well-Defined Processes: structured processes create a foundation that is not only beneficial to organizational coherence but also across various functions.
- Leadership Commitment: continuous improvement is unattainable unless there is dedicated and sustained commitment from top management.
- Systemic Management: a systemic approach ensures a comprehensive and interconnected view of organizational processes, contributing to long-term stability and adaptability.
- Fact-Based Decision-Making: the ISO system necessitates the identification of time-monitored and measurable Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for each organizational function.
In practice, when a management system is in place, it contributes to ensuring regulatory compliance and operational effectiveness.
Where can Quality-Environment provide value?
Numerous business functions are linked to the concept of quality. For instance, those engaged in sales and production must ensure that products or services meet established standards.
Talent management and human resources management are tasked with securing and retaining qualified individuals, while procurement is responsible for maintaining quality conformity and consistency along the entire supply chain.
If we contemplate how to reduce an organization’s environmental impact, we realize that we are likely to engage the same functions for similar reasons.
The principles that form the base of quality management closely align with the core values of Sustainability or ESG values (Environment, Social, and Governance).
From a sustainability perspective, challenges like enhancing energy efficiency and engaging suppliers align with quality management principles. Both systems share a commitment to excellence and positive ESG impact:
- Optimizing Resource Consumption: Efficiently utilizing resources to minimize environmental impact, a principle resonating with both quality and environmental objectives.
- Minimizing Waste: Striving to reduce waste in all its forms and promoting responsible practices of waste disposal.
- Fostering Stakeholder Relationships: Cultivating connections between a business and its various stakeholders, a concept that resonates with Quality emphasis on customer satisfaction and continuous improvement.
As customers increasingly prioritize ESG criteria in supplier qualification and tenders, it highlights the need for businesses to stay focused on delivering value to customers.
How to initiate an integrated approach?
Discovering the synergy between quality and environmental management unveils a powerful opportunity for transformative impact. To make the most of this connection, adopting an integrated approach from the start is key.
Here’s the step-by-step guide I followed to initiate such approach:
- Assess Processes: Start by evaluating the existing processes in your organization. Identify those that are business-critical and have a significant impact on sustainability. Understanding the current state is foundational for meaningful improvements.
- Ensure Regulatory Compliance: Simultaneously, verify that your processes align with both legal requirements and ISO standards. This comprehensive approach aids in identifying potential critical gaps and prepares your organization for certification processes. Additionally, be mindful that achieving alignment requires time and resources (often more than initially anticipated).
- Formalize, Revise and Update Processes: Proceed to revise and update your processes, keeping in mind the requirements of ISO 14001 for environmental management and ISO 9001 for quality management. Whether it involves enhancing existing processes or building new ones, assign clear responsibilities to individuals. Utilize tools like a RACI matrix to identify and communicate the roles and responsibilities of each team member.
- Communicate Benefits: Be sure to clearly communicate the benefits, emphasizing how this coordinated approach is not only advantageous for the business but also enhances overall efficiency. Widely explain the positive impact on sustainability and ESG goals.
By following these steps, organizations can lay the groundwork for a coordinated approach.
Prepare for tomorrow!
Embracing an integrated approach to quality and environmental management isn’t just about compliance – it’s a strategy that strikes multiple goals.
By aligning processes with ISO standards (or similar), organizations not only ensure regulatory compliance but also establish certification readiness, elevating recognition and reputation.
Moreover, this approach is scalable, seamlessly integrating with other management systems.
A holistic strategy that not only puts everything in order but also contributes to success and adaptability over time.
Alessandra Piai is a Sustainability Manager with 5+ years of experience driving environmental and social impact for software companies. Her focus includes ensuring compliance with ISO standards, managing Sustainability reporting, and strategizing sustainability initiatives. She is dedicated to adopting a holistic approach to sustainability, envisioning a future where businesses seamlessly integrate ESG principles into their operations.