The Value of Registration

The basics and beyond

Organizations pursue registration to international standards for a variety of reasons, but in the broadest possible sense most agree that the goal is to improve business operations and reap financial rewards, either by saving money through increased efficiencies or in making money by getting or retaining more customers.

For those who are unfamiliar with standards registration, there is a basic six-step process to confirm that your management system complies with a specific standard. These six steps are universal and apply to pretty much any company seeking certification to pretty much any standard.

Step 1: Research

Selecting your certification body (also known as a registrar) is the first decision you will make, and likely your most important. You want to go with a partner that understands your industry and your place within it. The registrar should be sensitive to the needs of your business, and it should understand exactly why you are pursuing registration and what you hope to accomplish. Many times, working with the registrar to explore these answers will help you better understand your own motivations, too.

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Comments

Registration is almost exclusively to check a box

I dont agree with, believe or see evidence that registatration is more than being able to state an organization complies with a customer requirement. Seeking registration to a standard for either saving money or making money sounds like a wonderful idea. Maybe a customer checking a complaince box and placing more orders is the same as "making money". I think 99% of all registrations are attained becasue it is a compliance requirement of the customer and a meal ticket to possible future orders. When was the last time a customer or your organiziton used the structure of a standard to resolve a business issue? Or does your organization send e mails, voicemails, reports, conference calls, management meets with managment and verbally resolve the issue, etc. As an after thought, a corrective action is written down or logged for credit, maybe an FMEA or control plan is updated after the customer asks for it, etc.

Business improvement used to be the reference model for the US TAG to ISO/TC176 related to management system standards. In my personal opinion, now the reference is more likely the auditability of text. What does auditability have to do with using a standard for business improvement?