NQA
Small businesses with certification against management systems standards are better placed to survive the recession, according to research from certification body NQA.
60% of small and medium sized enterprises surveyed, all certified against standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, were optimistic that their firm would emerge from the economic downturn in a stronger position than their rivals, compared to just 36% of those with no certifications.
The research, Managing with Certainty, surveyed the directors of 250 UK SMEs. Results revealed that those with certifications were better able to plan for the short term (72%) than those without (31%), were more able to respond to a changing marketplace (79% against 53%) and were rated more highly as places to work (86% against 74%).
The directors also confirmed that certified businesses felt more able to access new markets, had higher levels of customer satisfaction and were more likely to be legally compliant.
NQA carried out the research to explore whether the recession would diminish the need for certification. Catherine Golds, head of NQA, said: “The results show that firms with business certifications such as ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 are in a better position to survive difficult economic times.”
“This seems to be largely because directors of such firms look at the business as a whole and don’t pinpoint one or two areas to focus attention on in tough times. This balanced viewpoint enables firms to adapt to the changing demands of the market.”
Paul Simpson, Chartered Quality Institute technical manager, said: “There is no doubt that effective use of management systems enables organisations to focus on their important processes. This research indicates that SMEs are seeing the benefit both of using management systems standards and of the external overview that certification provides. This confidence could be an indicator of organisations having achieved real advantages.”