Today’s corporate world is as dynamic and exciting as it is ruthless. All sectors have become increasingly complex marketplaces. But there are still plenty of ways to gain some much-needed competitiveness. Undoubtedly, one of the most straightforward is to improve your products and services offering, but an often overlooked opportunity to carve out a greater market share lies in another series of intangibles: quality and safety. How can companies respond to demanding and globally recognised standards nowadays, both in these areas and in other equally essential aspects? Through certifications, of course.

Why pay attention to certifications? What are they?

Certifications are formal recognitions issued by nationally and internationally accredited bodies that verify a given company is meeting specific quality and safety standards. They cover a wide variety of different areas, from process management to occupational safety, from environmental protections to guaranteeing maximum quality when it comes to products and services. Obtaining certifications is clear proof that a company is firmly aligned with best practice, which naturally helps build trust among customers, suppliers and other market players.

The benefits of being certified

Fundamentally, an individual or set of certifications gives companies a certain level of prestige that can objectively pay dividends, since this type of recognition can only be granted after jumping through a series of measurable, verifiable and public hoops. On the other hand, they simultaneously provide organisations with a seal or stamp that equates them with a prescriber or authorised voice in the specific area related to their accreditation. In other words, it tells the company’s entire market chain that they’re a serious operator. Both aspects can have a significant impact, as mentioned above, on confidence levels among customers and users alike, which is – in most cases – what leads to actual sales and, in the longer term, customer loyalty and retention.

What’s actually involved in achieving certified status?

Official certifications – regardless of the agency granting them or the area they regulate – carry prestige because they’re typically hard to obtain. And not because the process is long or involves lots of paperwork, or anything like that. It’s hard because companies have to comply with highly specific and hugely demanding requirements and – one aspect that’s often overlooked – must implement a certain corporate culture and a series of practices to ensure certifications can be maintained long after they’ve initially been achieved.

It’s about showing an ongoing commitment to essential aspects, such as quality and safety, rather than a single effort to obtain a seal before abandoning or neglecting the fundamental principles. The following process is fairly typical of what it takes to achieve almost all types of certifications:

Initial assessment

This involves searching, analysing and understanding the requirements of the certification and assessing the current status of the processes, systems or areas to be certified, verifying how close or far away the company is from meeting those requirements.

Implementing improvements

This stage is all about making the necessary changes to comply with established standards, which could be structural, procedural, internal or external dynamics, materials, equipment, etc. Sometimes, achieving certified status requires a step-by-step implementation process on the company’s part, which means you can’t just jump to phase two without the certifying body signing off on level one, and so on.

Internal audits

This involves carrying out internal verification processes to ensure that everything meets the requirements. The more demanding and meticulous the audits – even exceeding the standards set by the certification body itself – the easier it will be to eventually obtain and maintain the seal of approval.

External audits

Put simply, this is when the certifications in question are actually granted or denied, as compliance is assessed and verified by an external certification body. Sometimes, non-compliance with the requirements invalidates an organisation’s ability to apply for a specific certification. In most cases, however, if a company fails to meet the standard required on the day, they’re allowed to simply make the necessary changes in order to get up to standard.

Continuous improvement and maintenance

Internal audits must take place at regular and fairly frequent intervals so that companies become as demanding of themselves as the certifying body would be. This is also designed to help foster a dynamic of continuous improvement, not specifically as a way of maintaining a certain quality or safety seal, but rather to ensure that level of excellence becomes part of the company’s inherent culture.

Quality and safety certifications aren’t usually mandatory in all markets or for all companies, but any “serious” organisation – regardless of whether it’s a relative newcomer or one of longstanding – must show it cares about the highest standards in these and other areas. It’s also about showing you’re doing everything you possibly can to obtain a seal that proves you’re worthy of trust.

But certifications and quality and safety standards must be carefully selected according to the nature and specific needs of each individual company, taking account of its size, sector and market, and not just as a response to trends like sustainability or other similar criteria. Adopting standards properly ensures they can be effectively integrated into business strategies, improving the efficiency, quality and safety of operations, all while contributing to a company’s sustainable and competitive growth.