We are seeing more global certification bodies create their own assurance and branded certification schemes.
Like ISO 31000 letter of conformance for airports.
Dubai Airports this week received a letter of conformance for ISO 31000 – 2009 Enterprise Risk Management from Lloyds’ Register Quality Assurance (LRQA).
According to a recent Press Release
“ISO 31000 was used as an international benchmark to assess Dubai Airports’ ERM practices which provide a strong foundation for management and corporate governance”
The challenge is: ISO 31000 – 2009 specifically states that the standard is NOT to be used for certification/registration purposes.
However, global Certification Bodies are breaking with ISO conventions to develop new assurance models based on customer needs. Let’s look ISO 31000 letter of conformance a little deeper.
Why Is There a Letter of Conformance for an Airport?
So, what’s the customer need or driver for Dubai Airports to get a formal letter of conformance from a global, well respected Certification Body?
Many airports in the world are going through Safety Management System (SMS) inspections by their national air regulators. SMS is:
“.. the formal, top-down, organization-wide approach to managing safety risk and assuring the effectiveness of safety risk controls. It includes systematic procedures, practices, and policies for the management of safety risk.”[i]
For example in the US, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a proposed rule requiring airports to adopt SMS. Eventually, every airport will be required to have a risk management system.
Dubai Airports wanted third party assurance and credibility of its risk management system beyond SMS compliance. Hence, LRQA’s letter of conformance.
ISO Certification Body Challenges
The ISO 9001 and 14001 certification market is maturing. ISO 9001 and 14001 certificates are perceived as commodities in many parts of the world.
CB’s want to satisfy their clients. Hence, they are developing new assurance and certification schemes.
CB’s operating margins with ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certificates are low. New forms of assurance provide higher margins.
CB’s know from customer requests and surveys that risk conformance certificates are in demand. Risk has become the language of business, assurance, and compliance. However, ISO does not offer risk certification.
Global Certification Bodies will meet customer requirements with new and tailored assurance products. The assurance products will likely be outside of accreditation and certification schemes.
You may ask: what gives these unaccredited certificates authenticity and value? These letters of conformance are provided by global Certification Bodies with advanced auditing and assurance capabilities. Their global brands have the requisite assurance cachet.
LRQA is the tip of the iceberg on new forms of certification and assurance. We believe all global Certification Bodies will go in this direction and will become a global trend.
[i] FAA, Safety Management System, FAA Order 8000.369.
Bio
Greg Hutchins is the developer of Certified Enterprise Risk Manager(R) and is the lead engineer with 1800Compete.com. He can be reached at 503.233.1012
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