10 reasons international standards make great business sense

Business success can be measured in terms of both financial wealth and the added value a company offers its customers. Both have their own worth – and both can be positively affected by the auditing and assessment of ISO international standards. As an article on the Quality Digest website suggests, there are ten ways standards registration adds value to your business.

1. Formal recognition can help attract new investors to your company. If your company is registered to ISO standards it is perceived as being professional and constantly looking to improve. This will appeal to investors looking for a business that will grow and be successful.

2. Formal systems can help reduce waste and bring down costs. Having formal procedures in place helps eliminates errors, maintains consistency and helps you manage your resources.

3. ISO certification is your gateway to more lucrative revenue opportunities. Without it, you could be missing out on a number of new business ventures as companies use it as partnership criteria.

4. For new businesses, ISO accreditation is a great substitute for lack of reputation. ISO standards give your business a degree of integrity capital, help build trust and (as a result) boost sales.

5. Businesses can use standards to demonstrate they are ethical – something that is increasingly important for today's customers.

6. ISO standards registration helps enhance the inherent value of your products through the CE mark, full product approval and ongoing compliance.

7. Being willing to have an independent, third-party auditor scrutinize your business operations will build customer trust and loyalty. Business today centres around transparency – and ISO registration gives your business just that.

8. Having an effective and regularly audited quality management system encourages a more professional, diligent workforce.

9. The impartiality of ISO registration brings with it greater respect in the marketplace.

10. The ISO certification process is driven by the desire to be better in the future than you are today. Having an ongoing commitment to improving the standard of your business will have a positive effect on both its worth and value.