How international standards can give you a business advantage at home and abroad

What does using an international standard say about your business?  And how can they help if you’re exploring new markets beyond the UK?

First, let’s take a look at what we mean by international standards.

Three types of standards

Standards can be developed on a national level, on a regional level or a global level.

• In the UK, BSI develops British Standards (BS).
• European standards bodies include CEN (European Committee for Standardization) and CENELEC (European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization).
• ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) are international standards bodies.

The European standards bodies are independent of the European Union, but the standards they develop are often adopted as European Standards (EN).

 Designated standards

Following Brexit, the UK does not automatically adopt these harmonized standards but they may be designated by the Secretary of State on a case-by-case basis. The UK government website contains a list of designated standards.

Over 90% of British Standards have international origins, as UK experts contribute to an international panel that develops a standard which is adopted as a British Standard. Equally, many British Standards are exported to form the basis of international standards, for example standards on quality, environmental management systems, antibribery and information security.

Four ways international standards give you a business advantage

1. They’re a tool for new business

International standards can help to ease cross-border trade, enabling businesses to provide reassurance to customers and partners around the world.

Meeting an ISO standard can be a valuable asset when competing for new business or entering new territories, allowing you to display the ISO logo on marketing materials and proposals. It may help you to become more competitive, accessing new markets or even branching out overseas.

If you’re a newcomer to a particular market, ISO certification can help bridge the gap until you gain a reputation and track record.

For example, trust is paramount in the food sector. Safety is all-important, but long, complex supply chains make transparency challenging. The food contamination scandals of recent years increased awareness about these hazards and the harm that can be caused to health and public trust. BS EN ISO 22000:2018 provides a framework for a food safety management system that helps identify, prevent and control food hazards. Using BS EN ISO 22000 indicates that a company (and its products) are worthy of trust.

2. They help you build trust

How do customers and business partners know whether your organization is trustworthy?

It would hardly be practicable for each new client or customer to present your business with a long list of requirements, or carry out regular inspections. Instead, a standard provides reassurance that your business follows best practice. A shared set of expectations is established by the standard, helping to avoid disputes and misunderstandings.

Furthermore, if your business gains accreditation or certification to show you meet the requirements of a particular standard, this provides additional reassurance. Allowing an independent party to scrutinize your working practices proves you are a transparent and competent company.

3. They boost productivity

There are many factors that contribute to productivity. It goes to the heart of what your business does and how it does it. ISO standards such as BS EN SO 9001: 2015 help businesses to embed good management principles, around issues such as continuous improvement, governance, competitiveness, resilience and working with stakeholders.

Worker morale is also an important factor in productivity. Standards can help ensure good management, which in turn makes employees feel valued, respected and motivated. Knowing that a company has met ISO standards in areas such as the environment (ISO 14001), treating customers well (ISO 22458) or managing employee health and wellbeing (ISO 45003) helps workers to feel that their job is meaningful and helps make the world a better place.

For example, a company using BS EN ISO 14001:2015 to develop its environmental management systems might find a range of benefits that boost productivity. Firstly, there may be waste which can be reduced, whether through developing more efficient processes, using different materials or finding new ways of working. The monitoring, measuring and transparency which is part of a good environmental management system could also improve productivity in the workforce, ensuring any issues with low productivity come to light. When employees are engaged in sustainability initiatives, they may feel more motivated and positive about their employer.

4. They increase business agility

Standards help businesses to monitor, measure and improve. This gives a greater degree of control over operations, which leads to increased flexibility. The world is changing at a rapid pace; a business model that works well today may be obsolete in a few years’ time. Using ISO standards can help companies to understand their businesses on a deeper level, giving them the insight to be able to embrace rapid change.

Using ISO 22316: 2017  can help you to improve organizational resilience. The standard guides organizations to take an all-round view of risks and opportunities, assisting agility and innovation amid changing circumstances. This process will highlight areas of a business that deliver most value, so business objectives can be adjusted to reflect reality.

Organizational resilience helps businesses adapt to changing market conditions, but it can also help with weathering adverse events like the COVID-19 pandemic. Learning from adverse events helps businesses to avoid repeating mistakes in future, developing greater preparedness for scenarios such as cyberattack, extreme weather events, or supply chain disruption.

What can international standards do for your organization?

International standards can help you improve trust, productivity and flexibility. There are many specific standards that might apply to your industry, or assist you in developing in new directions. If you want to know whether an international standard applies to a particular area, why not get in touch with the BSI Knowledge Centre for help?