Developing Management Systems during Crises, according to ISO Standards

Times of economic recession and dwindling production are the best times for institutions, companies, and business organizations to implement management systems development to increase their efficiency.
During the lockdown period to control the spread of the coronavirus pandemic, we were free from the pressure of customer orders and delivery schedules. This gave employees time to implement projects that were postponed to avoid delays in daily work, such as the implementation of ISO standards.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has many management standards, which those who wish to optimize their operations can use as references to develop their processes. The completeness of the developed systems and the correctness of their implementation may then be verified by obtaining certificates of conformity from one of the many approved ISO audit bodies.

ISO is the world's largest developer and publisher of international standards. It is a network of standards organizations of the 164 member states. It was founded in 1946 with its central secretariat is based in Geneva, Switzerland. It published its first standard in 1951 which was a Reference Temperature for Industrial Length Measurements.
ISO published its first standard on management systems in 1987 which was a real breakthrough. That is because all the standards issued before that year were standards either for products, or to measure industrial and environmental indicators. This standard initiated the ISO 9000 family, which was concerned with quality assurance and later changed to quality management.
Our company, TAG-Consult, was chosen to be the only Arab non-governmental member in the ISO technical committee, under decison no. 176. The committee is responsible for formulating the ISO 9000 series of standards since 1994 until now. This has distinguished us and increased our competence and efficiency.
Our representatives have given hundreds of courses and seminars on these amendments in more than 20 Arab countries over the past 20 years.
Obtaining ISO certification provides important benefits for organizations. For example, many large companies and international, governmental, and non-profit institutions, require entities to have ISO certifications in order to deal with them. It also enhances competitiveness in the market; establishes a system that can be implemented and controlled; ensures the development of processes, services, and products; addresses quality issues; raises customer satisfaction levels and ensures compliance with the instructions of legislative and regulatory authorities regarding environmental and occupational safety.

ISO consultants have the ability and professional competence to assist all types of organizations, regardless of their sizes and the diversification of their businesses, to obtain certificates of conformity to most of the management specifications. This includes the Quality Management System standard ISO 9001, which ensures the institution's commitment to the requirements of management and quality assurance. It also includes the ISO 14001, which obliges institutions to comply with local regulations on environmental performance, and ISO 45001, which ensures the commitment to providing a safe work environment for workers in institutions, reducing injuries, and protecting institutions from liabilities.
Finally, I believe that the ISO is a real need and not a marketing ploy. It does not only enhances the organization's position in front of its competitors, but also improves the quality of the product and in turn profitability. It also improves customer service, employee satisfaction levels and loyalty to work. It should be noted, however, that the ISO certification may radically change the structure of institutions. That is why there must be a real desire and acceptance for change, knowing that the implementation of ISO standards requires continuous effort, patience and deliberation.