Whether you're a seasoned professional or new to the world of standards, we have compiled a comprehensive FAQ guide to demystify the complexities and empower you to make informed decisions.
Question 1: What are standards, and why are they important?
Standards are documents (digital or physical) that set out established guidelines or criteria used to ensure uniformity, consistency, and quality in products, services, processes, and practices. They play a crucial role in promoting interoperability, enhancing safety, and fostering innovation across various industries.
By providing a common framework for communication and collaboration, standards facilitate trade, drive efficiency, and ensure consumer confidence.
Question 2: What does a standard do?
Standards exist to help solve organizational challenges, specify exact requirements for products and services, and set a benchmark for what ‘good’ is. They provide information on the best way of doing something, whether that’s distilling whisky, or manufacturing the parts for a car engine. According to BSI research, 35% of standard users say that standards are essential to their business activity.
As well as this overall benefit, organizations that adopt a standard will also enjoy wider operational improvements such as increased efficiency and productivity, a boost to the business’ reputation and subsequently winning new business.
For example, a standard like ISO/IEC 27001 shows organizations how to set up and run a system that protects their data. But in creating an information security management system (ISMS), writing new information security policies, and improving data security overall, it also streamlines how documents are saved and filed making operations more efficient and productive.
Question 3: How are standards made?
Standards are developed through a collaborative process involving industry experts, government agencies, and other stakeholders.
The process typically begins with the identification of a need for a new standard or revision of an existing one. A technical committee or working group is formed to draft the standard, which undergoes a consensus-building process to ensure input from all relevant parties.
Once consensus is reached, the standard is approved, published, and periodically reviewed and updated to maintain relevance and effectiveness.
You can learn more about the different methods of standard development, or even get involved by visiting our Standards Development page.
Question 4: Are standards suitable for smaller businesses and start-ups?
SME and start-ups know just how precious time is; wearing multiple hats and carrying out lots of tasks at once is necessary to save time and keep costs down.
Standards make life easier by solving common challenges and helping your business to operate more efficiently and effectively, improving the day-to-day running of an organization, and boosting that all-important bottom line.
Question 5: How do I choose a standard?
Choosing the right standard to implement in your organization involves a thorough understanding of your goals, industry requirements, and operational challenges.
Start by identifying the areas where standardization can provide the most significant benefits, such as quality management, safety, environmental impact, or technological cohesiveness.
Then, you’ll want to do some research. Browse our range of standards on BSI Knowledge, explore our resources, and think about what you want to achieve by using them.
Engage stakeholders, including employees, customers, and suppliers, to gather insights and ensure the chosen standard aligns with their needs and expectations. You’ll also need to consider the resources required for implementation, including training, costs, and potential changes to existing workflows.
Finally, assess the long-term benefits, such as improved efficiency, market access, and compliance, to ensure the standard will support your organization’s growth and strategic vision.
Question 6: What is standard implementation and how do I do it?
Standard implementation is the process of adopting and integrating specific standards into an organization’s processes, practices, and systems to improve efficiency, quality, compliance, and competitiveness.
To implement a standard, start by identifying the appropriate standard and conducting a gap analysis to assess current practices. Then, develop a detailed implementation plan, allocate resources, and train employees. You might also need to modify existing processes or create new procedures to meet the standard's requirements.
Begin with pilot testing before full implementation, then regularly monitor and conduct internal audits to ensure compliance. You might also engage an accredited third-party body for conducting external audits and certification if applicable.
Finally, establish a feedback loop for continuous improvement and stay updated on any changes to the standard.
Question 7: What is the difference between certification and non-certification?
In a nutshell, certification confirms that an organizations’ systems, processes and/or products are compliant with a standard. In the UK, this is carried out by third-party auditors approved by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).
Certification enables an organization to display a kitemark on branding and other materials, demonstrating its commitment to quality to customers and clients.
However, it's important to note that most standards are not externally verifiable; only some are. The actual benefits of standards come from implementing the best practices they outline across your organization or production processes, not only from getting a certification.
By implementing a standard, you improve your current processes to ensure consistent quality and efficiency, ultimately working in more effective and cost-efficient ways.
