Role of leadership in management system

### Upcoming Revisions to ISO9001 and 14001: Emphasising Leadership Expansion

ISO9001 and 14001 are about to be revised. New versions are coming in next year and you need to be ready. One of the most important changes promised is the expansion of the role of leadership.

I hear you sigh; you are already spinning so many plates - HR one minute, marketing the next, sales, production, management system (usually behind other, more pressing tasks). But gone are the days when Top management could hand over the system to a management representative. Top management is ultimately responsible and accountable for the management system and have to demonstrate their leadership in all areas of the business. Every decision will need to be filtered through the prism of safety, sustainability and quality. Your customers want to see your commitment in action, not just a certificate on the wall.

## Integrating Business Strategy and Systems for Sustainable Success

While it may generate extra effort on your part, business strategy and system combined is a powerful thing. When you bring the system into your every day, live and breathe it, then your team will do the same. Your customer expectations become the guide, improving sustainability of your operations and demanding the same from your suppliers and contractors, managing the waste you create become a natural part of your board meetings, marketing drives, production processes, equipment selection, your late night musings. Your management system moves from being a tick box exercise only brought out before audits and becomes an integral part of running the business, which is what it has always been intended for.

Leadership Through Action: The Key to Team Accountability

Leadership only works through action. Until your team sees you, the leader, living the values you profess, following procedures you have set, being, and making them accountable, they will not follow even the best system.

And this is true whether your management system is certified, or not.