1
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
ESSAY COMPETITION
Category 3
NATIONAL CERTIFICATION BODY OF JAMAICA
6 WINCHESTER ROAD
KINGSTON 10
Name: Grace-Ann Biggs Allen, Ph.D.
Email: gallen@miic.gov.jm
Telephone Numbers: 392-1881 [CUG]; 349-5656[C&W];
968-8698[O]
Organization: Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce
[ISO Unit]
Job Title: Senior Food Storage Scientist [FSPID]
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
2
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
Introduction
Jamaican Companies have been encouraged to improve the quality of their services and goods by
the Minister of Industry, Investment and Commerce, Hon. Anthony Hylton in his Sectoral
Debate presentation in the House of Representatives on June 20, 2012. He urged local entities to
move to becoming certified, as certification is a critical feature in enhancing competitiveness and
that implementing a quality management system (QMS) can positively impact the improvement
of product quality. Hon. Minister Hylton stressed that he wanted to increase the standard of
quality of services and goods produced throughout Jamaica, particularly if the country’s exports
are to be internationally competitive, because it will be difficult for expansion of the export
sector if measures are not implemented to effect same.
He further stated that his Ministry in collaboration with the Bureau of Standards will be
endorsing the adoption of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 9001:2008
QMS, which has been already implemented in 175 countries by over one million organizations
and is applicable to entities, Government or private sector which offer goods or services.
Certification is mandatory in the current competitive global environ, as many companies in
developed countries will not conduct business with companies in developing countries, which
are not ISO 9001 certified. Hence, Jamaica must urgently move to help local companies in
becoming certified in order to enhance their international competitiveness. Minister Hylton
further stated that all agencies and divisions within his Ministry have been mandated to
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
3
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
implement the ISO 9001:2008 QMS in order to become certified and his vision for the next four
to five years, is for every government ministry and agency to follow suit by attaining a similar
certification (Hylton 2012).
Importance/Rationale for implementing an ISO QMS
The world’s largest standards-writing body, the ISO has written some 18,500 international
standards encompassing a wide array of sectors inclusive of Information Technology,
Agriculture, Manufacturing, Engineering and Management. Implementation of these standards
can ensure that globally-recognized requirements are met and also the accessibility of new
markets. The ISO family worldwide consists of the national standards institutes of 138 countries
and many benefits accrue from the implementation of ISO QMS in organizations. The concept
of the customer and supplier working together for their mutual good is the essence of a quality
organization. A QMS is defined as a set of activities which are coordinated to control and direct
an organization resulting in continuous improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of its
performance and its primary objective should not be in the detection of defective products or
services after resources have been expended in their production, but rather in preventing same
(MIIC 2012).
According to NCBJ’s website, a management system certification is obtained when there is
confirmation by an authorized recognized third party verifying that: a suitable organizational
structure is in place to manage activities and processes; the objectives of the organization
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
4
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
(production targets, quality and conformance levels) are achieved when inputs are transformed
into services or products; the quality requirements of customers are satisfied; the organization is
compliant with relevant regulations and the quality and environmental objectives are met by the
organization. ISO 9001:2008 QMS standard ensures that an organization is able to prove that it
consistently achieves customer satisfaction via actual application of the QMS, inclusive of
processes for continual improvement and additionally assures adherence of conformity to
customer and relevant regulatory and statutory requirements. At the end of December 2011, at
least 1,109,905 ISO 9001 certificates were issued in 176 countries and economies.
Benefits of ISO QMS
Benefits received by public sector organizations worldwide which have implemented ISO’s
QMS worldwide, (Eicher 2001) inlude:
The Canadian Government realised cost savings resulting from increased efficiency as a
four-fold return was generated from each dollar invested once the standard is effectively
implemented.
The ability to illustrate efficiency in terms of saving money to
Governments and other stakeholders which finance operations in the current financially
challenged environment, is more than welcome.
In Australia, effective management of activities resulted in positive benefits on the
bottom line as an Insurer was spared from increased premiums, due to confidence in its
ability to achieve an excellent risk rating via implementation of an ISO QMS.
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
5
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
There is now increased pressure for organizations to evolve to a stakeholder-focused
businesslike modus operandi, from an institutional one. Management can be assured that
in restructuring operations, the ISO model is the standard that is utilized by over 350,000
quality systems in private and public sector entities in 150 countries.
Implementation of an ISO QMS (www.ISO9001consultant.com.au) ensures that:
The system is commonly understood inclusive of processes which are repeatable and
consistent
Regardless of circumstances the organization functions in a systematic and disciplined
manner
Failures are minimized in quality of product or service
Persons know exactly what and how to carry out activities, as time is not spent ‘reinventing wheels’.
Business improves as an ISO QMS Certificate distinguishes an organization in the
marketplace and its products can be readily sold in new markets
Resources are not spent on the same problems as they have been permanently resolved,
hence if a similar problem resurfaces, a process is already in place for rectification, as
resources and skills are available to expeditiously identify and correct it with less
resources
Improvement in reporting and management control as one is capable of identifying the
organization’s performance and are able to troubleshoot
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
6
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
Less difficulty is experienced in answering queries re: the quality system, as one will be
familiar with all its aspects
Improved customer satisfaction, greater employee satisfaction, less maintenance efforts
and less rework and frustration
There is a basis for continual improvement
There is no room for mediocrity, non-performance and loafing
There is an ‘auto pilot’ modus operandi – if duties are not performed, then individuals
will be in breach
There is accountability, detailed documentation and discipline becomes mandatory
The following eight quality management principles are applicable when a QMS is implemented
(www.dti.gov.uk/quality/qms):
 Customer focus
 Leadership by top management
 People involvement at all levels
 Process approach – supported by procedures and work instructions
 Systems approach to management
 Continual improvement via measurement, monitoring and analysis
 Factual decision making after the above
 Mutually beneficial supplier relationship for the long term benefits
When an ISO QMS is implemented within an organization, members say what will be done, and
after the task is completed, verification is carried out to ensure it was correctly done. The
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
7
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
process is documented and records maintained to carry out periodical reviews of the system, to
verify if improvements can be achieved over time. A non-conformity which is highlighted via
implementation of the quality system, unearths a golden opportunity for improvement and a
corrective action is usually required to correct same. Hence an organization is driven through a
cycle of continual improvement on a daily basis, with an underlying philosophy of ‘what is
wrong and how can it be improved?’
Jamaican Institutional Agencies for Certification
Consistent with new international principles for conformity assessment, two aspects of Jamaica’s
National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) were developed with the establishment of the National
Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ) and the Jamaica National Agency for Accreditation
(JANAAC) in 2007 and 2008 respectively. The NCBJ is the first certification body in the
Caribbean region to gain accreditation status to offer certification of management systems in the
private and public sectors, to both manufacturing and service industries. In November 2009,
NCBJ was accredited to certify management systems to ISO 9001:2008 and in May 2010,
accreditation status was gained for ISO 14001:2004. The entity is an independent certification
unit of the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) and embodies the key elements of confidentiality,
competence, impartiality, continual improvement and professionalism. The BSJ is developing
the capabilities to provide management systems certification and currently offers product
certification. This is the process of certifying that a particular product has passed quality
assurance and performance tests, or conforms to requirements stipulated in the appropriate
standards. JANAAC is chiefly responsible for the accreditation of laboratories and inspection
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
8
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
and certification bodies. The process by which an authoritative body such as JANAAC grants
formal recognition that a Conformity Assessment Body (CAB) is competent to carry out
particular services, based on specific international standards and practices is referred to as
Accreditation. In the case of agencies/divisions of Government, certification will be done by the
National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ), (MIIC 2012).
Certified Jamaican Companies by local and other Certification Entities
In Jamaica 30 organizations are currently certified to ISO 9001, 24 private sector and 6
government entities; thirteen entities are currently certified to ISO 14001, 11 private sector and 2
government entities. Of the thirty Jamaican organizations certified to ISO 9001:2008 Quality
Management Systems, two are certified by NCBJ – Caribbean Cement Company Limited and
National Health Fund. Of the thirteen Jamaican organizations certified to ISO 14001:2004
Environmental Management Systems, one has been certified by NCBJ – Tijule Company Ltd.
NCBJ currently has contracts inclusive of Audits in process with four other Companies. These
numbers of certified organizations are constantly changing, dependent on how many
organizations are either added to this listing, or those whose certification has been suspended
dependent on the success of re-certification audits (NCBJ 2012).
This document will focus on the competitive edge of six
ISO 9001:2008 QMS certified
Jamaican organizations in the following sectors, which are catalytic in influencing how business
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
9
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
is conducted to maximize productivity required for positive economic growth, via sustainable
economic activity through the provision of employment.
 1. Training
 2. Manufacturing
 3. Agro-Processing
 4. Construction - Road
 5. Research – Scientific
1. Training: NCTVET- National Council on Technical Vocational Education and
Training
According to HEART Trust/NTA Operational Plan 2007, the vision of NCTVET is to ensure
that the Jamaican workforce is trained and certified to international standards, encouraging
employment-creating investments, contributing to the improved productivity, competitiveness
and prosperity of individuals, enterprises and Jamaica. The mission is to develop a flexible
TVET system which constantly expands access to training and certification is established to
impact and satisfy labour market demands, while core values include (HEART Trust/NTA
Performance Report 2007) customer satisfaction, quality, learning creativity and innovation,
relevance, partnership and teamwork. The driving forces behind NCTVET are : the demand for
a Jamaican workforce with higher-level skills and critical employability; high social demand for
training programmes; increasing expectations by the public; demand of the labour market for
competent workers; accountability for the tax levy; technology and new processes; investment in
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
10
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
key sectors such as bauxite, hospitality, ICT and construction; national responsibility (NTA);
regional leadership in TVET and CSME/FTAA globalization and competition. Key success
factors which confer a competitive edge for NCTVET include, being able to demonstrate to
Jamaican citizens and stakeholders the importance of improving qualifications, competencies
and skills; assisting Jamaican companies with identification of training requirements in order to
implement training, assessment and certification; helping attendees to pursue a qualification in
their area of occupational interest and also helping attendees with career advancement through
further training; providing standards-based training which results in certification in addition to
job placement services that lead to employment; affiliating with other institutions and
organizations to increase accessibility to training, certification and employment; meeting
stakeholder and customer requirements for responsive, timely solutions; exhibiting
accountability and positive returns for training investments and hiring competent trainers and
instructors.
Opportunities which presented themselves thereby facilitating NCTVET’s competitive edge are,
significant new investments in construction, hospitality, bauxite and information technology;
emerging public awareness of the relevance of a competent workforce and competitiveness;
circumstances for influencing form and direction of the formal education system; regional TVET
leadership and provision of services – opportunities to certify under CSME; institutional
collaboration to deliver higher-level programmes; the genuine requirement within the Jamaican
industry to retrain the workforce; articulation with tertiary education; utilization of emerging
technologies to promote training delivery; ability to partner with private training providers;
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
11
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
partnerships with National Youth Service and Jamaica Federation for Lifelong Learning;
international networking and World Skills-infusion to showcase Jamaican skills; new National
Lifelong Learning policy which promotes training and the framework values and attitudes
programme by the education sector (HEART Trust/NTA Operational Plan 2007).
NCTVET is poised to continue offering a competitive advantage because: the infrastructure for
training is solid, it has competent human resources, a committed staff, exhibits local and
international credibility with a reputation for results, it has a dedicated payroll tax as a reliable
resource, it is extremely responsive to market demands, it has a wide stakeholder base, it exhibits
global orientation and benchmarking practices, enjoys relative autonomy, has a management
philosophy and practice and has high standards for achievement in an organisation.
2(a). Manufacturing: (a) Trade Winds Citrus Limited (TWCL) - manufacturers of TruJuice
At Trade Winds Citrus Limited in Bog Walk, St. Catherine, Tru-Juice premium quality juices are
manufactured and packaged. The brand was launched over two decades ago as the first 100%
freshly squeezed Orange Juice on the market in Jamaica. The 100% Pure Not From Concentrate
(NFC) Orange Juice is only produced from January to June when oranges are in season while for
the remainder of the year the Orange Juice is produced from Concentrate. The oranges which
manufacture Tru-Juice are grown locally from a 3,000 acre citrus farm and additionally supplied
from small farmers across Jamaica. Concentrate is made via a process of heating orange and
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
12
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
other juices which evaporates the majority of the naturally occurring water, resulting in the
production of a viscous (concentrated) juice which is stored frozen in drums for subsequent
usage. Hence the Orange Juice produced all year round is 100% Pure Jamaican Orange Juice
with no sugar nor additives. Over the years, other premium juices have been added to the TruJuice line of products resulting in nineteen different juices, five of which are in the No Sugar
added line, endorsed by the Medical Association of Jamaica, as they are 100% fruit juice with no
Sugar or added sugar substitutes. The wide variety of the remaining fourteen flavours of juices,
are sweetened with cane sugar (www.tru-juice.com/tj/about.php).
Due to the impact of globalization on CARICOM and the necessity for international standards to
be implemented by companies that want to export, the implementation of ISO 9001:2008 QMS
and the Food Safety Management System (FSMS) HACCP was undertaken at TWCL. Both
systems are internationally accepted and recognized and utilized to overcome potential trade
barriers. On December 5 to 8, 2005 an assessment of the processing facility was carried out
against the ISO 9001:2000 QMS Standard which included the HACCP FSMS. The certificate
was issued on January 30, 2006 when accreditation was granted and a re-assessment done in
May 2009, which led to the issue of a certificate for ISO 9001:2008 QMS inclusive of the
principles of HACCP on September 15, 2009 (www.tru-juice.com/tj/isohaccp.php).
According to the previous source, TWCL provides a competitive edge as successful
implementation and maintenace of the ISO 9001:2008 QMS standard and the FSMS proves to
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
13
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
local and international customers that the company practices Good Manufacturing Practices
(GMP) having their health and well-being as a primary area of concern, which is aimed at
customer satisfaction and a guarantee of safe food. HACCP FSMS also provides a competitive
advantage for TWCL as it prioritizes and controls potential hazards in food production via
controlling major food risks, namely microbiological, chemical and physical contaminants.
TWCL is thus better able to assure consumers that juices produced are as safe as good science
and technology allows, as by reducing food borne hazards, public health protection is increased.
GlobalGAP is the pre farm gate standard which is conferred by Europe’s leading food retailers,
to provide to customers additional assurance of food safety and only certified growers are able to
supply these retailers. This makes GlobalGAP certification a ‘passport to market’ and will
assure clients that TWCL adheres to Good Agricultural Practices from farm to fork. The
company is putting plans in place to achieve same, as additional competitive advantage will be
gained in maintaining and converting potential business opportunities in Europe.
2 (b). Manufacturing: Caribbean Cement Company Limited (CCCL)
Since 1952, CCCL located in Rockfort Kingston, has been producing a consistently high quality
of Portland cement using 100% Jamaican raw materials which are mined within a ten mile radius
of the facility. It has a subsidiary company Jamaica Gypsum and Quarries Limited (JGQ) which
produces gypsum utilized in the manufacture of its cement and exports surplus gypsum from its
own ports in addition to cement. The company recently commissioned a new state of the art Kiln
– Kiln 5 and Cement Mill – Mill 5 which will bring it’s clinker manufacturing capacity to 1.3
million tonnes and cement manufacturing capacity to 2 million tonnes per year. CCCL is a
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
14
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
major contributor to the Jamaican economy employing over 300 persons and over 90% of
structures built in Jamaica have utilized Carib Cement. CCCL’s mission is it’s commission to
satisfying customer needs by the provision of high quality building solutions in an
environmentally friendly manner through an inspired, competent and motivated team, thereby
achieving the financial objectives of its shareholders while adding value to the community. The
vision includes the concept that all employees share a culture of service, quality and performance
where ones word is ones bond and promises are kept. Core values are: generating, respect,
integrity, professionalism and passion. The company strives to achieve world-class performance
and standards in its operations in order to maintain the heritage of its distinguished brand name
within the cement market and pledges to provide the best quality and value-added personal care
to its customers, in order to offer a competitive advantage. It will also extend and maintain its
pre-eminent leadership in the market via exceeding requirements and fulfilling needs and
unexpressed desires of all its customers (www.caribcement.com/about).
To maintain their competitive edge, a QMS is in place to exhibit their genuine commitment to
their clients, validate their product quality and assure that all local and international standards are
met. The management at CCCL demonstrates leadership in quality standards and encourages
employee support and participation of its QMS by encouraging high-team spirit, innovativeness
and empowerment simultaneously providing the necessary resources to achieve same.
All
employees will be appropriately trained to competently fulfill their functions, optimize
performance, improve efficiency of the plant and its processes, are aware of how their roles
relate to the quality system I order to contribute to the overall success of CCCL. The aim is to
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
15
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
become a Caribbean world-class company via continual improvement and the fostering of
innovations in marketing, operations and technology in order to improve on value and quality.
It is a personal commitment to ensure complete customer satisfaction as CCCL innovates and
creates
opportunities
to
leverage
competitively
the
“Carib
Cement”
brand
(www.caribcement.com/about/article/quality).
To maintain its competitive edge, one of the tenets on which CCCL focuses its attention is
quality assurance, as the entire staff is committed to ensure that the only products which exit the
Rockfort plant, are those which meet local and international standards. Hence it is important that
the management system and all stages of the production process are certified, and monitoring
and testing systems have been developed to detect, identify and correct any breaches which
occur in the management system and production process. Staff are all aware of the QMS and an
audit team has been delegated and trained to maintain and ensure the system’s integrity. CCCL
is certified by ISO and BSJ and both the international and local registrar bodies have audited its
systems for conformance to world standards in relation to GMP, quality management and quality
assurance in all operational aspects.
3.
Agro-processing: Caribbean Broilers group of Companies (Ja.) Ltd. (CBG)
CBG is one of the largest food and agricultural operations within the Caribbean which provides
solutions for each stage of the supply chain from feed milling, egg hatching, table-egg
production, pig semen handling to meat processing, distribution and marketing. The entity has an
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
16
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
unwavering commitment to quality, food safety, excellent service to partners and customers
which drives its aspiration to improve and impact the everyday life of Jamaicans with the CB
family of brands. CBG employs over 500 team members who all take pride in the provision of
healthy, nutritious and safe foods for all Jamaicans and the small poultry processing family
business operation has currently evolved into a dynamic and diversified agri-business. The
company believes in its products, in Jamaica and its citizens and it looks forward to being an
integral feature in its customers’ lives for many decades in the future. CB food products include
CB chicken, Caribbean Passion line, Chippenham Eggs, Smart Eggs, Cooperwood Pork and Bad
Dawg Sausages and all products are produced in ISO 9001:2008 HACCP GMP certified
facilities. CBG’s quality and food safety is certified and it therefore provides the competitive
edge that Jamaicans rely on (www.mycbgroup.com).
The source continues, that CBG places emphasis on the relationship between their integrated
farmers and commercial customers because they believe that good food begins with good farms,
good animals and good people. With diligence and dedication of good people, CBG has helped
to feed Jamaicans with locally grown healthy nutritious foods. With continuous technological
improvements, livestock farming globally has evolved over the decades and CBG is committed
to introducing first-world techniques to Jamaica, which has assisted them in continuously
redefining local productivity standards and thus confer a competitive advantage. The company
introduced tunnel-ventilated broiler houses to Jamaica and the Caribbean in 1988 and
encourages farmers to utilize this available technology in order to achieve ideal efficiency.
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
17
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
From the 1990’s the entire CBG including Newport Mills Ltd. has been involved in food safety
and quality management and within the last thirty years, has invested heavily in the latest
technology and equipment to ensure operational efficiencies in their feed mills and in the
development and training of all its team members, via aligning them with international safety
standards and best practices. CBG has pledged to provide Jamaica and the Caribbean with safer
food of the highest quality and in 2007-2008 underwent a major expansion and upgrade to
become the most modern feed mill within the Caribbean, simultaneously increasing its capacity
and ability to increase agriculture throughout the region. The continuing focus on training and
management systems has intensified to ensure that the feed mill operates at internationally
accepted standards of productivity, efficiency and safety over the period. In August 2010, with
the guidance of the QMS team, Newport Mills gained certification for ISO 9001:2008, HACCP
and GMP accreditation from SGS of Switzerland – the world’s leading auditing and certification
company, which made this facility the first and only feed mill to be accredited and maintain
these internationally recognized certifications, thus conferring on it a significant competitive
advantage to become the industry leader in every aspect of food safety and quality control. CBG
is assisting with securing the future of livestock farming in the region by involving all large and
small farmers in the SAFEFOOD Movement (www.mycbgroup.com).
Newport Wharf and Storage in Kingston, Jamaica has been International Ship and Port Facility
Security (ISPS) certified from 2004 and ISO 9001:2008, HACCP and GMP certified since 2010
and is utilized to offload raw materials such as corn and soy in addition to fertilizers and lumber.
CBG is a leading regional supplier with many farms, processing plants, warehouses and sales
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
18
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
locations and its customer centric focus, ensures that it continues to maintain its competitive
edge throughout Jamaica.
4. Road Construction: Surrey Paving and Aggregate (SPA)
SPA has been involved in the construction industry in Jamaica for almost forty years in many
major road construction and infrastructure projects in Jamaica inclusive of bridges, airports and
terminals, schools, residential and commercial developments, sewer lines, water mains and
asphaltic surfacing. SPA is a family-controlled private enterprise which is very responsive to
customer needs, comprising a team of international and regional professionals, contributing skill
sets in the fields of quantity and land surveying, accounts, engineering, plant management, fleet
management and operations. The company owns and operates a fleet of small and heavy
equipment throughout the Caribbean, which confers on it the flexibility and competitive
advantage to undertake any job. Contracts awarded include some funded by the International
Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the Inter-American Development Bank, Government
of
Jamaica,
the
OPEC
Fund,
the
Kuwaiti
Fund
and
the
European
Union
(http://surreypaving.com.jm/about-us).
SPA has attained ISO 9001 international accreditation and has thus continued to provide and
maintain quality service via applying innovative and cutting edge technology and methodology,
utilizing state of the art equipment to provide the competitive advantage which the industry
demands, while skills training and development of the technical staff is manifested in the
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
19
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
continual
development of their human resource capacity. SPA is cognizant of the critical
importance of quality assurance to its clients, partners and in its operations hence standards and
policies have been developed to ensure that there is maintenance of the highest level of quality
assurance, a goal which requires constant efforts of management, supervisors and employees.
The competitive edge maintained by SPA, is reflected in the continued repeat client business on
the local and international markets, as one of the mission tenets is to maintain excellent standards
in the construction and building industry by motivating team members to improve their practices
and skills (http://surreypaving.com.jm/accreditations).
The company supports education and industry wide training which encompasses workers,
contractors, consultants, students and the general public and participates in seminars, courses for
supervisors in collaboration with HEART Vocational Training Development Institute (where
workers can participate in skills upgrades, become certified and placed on the National
Qualification Register), Builders Clinics in collaboration with HEART NTA, Scholarship
Programmes and Summer Employment Programmes. SPA strongly supports the principles of
honesty, integrity and high ideals which should be demonstrated in their concern for the
development and welfare of the Jamaican Construction Industry.
5. Research- Scientific: Scientific Research Council (SRC)
The SRC has a mandate to popularize science, technology and innovation via encouraging the
general public to appreciate and implement science and technology (S&T) and is primarily
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
20
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
responsible to be involved in S&T research in order to positively enhance the quality of life via
the development or enhancement of processes and products which support the socio-economic
development of Jamaica (www.src.jamaica.org). The agency uses local raw materials to support
agribusinesses thereby developing value-added products and its subsidiary Marketech Limited
fills the gap between industry and technology via being involved in market studies and
intelligence utilizing results to drive research and development at SRC. Green technology is
avidly embraced and hence cost effective environmentally friendly solutions are offered to the
public for treatment of waste and the generation of alternate energy.
SRC provides a competitive advantage as cost effective support services are provided which
optimize operational efficiencies and production and increase product competitiveness in the
local and international marketplace.
Business opportunities available from SRC include
extraction technologies for personal care products; dehydration and milling technologies; food
formulations – new product development and standardization; plant biotechnology; food pilot
plant – small scale production; training in - GMP, HACCP, food processing, tissue culture
technology, operation and maintenance of waste treatment systems; other services – factory
layout (to international standards), equipment guide, market research, product launch, nutritional
facts and labeling, shelf life studies, wastewater management, cleaner production technology and
energy information.
SRC provides Jamaicans with a competitive edge as it will guide
individuals from ‘concept to market’ (www.src.jamaica.org).
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
21
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
SRC obtained both ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 9001:2008 QMS certification and supports the
growth of local commerce and industry with the focus of enhancing competitiveness of entities
within these sectors. These certifications have increased the visibility of quality and safety of
Jamaican products in the marketplace thus promoting access. Hence consumers purchasing
goods which have the SRC certification are assured that minimum requirements consistent with
Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ) recommendations have been met and Jamaican products
which earn this mark have satisfied SRC that set criteria have been adhered to. SRC is able to
provide assistance to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (as they are regarded as the
fastest growing economic group in Jamaica), in order to allow them to become more competitive
and other local and overseas clients are assured consistent quality service, thus providing a
competitive edge. SRC has a team of internationally certified HACCP consultants which are
able to facilitate exporters to implement requirements for HACCP certification by local or
international bodies and can conduct food tests required for compliance to FDA
recommendations. SRC laboratories are ISO 9001:2008 certified, which deals with the efficiency
of the lab’s management and is additionally accredited to ISO/IEC 17025 standards for technical
competence and expertise, to conduct specific water and wastewater parameters. It is therefore
able to continually provide a competitive edge by offering quality consultancy services, in
support of the food safety systems of agro-processors both locally and internationally (JIS 2008;
Richardson 2011).
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
22
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
Conclusion
The retention of satisfied customers and stakeholders warrants meeting the requirement needs of
products or services, as the very existence of a private or public sector organization is threatened
by dissatisfied or no customers. ISO QMS provides a systematic approach to managing business
processes which is based on a tried and tested framework. An organization does not necessarily
have to become certified as an ISO QMS can be implemented to improve efficiency. However,
an independent verification of one’s quality system is recommended, as this ensures that
everyone makes a concerted effort to work towards a similar ultimate goal – that of certification.
For organizations, ISO QMS is useful for internal application, for contractual purposes or for
certification, as the tenets support the fact that all aspects of quality begin and end with the
customer – a definition of customer requirements. Input is the beginning of the process which
leads to product or service planning, terminating with production or service provision. Hence an
ISO QMS encompasses all activities required by an organization to provide a service or create a
product. Therefore obtaining information on customer satisfaction is of utmost importance,
which needs to be measured and the performance of the organization evaluated, in order to
provide crucial feedback in the quest towards continual improvement and the provision of a
competitive edge.
No. of words = 4998
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
23
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
REFERENCES
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 14 May 2012 from
http://www.bsj.org.jm/AboutBSJ/Overview/tabid/157/Default.aspx].
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 5 May 2012 from http://www.ISO9001consultant.com.au/FAQbenefits-9001.html].
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 26 October 2012 from http://www.tru-juice.com/tj/about.php].
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 26 October 2012 from http://www.tru-juice.com/tj/isohaccp.php].
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 26 October 2012 from www.caribcement.com/about/default]
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 26 October 2012 from
www.caribcement.com/about/article/quality]
Anonymous. n.d. Caribbean Broilers. [Cited 28 October 2012 from
www.mycbgroup.com].
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 27 October 2012 from http://surreypaving.com.jm/about-us]
Anonymous. n.d. [Cited 27 October 2012 from http://surreypaving.com.jm/accreditations]
Anonymous. n.d. Department of Trade and Industry. Quality Management Systems.
Available from www.dti.gov.uk/quality/qms
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012
24
ISO 9001:2008 certified organizations in Jamaica and their competitive
edge
Anonymous. 2011. [Cited 27 October 2012 from http://www.srcjamaica.org/SRCBusinessOpportunities2011.html].
Eicher, Lawrence D. 2001. ISO 9000 and the public sector. ISO Secretary – General.
Dubai. United Arab Emirates.
HEART Trust/NTA. Planning and Project Development Division (PPDD). 2007. Annual
Operational Plan 2007-2008.
HEART Trust/NTA. Planning and Project Development Division (PPDD). 2007. Annual
Performance Report 2006-2007.
Hylton, G. 2012. Sectoral Presentation 2012-2013, Ministry of Industry, Investment and
Commerce. The strategy for achieving growth with jobs. Gordon House: Kingston.
Jamaica Information Service. 2008. SRC Unveils certification Mark / ISO Accreditation
[cited 24 October 2012].
Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC). 2012. ISO Quality Management
System Certification Project (ISO-QMS-CP): Phase I for Agencies/Divisions of MIIC: 4 St.
Lucia Avenue, Kingston (unpublished)
National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ). 2012. Presentation to the ISO Unit of the
Ministry of Industry, Investment and Commerce (MIIC) on the NCBJ
Richardson, Julian. 2011. Laboratory Prepares for Rush by Food Exporters. Assistant
Business Coordinator. Jamaica Obsever [cited 24 October 2012].
Grace-Ann Biggs Allen
MIIC ISO Unit
October 24, 2012