The phrase “ISO 9001-based system” can be confusing if ISO 9001 is not understood properly. It’s not uncommon to hear people use the phrase—including Dr. Nigel Croft (who chairs TC 176). For example, Dr. Croft recently participated in a ‘hangout’ session where he addressed ISO 9001, its intentions, and its development. You can see the session in its entirety here (roughly 33 minutes):
Every day we are bombarded with news of politically charged events happening around the world. Have you ever wondered how these events can affect the products your company develops and the supply chains that help manufacture them? I’ve worked with many corporations and non-profits over the years and one thing is clear, very few products can claim a supply chain that exists in one country and a “Made In,” label that matches. Availability, pricing, logistics, and labor are affected by the politics of the country and region from which materials and goods come. Continue reading
Risk exists everywhere – the problem is knowing what to focus on. ISO 31000 definition of risk as “the measure of uncertainty in a situation” hasn’t done a lot to clarify what corporate risk means for Directors providing “good corporate governance”.
In this article I address the challenge we face as Directors in dealing with the vast array of risk in a typical large organisation. I explain how to cut through the noise to ensure that corporate risk management actually protects and enhances the business, rather than obscuring critical reality in a fog of detail or a haze of misleading simplification. Continue reading
Dear friends we live in depressing times. Our media is full of failing and failed organisations. From the financial crises to the BBC, from the IRS or the Veterans Health Administration to the UK Houses of Parliament, all around us is the evidence that our systems and safeguards are failing to protect the stakeholders from the slings and arrows of outrageous management, and an ever more demanding and volatile environment. Clearly, modern life has an enormous dependence on the integrity of human systems. Continue reading
Failures in strategic planning and execution. Bungled social media. Early retirement of a (or return of a former) CEO. Private equity company takeovers. New federal reporting and control regulations. Cybersecurity breaches. Earthquakes and tsunamis. Political unrest. Governmental and commercial bribery. Employee embezzlement and financial fraud.
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