A Model to Assess the Impacts of ISO Management Systems Standards

The most widely diffused ISO standards are ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. The main objectives of those are to demonstrate the capability to satisfy the requirements of the customers and to demonstrate the continuous search to reduce the impacts on the environment, respectively. However, these certifications will not necessarily be reflected in the performance of the company. Through the analysis of the literature, mixed results are observed, showing that not all certified companies could achieve benefits and improve the performance of the organization due to the ISO standards certification. Based on a literature review and a questionnaire survey, this paper defines a model where the main critical success factors which will influence the internalization level of the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are presented, and consequently their impacts on the organizations. This model could help researchers and practitioners in the process of evaluating the ISO standards impacts and the possible reasons for different outcomes.