New ISO 44001:2017 framework for certifying sustainable strategic partnerships
Collaborative business relationships have been shown to deliver a wide range of benefits, which enhance competitiveness and performance whilst adding value to organisations of all sizes.
The publication of the new ISO 44001:2017 in February 2017 will be a real landmark for business. It is the first international standard for certification to address collaborative business relationship and provides a framework to organizations which strive to maximize the value of their business relationships with external partners.
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The framework consists of 8 themes, organized along the generic life-cycle of collaborative business ventures:
- Operational awareness: vision, values, leadership and objectives
- Knowledge: strategy, outcomes and implementation plan
- Internal Assessment: policies, people, skills and collaborative maturity
- Partner selection: capabilities, roles and responsibilities
- Working together: management systems and processes
- Value creation: continual improvement processes
- Staying together: performant team, monitoring and measurements
- Exit strategy: disengagement triggers and process
The implementation of ISO 44001 will transform your organization gradually into a collaborative powerhouse.
ISO 44001:2017 will not enforce a single rigid approach but has been focused on providing a framework that can complement existing approaches where these are already in place. It also recognises that every relationship has its own unique considerations. For those organisations with well-established processes the framework provides a common language that can aid implementation and engagement.
For those starting out on the journey the framework creates a road map for development. The adoption of any standard has to be balanced against the value that it can deliver to the organisations that chose to utilise it, whether this is for improving internal performance or to enhance confidence in the market.
In this respect ISO 44001 is not different to other internationally recognised standards such as ISO 9001. The standard creates a robust framework for both the public and private sector to provide a neutral platform for establishing effective sustainable collaborative programmes for mutual benefit.
Its core value is commonality of language and application between delivery partners leading to improved integration. Acting as a bridge between cultures to form a more robust partnership or alliance it reduces confusion, provides confidence to participants and lays a foundation for innovation.
In short: a standard framework that will promote better engagement and effectiveness through strengthened business processes, whilst improving risk management, enhancing dispute resolution and providing a basis for skills development.
Most importantly of all improve the potential for sustainable relationships that deliver real value.
More info on Consensa and NBN website.
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