QUALITY ASSURANCE VERIFICATION:

In a very small organization, there may be no "system", just "our way of doing things", and "our way" is probably not written down, but all in the head of the manager or owner.

The larger the organization, and the more people involved, the more the likelihood that there are written procedures, instructions, forms or records. These help ensure that everyone is not just "doing his or her own thing", and that the organization goes about its business in an orderly and structured way. This means that time, money and other resources are utilized efficiently.

To be really efficient and effective, the organization can manage its way of doing things by systemizing it. This ensures that nothing important is left out and that everyone is clear about who is responsible for doing what, when, how, why and where.

ISO's management system standards make this good management practice available to organizations of all sizes, in all sectors, everywhere in the world.

ISO 9000 family of standards addresses "Quality management". This means what the organization does to fulfill:

• the customer's quality requirements, and

• applicable regulatory requirements, while aiming to

• enhance customer satisfaction, and

• achieve continual improvement of its performance in pursuit of these objectives.

The ISO 14000 family of standards addresses "Environmental management".  This means what the organization does to:

• minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities, and to

• achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance.

Our subsidiary, Dovre Sertifisering AS, has since 1992 provided verification of our 250 companies in a number of industries towards international standards ISO 9000 series, ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001.