The small business guide to standards

The small business guide to standards

Contents
4

How standards make the difference

15

4

Quality
Driving efficiency and improving quality
Case study – how Agua Fabrics
use ISO 9001

Information security
Safe and secure
Case study – how Fredrickson
use BS ISO/IEC 27001

16

Anti-bribery
An ethical response
Case study – how Collinson Hall
use BS 10500

17

Engineering and construction
Setting firm foundations
Case study – how Jane Wernick
Associates use construction standards

18

Fire
Fighting fire with fire
Case study – how MC Fire Protection
use fire standards

19

Medical devices
Selling surgical success
Case study – how MCS Medical
use ISO 13485

6

About standards
Standards made simple

8

Sustainability
Safeguarding the future
Case study – how Shades of Comfort
use ISO 14001

10

Business continuity
If the worst happens
Case study – how Lettergold Plastics
use BS ISO 22301

11

Innovation
Innovate to accumulate
Case study – how Stramit use BS 4046

12

ServicesAt your service
Case study – how Chapters Financial
use BS ISO 22222

13

14

2

BSI Kitemark™
Flying a kite for quality
Case study – how UK Flood Barriers
use BSI Kitemark
Health and Safety
Transporting excellence
Case study – how Laminar Medica
use OHSAS 18001

20 Certification
22 Set your standard– and win new business22 Sell your standard to

new customers
23

About BSI

23

Find out more

bsigroup.com

10things thatstandards can dofor your business

1

Improve your goods and services

2

Prove your commitment to quality

3

Obtain new and keep existing customers

4

Sharpen your business processes

5

Cut costs – and drive profitability

6Help ensure regulatory compliance

7

Give your firm a competitive edge

8

Help you to innovate

9Support your export efforts

10

Strengthen your marketing pitch

3

The small business guide to standards

Quality

How standards make the difference
The benefits of standards look impressive on paper. But do they really deliver those benefits to small firms?
They do this by providing a practicalframework for you to examine, review andcontinually improve any area of your business.
You can follow this best practice informallyor choose to get outside confirmation froma recognized certification body.
But however you approach standards,
they can – and do – provide solid benefits
for firms like yours.

Suzanne Ralton, Agua Fabrics

If someone were to tell you that you canmake your business more efficient, improve
the quality of your products and services,
win new customers and boost that allimportant bottom line, you’d want to know
more. Using standards can do all thesethings for small firms.
At the most basic level, standards are simply
applying tried and tested best practice toyour business. They are created by experts
who have the trusted knowledge that’s
needed to develop best practice.
Standards encourage you to focus on the
products or services you deliver, the businessprocesses you follow and the way you manage
your business as a whole.

4

Suzanne Ralton is managing director of Agua
Fabrics, a London-based manufacturer andsupplier of upholstery and curtain fabrics tothe contract market. Trading for more than
70 years, the business employs eight people
and has been working with standards forover 30 years.
“We first started using standards andBS 5867* when it was introduced in the
1980s to make sure our fabrics were flame
retardant. But in 2008 we started using
ISO 9001 – the quality management
standard – to demonstrate that we haveprocesses in place to monitor and improve
the quality and performance in the purchaseand supply of our textiles,” says Suzanne.
According to her, there are a number ofareas that Agua Fabrics has seen tangible
benefits from the introduction of standards.

“We first started using
standards and BS 5867
when it was introducedin the 1980s to makesure our fabrics were
flame retardant. But in2008 we started using
ISO 9001 – the quality
management standard– to demonstrate that wehave processes in place
to monitor and improve
the quality and performancein the purchase and supplyof our textiles”*BS 5867 Specification for fabrics for curtains and drapesbsigroup.com

Driving efficiency and improving quality
Using the ISO 9001 standard has enabled Agua to improve the efficiency
of its business and consequently to raise the quality of its service.
“Perhaps the biggest way in which ISO 9001
has affected our operations is that we
simplified internal processes and improved
efficiencies,” Suzanne explains. “For example,
the retrieval of data needed to follow-up
customer queries was made easier andquicker, leading to improved customer relations,with more and better satisfied customers.

“Not only that, through regular reportingon debtors, we reduced debtor days by five,which also impacted positively on cash flow.”
There is a more fundamental benefit, too,she says. “In my opinion, many small firms
can be quite disorganized, so introducing
standards helps to improve the structureof the business.”“We’re able to win new businessand increase our profits”
Win new customers with standards
Using a formal standard like ISO 9001, and deciding to haveit independently certified, has marketing benefits as well.
“Once you’ve introduced a standard into yourbusiness, it’s important to publicize the fact,”
Suzanne stresses. “We put the information
about our standards onto our letterheads,
compliments slips and all our productsample cards because it makes a statement
to existing and potential new customers
about our commitment to quality.

This is particularly useful when pursuing
new business. “Getting ISO 9001-certified
provides us with independent assuranceof reliability to our customers. It’s also
becoming a pre-requisite for many customers,
so now that we have it we’re able to win
new business and increase our profits,”
she says.

To sign up to BSI’s Quality Newsletter
visit bsigroup.com/newsletters or for further
information on quality standards, training
and certification go to bsigroup.com/quality.

5The small business guide to standards

About standards

Standards made simple
Some people think that standards are only for big business or involve significant costs.
Not true – standards are what you choose to make them.
Every ambitious business strives for quality,
consistency, efficiency and best practice.
Standards can help ensure that yourbusiness is getting the best results
and show you how to keep improving.
But you can choose how structured
you want to make the process.
Formal and informal standards
Informal standards can be as
straightforward as having company
guidelines on how phone calls should
be answered, or following your tradeassociation’s code of practice. They’reessential if you want to achieve specificobjectives and can be easily managed
in-house.
Formal standards – which most people thinkof when ‘standards’ are mentioned – go astage further by setting out criteria that’s
been agreed within your industry. They draw
together best practice and expert knowledge
from those in industry, government
representatives, testing and certification
organizations, academics, consumer groups,
trade unions and most importantly businesses.

6

The result is a document that shows
this agreed best practice. You can buy it,read it and apply it to relevant areas of yourbusiness. The price of standards varies, but
is likely to be more cost-effective than you
think. In fact, if you consider the businessbenefits of applying the standard, it could
offer some of the best value for money
your business can get.
With formal standards, you can also
use testing or certification services
from respected third parties. This gives
independent proof to your customers
and suppliers that you’re meetingor exceeding best practice.
What formal standards can coverFormal standards can cover your goods
or services and specific parts of how you
create, manage and deliver them to meetcustomers’ needs. Or they can focus on
the management systems that you havein place underpinning your business,such as quality management or
environmental management.

Whatever you want to show your customers
and suppliers that you do, there is probably
a standard that covers it. There are morethan 35,000 formal British Standards.
Find the right standards for you
If you take a methodical approach andthink about what you want your businessto achieve, it should be easy to find the best
standard to help you do it. Begin by talking
to your industry or trade association to findout if there are any essential requirementsor recommended standards in your sector.

bsigroup.com

Names and numbers
Each formal standard has a unique number and a prefix whichshows where the standard applies. British Standards have the prefix‘BS’, while European standards carry the ‘EN’ prefix. International
standards are preceded by the letters ‘ISO’ or ‘IEC’. Standards canbe a combination of British, European and international: the three
prefixes in ‘BS EN ISO 9001’ show that this standard issimultaneously an international, European and British Standard.
To search for a British Standard visit

bsigroup.com/shop.

Check out the competition
Which parts of your business could you
improve to give you a more competitiveedge? Perhaps raising service levels will
attract more customers – or maybe you
would like to see a reduction in the
returns rate of your product.

Consider your customers
What’s going to impress your current
customers, or spark interest among
potential customers? Make sure you
know what matters to your customers sothat you can find a standard that will help
you address their needs more effectively.

If you’re in a marketplace where yourcompetitors are already using standards,
it’s crucial to see which ones they’re using,
and why. Would you get a competitive boost
from adopting the same standard – or do
you want to outstrip your competitors?
Using a standard that proves you’re doing
something that your competitors are notcould reap big benefits.

Bear in mind, too, that obtaining certification
to a standard could provide opportunities
to tender for contracts or join supply chainsthat would otherwise be closed to you.
If you’re part of a supply chain where
standards are used throughout, you canbe sure that your products, processes
and technology are going to be compatible
with the businesses that supply you, as well
as being compatible with your customers
later in the chain.

Over 35,000 formal
British Standards
7

The small business guide to standards

Sustainability

Safeguarding the future
More of your customers are casting a serious eye to the future. Using sustainability
standards – which cover the economic, social and environmental impacts of your business– can show them that you’re exactly the type of firm they want to do business with.
Businesses do not exist in isolation.
Their actions have far wider consequences
and this responsibility should be taken
seriously. It’s becoming clear that people
prefer to buy from businesses with soundenvironmental, social and ethical credentials.
Using environmental standards can help you
to understand and improve your environmental
impacts. This can win you new customers,
reduce your costs significantly and increase
your efficiency and profitability. Standards
can also help you to be a sustainable business,
one that makes good use of resources
rather than wasting them, which canprovide sizeable cost benefits.
Environmental management standard
ISO 14001 enables businesses to limit
their environmental impact.
“We introduced ISO 14001 in 2012, a few
years after ISO 9001, and it’s been greatfor our business,” says Tony Peters,
sales and marketing director of Shades ofComfort. Established in 2004, this 29-strong
Gloucestershire-based company – made up
of six employees and 23 sub-contractors –helps turn external space into extended
customer entertainment areas. They provide
a diverse range of products from awnings
and umbrellas through to heating and lighting
to achieve the perfect outdoor space.

Implementing ISO 14001, alongside
ISO 9001, was an integral part of Shadesof Comfort’s business plan. Tony continues,“We recognized that working with thestandards and achieving certification
would provide business credibility interms of performance and efficiency tolarger clients, as well as clear evidence ofcontinued commitment to the environment.
We are now in a much stronger position
to target customers.

The company has expanded rapidly and now
services major retail and leisure companies.
They’ve also been awarded sole provision forumbrellas and awnings to Costa Coffee – acontract that covers in excess of 1,200 UK
outlets. Their increased use of better
geographically-placed sub-contractors tofulfil such contracts as well as suppliers
shipping direct to site have enabled Shadesof Comfort to lower their carbon footprint
as well as save costs.

“It has not always been easy to source
sustainable materials and products. In an
ideal world, all outdoor leisure products
would be eco-friendly and 100% recycled.
However, this is not the case. We’ve had
to search high and low when sourcing
materials and creating our products, toensure they live up to the standards ofquality expected from us and also fit
the criteria expected from ISO 14001.
Our recycled furniture is testament toour dedication in actively lowering ourcarbon footprint and developing ourcompany for the better.”Tony stresses that they use the standard toensure there is commitment throughout thebusiness to help seek ways in which they
can reduce their environmental impact.
“Everyone has signed into quality as an
objective for our business, the way weconduct ourselves and the way customers
view us. We also believe that as a company,
we must actively seek to lower our impact
on the eco structure, and go further toencourage ranges of recycled andsustainable products to our customers.”

As a result of certification, they havesecured business that we could not haveobtained otherwise. Tony says, “Put simply,
we’ve gained not only prestigious contracts,
but also credibility and confidence in theworkplace.”“We’ve gained prestigious
contracts as well as credibility
and confidence in the workplace”

8bsigroup.com

To sign up to BSI’s Sustainability Newsletter
visit bsigroup.com/newsletters or for further
information on sustainability standards,
training and certification go tobsigroup.com/sustainability.

9The small business guide to standards

Business continuity

If the worst happens
A major unexpected incident can cripple any business. But using business continuity standards
can at least provide reassurance to you – and your customers – that in the event of a disaster,
your essential business operations can continue.
Imagine if a disaster were to strike yourbusiness. It could be a fire gutting yourpremises or a serious flood, similar to thoseexperienced in recent years, which signalled
the demise of many small firms all over thecountry. Or someone could vandalize yourpremises or hack into your IT system andsteal or delete important information. You
or another key member of the team might
become ill or one of your products orservices could harm a customer.
What would you do? If you don’t know,
you’re not alone. Surprisingly few small
firms in the UK have business continuity
plans, even though they can provide a
critical ‘lifeline’ when things go wrong.
Continuity is not just an issue for larger
organizations; in fact, most smaller businesswould not survive a major disruption withouta firm continuity plan. Believing that ‘It won’t
happen to me’ is unwise. It might.
Standards can play an important role inhelping you to stay afloat should serious
disruption occur. They can guide you
through the process of identifying risks
and devising plans to enable you to weather
the storm and get up and running quickly.
Standards will also ensure that you safeguard
stakeholders, your brand and your reputation.

BS ISO 22301 is the international standard
for a business continuity management(BCM) system. By helping managers to put
in place a basic BCM system, BS ISO 22301
enables businesses to remain operational
no matter how difficult the circumstances.
For Lettergold Plastics, a long-establishedengineering company based in Newmarket
and employing around 25 people, the driver
for adopting BS ISO 22301 was to increase
resilience and minimize the impact of abusiness disruption. It also wanted toreassure customers and other stakeholders
that it had business continuity plans inplace should the worst happen.
“The standard has provided us with tried andtested methods of minimizing the adverse
impact of an incident on our operations,as well as protecting the interests of customers
and stakeholders,” says Andy Drummond,
managing director of Lettergold Plastics.

Small firms would be wise to identify theirrisks and formulate a planned response now,
because you never know when disastermight strike.
To sign up to BSI’s Business Continuity
Newsletter visit bsigroup.com/newslettersor for further information on business
continuity standards, training andcertification go to bsigroup.com/bcm.

“It’s reinforced the confidence of customers
seeking certainty of supply from us. Our
BCM system is a great reassurance to themand to ourselves. Previously, recovery plansprobably only existed in my head. Like manysmall firms, we were over-reliant on a few
individuals, especially the business owner.”

Number crunching
According to the BSI sponsored CMI Business Continuity Management Survey 2013,
63 per cent of respondents report that their organization has BCM arrangements
in place. In the previous 12 months, extreme weather was the biggest source ofdisruption, followed by loss of people and loss of IT. 87 per cent of managers whoseorganizations had activated their BCM arrangements in the last 12 months agreed
that it had effectively reduced disruption and 81 per cent said that the BCM costs
had been justified by the benefits to the organization. Of those with BCM arrangements
in place, 86 per cent believe it has improved business resilience, 74 per cent say
it has helped protect their reputation, and 72 per cent believe it has helpedin meeting customer requirements. In 2013 small organizations overtook
medium-sized organizations in terms of the overall percentage using BCM.

10Lettergold Plastics has used its BCM system
to ensure that it has plans to mitigate problems
quickly if they occur, such as access to key
utilities including a second water supply andelectricity back-up. Lettergold has also used
it for testing the strength of its supply chain
for more specialized materials. For example,
it has tested alternative sources for industrial
chemicals normally imported from Belgium.
“These are things we wouldn’t have doneotherwise if it wasn’t for the standard,”says Andy.

81%

said that the BCM costs had
been justified by the benefits
to the organization.

bsigroup.com

Innovation

Innovate to accumulate
Some believe that standards mean everything is the same, and so hinder innovation. That’s not the caseat all – in fact, standards in their many forms are some of the most valuable tools and a best friend that
innovative small firms can have, as they can keep you at the forefront of fresh and best practices.
Few sectors can rival telecommunications
for innovation such as mobile telephones,
with new functions arriving with impressive
regularity. Yet most new products are able
to work alongside others. Standardization
makes this possible for most of the world’s
mobile phones.
Standards are used during the research anddevelopment (R&D), design and testing ofmobile phones and a wide range of otherproducts. They remove the time and cost of
starting from scratch and enable products
to get to market quicker so developers canrecoup their costs sooner.
The common understanding supplied bystandards even enables innovators to work
together and share R&D costs. This managed
technological development is good forcustomers, who will pay less for a wider rangeof compatible products in the marketplace.
Aided by BS 4046, the specification forcompressed straw building slabs, Suffolkbased Stramit Limited enables customers
from all over the world to set up strawboard
manufacturing plants. In some regions, thisprovides a vital source of affordable andsustainable housing.
“Some businesses might fear that working
with standardization will act as a barrier toinnovation – but this is not our experience,”says one of their senior executives. “Somestandards provide guidance on how to
manufacture a product, but others simply
state levels of performance a product orservice must meet.”Stramit’s use of recycled straw to makepanels for screens, walls, roofing, partitions
and doors is considered innovative. “Wewere ahead of our time in designingsustainable, recyclable and energy-saving
products and processes.

Stramit even played a role in developing thestandard. “You could be forgiven for thinking
that helping to develop a standard requires
disclosing your intellectual property, but
it didn’t.
“BS 4046 doesn’t actually reveal how wemanufacture our products, it simply setsout characteristics such as strength andlevel of fire resistance that must be reached
if other manufacturers want to claim
compliance. Innovative businesses suchas ours are not hindered by standards.
They can enable businesses to make themost out of their ideas.”
To get involved with developing standards
visit bsigroup.com/getinvolved.

“We were the only company ever tomanufacture strawboard in the UK,
so the standard we work with – BS 4046
– has become synonymous with Stramit.
But in other parts of the world, it provides
a benchmark our clients can use to
produce strawboard that meets strict
performance criteria.”

Creative thinking
Another major consideration is the management ofinnovation itself. Guidance and support on the recognition,
fostering and development of innovation with regard to
new or existing products, services and techniques canbe found in standards such as the ‘Guide to managing
innovation’ (BS 7000-1).

11

The small business guide to standards

ServicesAt your service
It’s not simply technical issues that standards support – increasingly standards
can prove to your customer base that you’re taking a lead in customer service.
Research conducted by BSI on customer
service suggests that more than 60 per centof us believe that customer service in the
UK is getting worse. More than 70 per centhave taken our custom elsewhere as a result,while more than half of us have not beensatisfied with how a complaint was handled.

“With the exception of my degree,
BS ISO 22222 is the qualification thathas added the most value to my business,”says Keith Churchouse of Guildford-based
Chapters Financial Limited (formerly
Churchouse Financial Planning Ltd),
specialist in pensions and retirement planning.

Keeping customers happy makes goodbusiness sense. Estimates vary, but attracting
a new customer could cost up to six times
as much as selling to an existing customer.
Firms with a reputation for customer service
have a valuable competitive advantagethat can make winning new businesssignificantly easier.

“It’s at the coalface where British Standards
win every time – and BS ISO 22222 hasa lot of resonance in the market. It gives
customers added confidence in the business’s
competence, experience and ethics.”

As well as ‘universal’ standards such as
BS ISO 10001 and BS ISO 10003, there
are sector-specific standards that enablebusiness of all sizes to ensure that theirservices are world-class. Quality standard
BS ISO 22222, for example, specifies the
ethical behaviour and competence ofprofessional financial planners. Use of thestandard has raised service levels significantlyin this fragmented market, as well as
establishing an international benchmarkthat goes beyond regulatory requirements.

The key concern for those seeking financial
advice is reliability of information provided.
“Ours is a people business,” Keith adds.
“The standard functions as a badge of trust.”
Keith’s wife and fellow company director,
Esther, also recognizes the benefits ofstandardization. “The quality of our existingprocesses was already very high, whichmeant achieving the standard happened
almost immediately,” she explains.

Satisfaction guaranteed
Available from BSI, BS ISO 10001 and BS ISO 10003
are part of a group of customer satisfaction standards.
Used alongside BS ISO 10002, ‘Guidelines for complaints
handling in organizations’, they enable businesses to put
in place effective systems for dealing with customer
satisfaction – from complaint prevention and handlingthrough to dispute resolution.

12“However, in some areas we were able
to raise the bar just that little bit higher,
which has enhanced our customer service
and increased customer satisfaction levels,too. We’re committed to providing ourcustomers with the best financial planning
advice, service and support – the standard
helps us to achieve this.”
To sign up to BSI’s Services Newsletter
visit bsigroup.com/newsletters or for further
information on services standards, training
and certification go to bsigroup.com/services.

“It’s at the coalface where
British Standards win every
time – and BS ISO 22222
has a lot of resonance in themarket. It gives customers
added confidence in thebusiness’s competence,experience and ethics”

bsigroup.com

BSI Kitemark™

What is the BSI Kitemark™ ?
The BSI Kitemark shows that a product or service has been tested
independently and audited by BSI to ensure it meets the appropriate
standards of quality and safety. It is a registered trademark of BSI andhas been reassuring consumers and businesses since 1903. The BSI Kitemark is
recognized and trusted by over 88% of the UK population and, of those who
recognize it, 93% felt products with a BSI Kitemark were safer while 91% felt
they would be better quality.

Flying a kite for quality
Frank Kelly is CEO of UK Flood Barriers. With 28 members of staff, this Worcestershire-based flood
protection company designs and manufactures flood mitigation products. As well as having certification
to ISO 9001, the company complies with the PAS 1188 standard for flood protection products for which
it holds nine BSI Kitemarks based on this standard.
“We knew from early on that if we wanted
to become the world’s leading provider offlood defence solutions we’d need to focus
on innovation and new product development.
“With 2012 being the second wettest
year on record, and a growing numberof properties at risk from flooding,we also knew that any new productsthat we brought to market would need
to be trusted to perform as soon as
they were launched.
“Under the Flood Angel® brand we supply
and install products to prevent flooding.
This includes doorways and other openings,
brick defence and sewage defence. In addition
to carrying out site surveys to advise on
flood mitigation solutions, we also provide
a range of other services such as sealants,
silicones and post-flood restoration products.

“That’s why we chose the BSI Kitemark.
BSI Kitemark certification of our products
and systems gives our customers the trustand confidence that they’ve been tested tothe highest standards, demonstrates their
quality and reassures them that they’ll work.
It’s a stamp of credibility on our products.

“Our BSI Kitemark certification has proved
to be a highly influential tool for us andhas helped us win new business particularlyin the local authority sector and via theEnvironment Agency framework. Quite
simply, it’s a trusted mark of quality.
“We want customers to see that we work
to high standards and that we’ve been
independently verified, so we display the
BSI Kitemark on our website and include
it in all our marketing materials.”
For more information on the BSI Kitemark
visit bsigroup.com/kitemark or our consumer
website kitemark.com.

“BSI Kitemark certification has proved
to be a highly influential tool for us
and has helped us win new business”

13The small business guide to standards

Health and safety

Transporting excellence
Lyndon Wild is Managing Director at Laminar Medica, a specialist in insulated shipping systems.
The Hertfordshire-based company employs 80 people in the UK and has introduced ISO 9001,
ISO 22301, ISO 14001 and the OHSAS 18001 health and safety management standard. Lyndon
explains how OHSAS 18001 benefits Laminar Medica.
“We specialize in the design, test, manufactureand qualification of insulated shipping systems
which are used by the pharmaceutical andbiotech industries globally. Our products
protect vaccines, drugs, blood and othermedical products from extremes oftemperature during transportation.
“It’s therefore essential that our customers
have confidence in the quality and reliabilityof our products to ensure the safe deliveryof often life-saving drugs, while at thesame time looking after our people
and the environment.
“Laminar Medica has been established since1975, however we only decided to introduce
OHSAS 18001 a few years ago. We alreadyhad ISO 9001 and BS 25999 (the previous
standard for business continuity management)
and thought that the OHSAS 18001
health and safety standard, together with
ISO 14001, would sit well alongside them.
“One of the main reasons we decided to
introduce OHSAS 18001 and other standards
is because the industry demands that wework to high standards. Specifically for
OHSAS 18001, it helps us manage our risks,
legal compliance, and reduce accidents andincidents. We believe in the concept of total
quality and making sure everything we do as
a business is right – not just our products
and services.

“Because we’d already implemented ISO 9001
and BS 25999, we found it relatively easy
to bring OHSAS 18001 into the business.
In many ways, it was just a case offormalizing things that we did alreadyand then checking that they were correct.
“Having the standard in place plays animportant role when we are bidding forwork and it has almost certainly brought
us new business. When we tender forcontracts I’m sure we gain points because
we comply with all four.
“As well as implementing the standards,
we’ve also been independently certified.
We make sure that we let customers know
about our high standards because weuse the logos on our website for example,
to show that our compliance has beenassessed and certified. Our customers havethe re-assurance of a third party – they don’t
just have to take our word for it.”To sign up to BSI’s Health & Safety
Newsletter visit bsigroup.com/newslettersor for further information on health andsafety standards, training and certification
go to bsigroup.com/healthandsafety.

“Having management systems in place gives thecustomers the confidence that the company have thecontrols in place to provide continuity, good quality
and service at the same time as looking after its people
and the environment”

14

bsigroup.com

Information security

Safe and secure
Fredrickson is a leading debt collection agency. Based in Surrey, with three offices across the county,
the company is certified to the international information security standard, BS ISO/IEC 27001.
Fredrickson’s sales and marketing director, Jan-Michael Lacey, outlines some of the benefits thatusing the standard provides to the business and its customers.
“We’ve to be able to assure our customers
and the general public that we take thesecurity of their personal information
seriously. Rather than simply saying that
we are compliant with the information
security standard BS ISO/IEC 27001,
we felt it would provide the market
with the confidence it needed if we got
independent assessment and certification.

“Information security is fundamental to thesuccess of Fredrickson. Much of our work
involves receiving, analysing and storing
sensitive consumer and business credit
information. So it’s vital that we haveappropriate controls in place to protect oursystems from hackers, and prevent personal
information from those systems falling into
the wrong hands where it could be usedby criminals to commit identity fraud.

“As a result, clients and the general public
can now have total confidence in our
information security practices and the way
their personal information is managed.
“Being able to show that we are BS ISO/IEC
27001 certified has significantly reduced theman hours needed to complete IT security
questionnaires required by clients in bidding
for work and on an ongoing basis after acontract has been awarded.
“Introducing the standard also brought
us immediate financial benefits. Since weachieved certification we have won someof our largest deals. Clients now include
a central government department,
well respected UK financial institutions
and several FTSE 100 companies.

“We are committed to setting the standard
and becoming the most compliant agency
in the UK. We believe that in the near future
BS ISO/IEC 27001 certification will be a
pre-requisite imposed by many of ourclients when selecting outsourced partners.
“There have been several high profile instancesof data loss within our industry and assuch reducing the risk of this happening andproving we have the highest levels of security
in place is important in demonstrating toclients that we are fit for purpose.
“The standard isn’t just for firms like ours –any business can benefit from it. Compliancealso helps businesses to meet legal requirements
such as data protection regulations and theFreedom of Information Act.”To sign up to BSI’s Information Security
Newsletter visit bsigroup.com/newslettersor for further information on information
security standards, training and certification
go to bsigroup.com/informationsecurity.

What is BS ISO/IEC 27001?
BS ISO/IEC 27001 is the international standard forestablishing, operating and maintaining an information
security management system, whether electronic or paperbased. It gives best practice advice about informationsecurity management, to ensure business continuity, tominimize damage and to maximize return on investments.

15

The small business guide to standards

Anti-bribery

An ethical response
Steve Walker is managing director of Collinson Hall, a privately-owned estate agency
based in St Albans employing 24 people. Steve was keen to use the new British Standard
for anti-bribery, BS 10500, to see how compliant they were with best practice in a subject
that can bring down any small firm.
“We operate in a sector which has numerous
bribery risks and one where the public often
perceives that unethical practices occur.
While we already had in place management,
financial and commercial controls to prevent
bribery, we hadn’t formally implemented
an anti-bribery compliance programme.
“We were, therefore, keen to use the new
British Standard BS 10500 to help implement
an anti-bribery management system toensure that we were following best practiceto help prevent bribery occurring. We could
then use this as a positive marketing tool toreassure the public and promote the company
as a highly ethical practice.
“While we already had many policies
and procedures in place, our independent
consultant told us that these would need
to be formalized and documented so as tobecome part of the official management
process. We took this on board and immediately
implemented the necessary changes.
“Ultimately, we want our compliance with
BS 10500 to be certified by a reputable
independent certification body, as wesee a positive marketing and businessadvantage in doing so.

“BS 10500 is an appropriate tool for us,
or any small business, to help enhance ouranti-bribery programme and prevent us
falling foul of the Bribery Act 2010. For
example, it helps put in place appropriate
procedures so that staff know how tohandle incidents of corruption and whento report wrongdoing.
“It is clearly written and understandable,
and scalable to the size of the company andthe risks faced by it. BS 10500 processes
only need to be implemented to the extent
reasonable and proportionate to a company’sbusiness size and bribery risks.
“While compliance with BS 10500 can’t
provide a cast iron guarantee that bribery
won’t occur, it can help any small firm
demonstrate that it has implemented
reasonable and proportionate measuresdesigned to prevent bribery.”For further information on anti-bribery
standards, training and certification
go to bsigroup.com/bs10500.

“BS 10500 is an appropriate toolfor us, or any small business”

16bsigroup.com

Engineering and construction

Setting firm foundations
Jane Wernick is director of Jane Wernick Associates, a consulting structural engineering
company based in London. The firm, which now has eight employees, follows around30 standards in the course of its day-to-day work. Jane explains why standards are
essential to her company.
“Sometimes we might design a structurethat doesn’t fit the guidance given in astandard. But, ultimately, we’re responsible
for making sure it is safe and strong enough.
If something goes wrong and you haven’t
followed the relevant standards you might
be accused of not following best practice.

“The business was set up in 1998. I alreadyknew that standards were essential, because
I’d used them throughout my career.
“When you design a structure you need toassess the loads and work out how big thecolumns and beams need to be. This requires
us to refer to the standards we use on adaily basis. While we were working on the
Young Vic Theatre in London, for example,
we used a British Standard to determine
the wind loads and live loads.
Live loads are non-permanent loads thatmove around; they include such things
as people and snow. We also used British
Standards for concrete and structural
timber. We also applied standards forall of the other materials we used.

“We sometimes have to buy new standards
before we start a new contract or type ofwork. If I don’t already know which one might
be needed, I ask our librarian for advice.
When the standards we already use are
updated, we usually find out through theInstitution of Structural Engineers’ magazine.

“We referto thestandards
on a daily
basis”“When we buy a new standard, the memberof our staff who will be using it reads it
through to check they understand everything.
When clarification is needed, we might contact
the Institution of Structural Engineers’
representative on the BSI technical committee
responsible for that particular standard.
Alternatively, we phone one of the otherstructural engineers we know to discuss it.”To sign up to BSI’s Engineering andConstruction Newsletters visit
bsigroup.com/newsletters. For further
information on standards, training andcertification go to bsigroup.com/engineering
or bsigroup.com/construction.

“We carry out calculations that are submitted
for approval to our local council’s building
control department. We’re obliged to follow
best practice, so a checking engineer will
use standards to make sure that we aredoing this.
“Although the standards we follow aren’t
regulations, they do help us to meet ourlegal obligations. They’re also helpful
because they represent the accumulationof knowledge and experience gatheredby industry.

What is BS EN 1992-1-1?
It gives recommendations for the structuraluse of concrete in buildings and structures.

17

The small business guide to standards

FireFighting fire with fire
Mike Chilman is managing director of MC Fire Protection. The Oxfordshire-based business,
which employs nine people, supplies and maintains fire safety equipment and provides fire risk
assessments and consultancy services. As well as complying with several standards specific to
the fire protection industry, MC Fire Protection uses ISO 9001. Mike explains why.
“The fire safety-related standards that we use
allow us to give our clients the right advice
when we assess them or when they buy
products from us. For example, by referring
to our copy of BS 5306, we can tell which fire
extinguishers a customer needs, how many
they need, where they should be placedand how often they should be serviced
and maintained.

”In 2001, soon after the business started,
we bought a number of standards usedin the fire protection industry.
“These are BS 5839, which relates to fire
alarms, BS 5306, which relates to fire
extinguishers, and BS 5588 [now BS 9999],
a standard that concerns building regulations.
Then, in 2004, we decided that we could
also benefit from compliance with ISO 9001.

“Basically, I was prompted into finding out
more about ISO 9001 because many of ourcompetitors were starting to publicize thefact that they complied with it. Now that
we can do the same, we are finding that
we are attracting lots of business fromlarger companies that want the reassuranceof dealing with a firm that can demonstrate
it complies with appropriate standards.
“A lot of businesses choose to trade withcompanies that comply with recognized
standards ahead of those that don’t– especially in a trade like ours, where
we deal with life-saving devices.

What are BS 5839 and BS 5306?
BS 5839 is a code of practice for the system design, installation,commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarmsystems for buildings. BS 5306 is a code of practice for theinspection and maintenance of portable fire extinguishers
on premises.

18“On a practical level, ISO 9001 has madepositive changes to the business. For example,
it has improved the way our workshop
and storage areas are organized and has
systemized the way we keep records.
“All the standards we apply have brought us
extra reassurance. They help us to show that
we’re more professional, while our customers
are assured that the services we provide arehigh quality.
“I would recommend standards to otherbusinesses operating in the fire protectionindustry – in fact, it’s becoming more andmore of a necessity. One thing that can be
extremely useful, especially to small firms,
is bringing in outside expertise to help with
the implementation of a standard. That iswhat we did and found it very beneficial –and it wasn’t as expensive as we’d thought.”
To sign up to BSI’s Fire Safety Newsletter
visit bsigroup.com/newsletters or for
further information on fire safety
standards, training and certification
go to bsigroup.com/fire.

bsigroup.com

Medical devices

Selling surgical successWarren Gray is managing director of MCS Medical, a Worcestershire-based business that manufactures
surgical implants and medical components such as bone screws and pins. MCS Medical has 34 employees
and was set up as an offshoot of automotive precision engineers, Machined Component Systems.
Warren explains why BS EN ISO 13485 continues to be important in gaining the trust of the market.
When our parent company, Machine
Component Systems, was in the process ofdiversifying, we carried out a lot of market
research. One thing we realized was that weneeded more of a medical profile. You can’tsell a bone screw to an orthopaedic surgeon
just as an engineered part. You need to sell
it as they see it – a product that will makesomeone better.
“We also realized that, without the medical
devices standard BS EN ISO 13485, we might
not be able to attract the type of customers
we wanted to reach. As a business we aretrying to sell to a number of major, worldclass companies. I am confident that theywouldn’t even sit down at the table with
us if we didn’t use the standard.
“When such businesses procure, they haveto start with a list of questions and one ofthose is whether the company they are
considering meets BS EN ISO 13485.
Through our compliance with this standard,
we are allowing them to tick another box.

“The standard itself is all about inspiringconfidence. It allows anyone who buys fromus to see an audit trail that shows where
each part has come from. It shows where
we bought it, where it was made and fromwhich material. It also means that if everthere is a problem with a particular part,
we can trace where this happened.”
To sign up to BSI’s Medical Devices
Newsletter visit bsigroup.com/newslettersor for further information on medical
devices standards, training and certification
go to bsigroup.com/medicaldevices.

Inspiring
confidence

What is BS EN ISO 13485?
It specifies requirements for quality
management systems for companies that needto show that they can provide medical devices
and related services that consistently meet
regulatory and customer requirements.

19

The small business guide to standards

Certification

Get certified
Having independent certification to prove that you’re complying with a standard can give you
a powerful marketing hook. It tells customers and suppliers that your business can be trusted
because your processes have been checked by a third party and found to be meeting or
exceeding industry best practice.
One of the best sales and marketing benefitsof third-party certifiable standards is thatthey can provide you with independent
verification, if you need it, that your businessis meeting or exceeding them.
This means that customers and otherbusinesses in your supply chain don’t justhave to take your word for it. The validation
by respected, independent bodies canprovide assurance to customers and boost
your reputation. If your business tenders forcontracts, you will probably be in a stronger
position than a competitor if your firm’s
compliance with standards can be verified
and theirs cannot.
Getting certified
Not all standards have an associatedcertification scheme. If a standard you
choose does have one, however, you will
have to decide whether your business will
benefit from certification. Will customers
be more impressed by external verification– or should you simply declare yourown conformity?
There are many organizations that can provide
certification including BSI, but it is a goodidea to use someone recognized by a bodysuch as the United Kingdom Accreditation
Service (UKAS). This proves that the certificationor verification has been carried out by abody that has been assessed and recognized(‘accredited’) itself.
You can find UKAS-accredited bodies
on its website (ukas.com) or by phoning+44 20 8917 8400.

20

Set the ball rolling
Once you have found a body to carry out thecertification or validation, you will need toapply for certification. The certification bodyshould be able to advise you on implementing
the standard. The cost will vary according towhich body you use and the services they
offer, the standard you are looking to certify
to and the size of your business.
When the time comes for the formal
assessment, a representative from thecertifying body will then visit your businessto examine how you’re applying the standard.
After the visit, you will either receive acompliance certificate that proves that you’remeeting the standard, or some guidance
about the areas where you need to carryout more work to ensure that you achieve thestandard. In this case, you will need to schedule
another visit from the certification bodywhen you have put the guidance into place.
Compliance certificates are time-limited
and you will need to renew them after adefined period to continue to prove theindependent validation.

CE marks and quality marks
CE marks and the BSI Kitemark are amongsome of the most familiar names associatedwith quality and safety marks.
CE marking is a legal requirement for someproducts. It provides proof that a productcomplies with relevant EU Directives.
Products that require CE marking cannot,
by law, be sold in the EU without it.
What you will need to prove to use theCE mark on your products depends oneach specific product and directive.
You can find out more about what you
will need to do by visiting the BSI website
at bsigroup.com/CEmarking.
The easiest way for you to demonstratethat your product complies with relevant
directives is to use one of the harmonizedEuropean standards, developed specificallyfor this purpose. You can find out more byvisiting newapproach.org.
In the UK, the BSI Kitemark is a widely
known symbol of quality and safety. The BSI
Kitemark is a registered trademark owned
and operated by BSI and helps demonstratethat particular goods or services conform to
the relevant standards.
To find out more about the BSI Kitemark
visit bsigroup.com/kitemark or kitemark.com.

Makingexcellencea habitbsigroup.com

How certification worked for me“In the accident repair business, more insurers are making
it mandatory for suppliers to have certified standards toprotect them against legal claims – so in some respects
certification is essential for me to stay in business.
“But it also proves to my customers that my business’s
processes are industry-leading. Since getting certification
to ISO 9001 and, more recently, the vehicle-repair standard
PAS 125, I’ve retained some key customers and gained
a few new contracts, too. Everyone recognizes the
BSI Kitemark which we’ve got with PAS 125.

“Certification for PAS 125 took about six months.
Working with BSI to get certification was very good
– they know their stuff. They may not be experts inrepairing vehicles, but they’re excellent on standards,
how to apply them and how to assess processes fairly.”
Tony Arnone, owner, Sapphire Garage, Manchester

21

The small business guide to standards

Set your standard – and win new business
Now that you know a bit more about standards, you can start thinking about introducing them to yourbusiness. Follow our tips to get started and to use standards to drive new customers your way.
1 	Review your business6 	Search for the right standard	What would you like to do better? Perhaps you want toimprove your customer relations, or redesign a productto make it work more effectively.

	Once you have a picture of the business benefits, find thestandard that best suits your objectives. You can browse
standards on the BSI website at bsigroup.com/shop.

2 	Identify exactly what you want to achieve

7 	Weigh them up and make your choice	Focus closely on the results you would like to see.
If it’s improved customer relations, should you be handlingcomplaints more effectively? If it’s a better product, are you
looking for product-specific improvements? Identify clearly
the benefit that you want the standard to provide.

	You might find more than one suitable standard that canhelp you meet your goals. Think about how much time andresource will be needed to implement each and how thebenefits will compare. Some will require more commitment
than others, but could bring greater rewards.

3 	Assess the competition

8 	Implement your chosen standard	How will you compare with competitors once you havethe standard? Will you be soaring ahead or drawing level?
If the latter, refine your target even further to make a realcompetitive difference. Do a cost-benefit analysis basedon the amount of new business that you think would open
up to you if you achieved the standard.

	Follow the guidance and regularly review your progress.
Celebrate your achievements as you progress.

9 	Consider certification	Once your standard is fully in place, consider certification– it can make a real difference to how your firm is perceived.
Complying with the standard on its own will certainly help,
but certification can be additionally powerful.

4 	Think about your customers
	What benefits will a standard give your customers? Will it
have an implication on your pricing? If so, be sure to factor
this into your plans.

10 	Tell the world	Make sure your existing and potential customers knowthat you have achieved compliance with the standard.
Look around for new business opportunities that may
have opened up as a result of introducing it.

5 	Consider your suppliers and the rest of the supply chain	Will applying the standard improve your position withina supply chain? Will it increase your ability to work withother businesses in the chain?

Sell your standard to new customers
The first step to gaining new business once you’ve attainedcompliance within your firm is to let everyone know.
You should make sure that you’re mentioning your standards
in all correspondence – on letterheads and business cards,
in brochures and supporting material, on your website and in any
advertising you do. This will not necessarily lead to an immediateinflux of new business, but it will make everyone aware of yourcommitment and achievement.

22

If you have independent certification, you could consider
issuing a press release to local press or trade magazines.
If you’re selling to other businesses, it’s important that yourpeers know what you’ve achieved. If you’re selling locally,
it’ll enhance your reputation and may help generate
word-of-mouth recommendations.
Make the standard and what it achieves for yourcustomers a central part of your sales story.

bsigroup.com

2,500

35,000Standards we publish
each year

Standards in our current
portfolio

10,000
Active committee members
who come from morethan 2,700 nominatingorganizations

30,000British Standards
customers

About BSI
BSI (British Standards Institution) is the business standards company that equips businesses with
the necessary solutions to turn standards of best practice into habits of excellence. Formed in 1901,
BSI was the world’s first National Standards Body and a founding member of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO). Over a century later it continues to facilitate business
improvement across the globe by helping its clients drive performance, manage risk and grow sustainably
through the adoption of international management systems standards, many of which BSI originated.
Renowned for its marks of excellence including the consumer-recognized BSI Kitemark™, BSI’s influencespans multiple sectors including aerospace, construction, energy, engineering, finance, healthcare,
IT and retail. With over 70,000 clients in 150 countries, BSI is an organization whose standards inspire
excellence across the globe.

bsigroup.com

Find out more

Training

BSI Membership

Search for standards and buy
them at bsigroup.com/shop orcall +44 845 086 9001.

We offer a range of training courses that canhelp small businesses get the most out ofstandards. Our introduction courses are perfectfor those with limited knowledge. They provide
the essential information that you need tounderstand the standard and its relevanceand application to you and your organization.
Courses range from basic knowledge to a morein-depth understanding of standards andtheir potential use and benefits. We also run
courses to help you implement, monitor andaudit your compliance to standards, so we’rehere to support you every step of the way.

BSI Membership will help you save money,
and gives you access to a range of services
that will make using standards easier andmore effective.

Find out more at bsigroup.com/training or
call +44 845 086 9000.

Find out more at bsigroup.com/membershipor call +44 845 086 9001.

Find out about BSI’s certification services
at bsigroup.com/certification orcall +44 845 080 9000.
Find out about BSI Kitemark at
bsigroup.com/kitemark orcall +44 845 0765 606.
Find out how standards can help you
comply with EU Directives by visiting
newapproach.org.
Find out about BSI’s CE marking services for
EU Directives at bsigroup.com/CEmarking or
call +44 845 0765 606.

Benefits include:• 50% off British Standards, BSI conferences
and subscriptions• Discounts on foreign standards• Access to our dedicated Knowledge Centre• Free postage and credit facilities
Plus much more.

Find an organization that can verify yourcompliance by visiting the United Kingdom
Accreditation Service (UKAS) website atukas.com or call +44 20 8917 8400.

23• boost the efficiency or your operation• improve the quality of your products or services• cut your costs and increase your profits• attract and retain customers,
standards can help you meet your goals, cost-effectively.
In this straightforward guide from BSI, you’ll find out about whatstandards are, how they can meet the requirements of your small
business and how you go about finding and using the standards thatwill work for you.
You’ll also hear from a wide variety of small businesses about how
they’ve benefited from introducing a range of standards to theiroperation. From customer service to innovation, from winning newcustomers to becoming more sustainable, and from cutting costs
to keeping afloat when things go wrong, standards can help you
improve every aspect of your business operation.
The overriding message is clear – standards are good for business.

The British Standards Institution (BSI, a company incorporated by Royal Charter), performs
the National Standards Body activity (NSB) in the UK. BSI, together with other BSI Group
Companies, also offers a broad portfolio of business solutions other than the NSB activity
that help businesses worldwide to improve results through standards-based best practice(such as certification, self-assessment tools, software, product testing, information
products and training).

BSI Group
389 Chiswick High Road
London, W4 4AL
United Kingdom
T: +44 845 086 9001
E: cservices@bsigroup.com
bsigroup.com© BSI GroupIf you’re a small business, have you ever thought of the competitiveedge that standards can give your firm? Whether you want to:

BSI/UK/257/ST/1213/en/DD

The small business guide to standards