The Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has urged the business community to embrace quality and safety systems certification of their businesses to facilitate growth.
The remarks were made during an online stakeholder engagement organised by UNBS to equip business owners with management system standards and skills to better their businesses.
“Management Systems Certification gives you a step by step process from the raw materials/service inception to the end product/service delivery to make sure the entire system is under control and the quality of your end product/service is not affected,” said Ms Patricia Bageine Ejalu, the Deputy Executive Director in charge of Standards at UNBS.
Ms Ejalu also hinted on the requirements for Management Systems Certification for businesses looking to do business beyond the Ugandan borders to promote Buy Uganda Build Uganda (BUBU).
“Although management systems certification in Uganda is voluntary, countries we export to especially in Europe and America now require compulsory Quality and Food Safety Systems certification. So we are moving from just assuring the quality of products to assuring the quality of the entire Management Systems for both products and services” Ms Ejalu Noted.
A Management System is the way an organisation executes its interrelated processes, functions, and activities while transforming its inputs into outputs in order to achieve its objectives like product or service quality and or safety, operational efficiency, customer satisfaction and compliance with statutory and regulatory requirements.
In February 2019, UNBS attained accreditation to offer management system certification based on the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 22000 Food Safety Management Systems. The accreditation, which is internationally recognised, is by the South African National Accreditation System (SANAS) which enables UNBS to support the business community in Uganda to compete favourably on the global markets
UNBS also offers certification against a number of other standards, which include: ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems, ISO 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems, and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) based food safety systems.
Management Systems Certification is important because it helps businesses achieve organizational goals, reduce costly errors and improve customer satisfaction.
It also facilitates the marketing and growth of business more effectively, improves traceability, and allows for the growth of one’s market share in new territories.
According to UNBS, implementation of management systems will help in creating a culture of quality and safety, and improve efficiency and productivity in Ugandan business.
Business owners are encouraged to implement Management Systems by acquiring a copy of the relevant standard(s) from the UNBS website.
UNBS is a Government Agency responsible for developing, promoting and enforcing of national standards in the protection of public health and safety, and the environment against harmful and sub-standard products.