As an ISO consultant, I frequently encounter businesses that believe a gap analysis is essential before starting an ISO project. But in my experience, traditional gap analyses often provide little real value, and sometimes, they even distract from what really matters.     Gap Analyses: Who Are They Really For? Most businesses operate with one goal in mind: making money. ISO compliance is important, but it isn’t the driver of daily decisions. Companies already manage operation

Internal audits are a core requirement across ISO standards, but many businesses treat them as a formality. If you're preparing for an external audit or just trying to make your internal audits more effective, watch out for these common pitfalls: 1. Auditing Your Own Work Even in small teams, audits must be objective. If independence isn’t possible, introduce peer review or rotate roles. 2. Using the Same Checklist Every Time Audits should evolve. Static checklists miss emer

When organisations approach ISO certification, one of the most overlooked but vital requirements is the setting of quality, environmental, or health & safety objectives. Too often, these are written once and filed away — rather than used to drive real operational improvements. In fact, ISO 9001:2015 (Clause 6.2) is clear: objectives should be measurable, monitored, communicated, and updated as appropriate. But what does this mean in practice? Good Objectives Are: Aligned wit