Patricia Ejalu, Deputy ED-Standards at UNBS
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) has called on Ugandan companies to implement Management Systems Certification if their products and services are to compete locally, regionally and internationally.
The call was made by Patricia Ejalu, Deputy ED-Standards at UNBS during an online awareness workshop held on Wednesday to enlighten service providers, manufacturers, industry and all relevant stakeholders about the UNBS Management Systems Certification services.
“Management Systems Certification gives you a step-by-step process from the raw materials to the end product to make sure the entire system is under control and your end product is not affected,” Ejalu said.
She added that Ugandan companies to get the Management Systems Certification through at affordable fee.
Vincent Kassozi, a Senior Certification Officer at UNBS took participants through what it takes to get the Management Systems Certification (MSC).
He defined MSC as a set of policies, processes and procedures that a company must fulfill and implement consistently once they have been certified by bodies like UNBS.
He noted that there are various Management Systems Certifications including but not limited to quality management system, food safety management system, environment management system, occupational health and safety, energy management system, information security management system and management systems for private security company operations.
“Everyone can have the Management System Certification regardless of the size of the company,” Kassozi said.
On how to implement the MS, Kassozi said a company must first acquire a copy of the relevant standard from UNBS webstore, determine training needs, define and map the company’s processes.
“You also need to define your policy, define your objectives, define defects for every process,” he said, adding that companies must also develop documents and records as well as define processes to check system performance among others.
Kassozi further highlighted the numerous benefits that come with implementing the MS. These include among others achieving organizational goals, reducing on costly errors, improving customer satisfaction, helping market business more effectively, managing growth more effectively, improving documentation availability, consistent products and services and growing market share in new territories.
There are 50 companies in Uganda with Management Systems Certifications.
The certificate is valid for 3 years, but UNBS conducts an annual surveillance audit to ensure the set procedures, polices and processes are followed.
“Management Systems Certifications is voluntary,” Kassozi said, adding: “Implementing a Management System is different from Systems Certification. So, after implementation, inquire about UNBS Systems Certification from UNBS Offices by email or physically.”
