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Home / ISO Consulting and Implementation / Option 2: Consulting
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SPEAK TO A CONSULTANT

OPTION 2: CONSULTING

What is it?

  • WWISE’s provides Consultants to guide your organisation on what activities are required, as well as what to document, and how to implement the system.
  • Upon completion, our Consultants will conduct training and additional reviews.
  • This can be associated to “comparing apples with apples” as Consultants globally provide this service and clients can be assured of substantial value add relating to Implementation and Consulting – aligned to pricing.
Consulting 01

Why does an organisation require a Consultant?

Consultants have the required competency, understanding, and experience the different businesses, industries, and ISO Standards. The cost of a Consultant in marrying the Standard to your Values and Objectives is key in reducing the risk of failing a Certification Audit. Failure comes at a cost, and often involves reputational damage.

Industry experience, qualifications, and competency for registered Auditors is key. A certificate only shows the theoretical expertise of a Consultant, while registration validates their practical competency and credibility. Auditors can be searched on www.saatca.co.za and www.quality.org. 

How long does a Consultant take to guide the organisation on Implementation?

This This is largely dependent on the organisations’ scope of products and services, departments, staff complement, processes, activities, functions, sites, and commitment from Top Management. This process can range from a minimum of 3 months to a maximum of 3 years.

What is the process to hire a Consultant?

  1. Contact admin@wwise.co.za or click on our Contact Us page and request a Gap Assessment on your specific ISO Standard requirements. Should you require clarity on which ISO Standard your business requires, a Consultant will call you back within 12 hours to understand your requirements.
  2. We identify the Standard you require to conform to, bearing in mind: time frame, location, scope, boundaries, processes, products and services. This is achieved by requesting your Company Profile, Product and Service Catalogue, Legal Register (if any), and Organogram (functional).
  3. Our Consultants create a Proposal with the following key Milestones and Tasks:
    1. Step 1: Gap Assessment. We advise to consider Option 1 (Gap Assessment) before Option 2 (Consulting).
    2. Step 2: Awareness training to all staff, combined with Top Management or separate. Explanation of the history of ISO, benefits of a Management System, Project Plan, and requirements of each individual for the project is defined, communicated, and understood.
    3. Step 3: Implementation Training for ISO Champions for 5 days, for a minimum of 2 employees from different departments/processes. ISO Champions are selected from the employee pool, with a focus on those who are assertive, motivated, dedicated, and can influence change.
    4. Step 4: ISO Management System Templates is supplied, with training on how to complete each Template. This includes an action plan with individuals responsible for: document creation, review, verification, validation, and sign off. These are aligned to the Corporate Identity of the company, and the Control of Documented Information Procedure. Assistance in documentation of a Risk Assessment is also provided.
    5. Step 5: Guidance of how to generate Records for each mandatory requirement of the Standard is provided. Policy implementation and procedural outputs are undertaken and evaluated.
    6. Step 6: Internal Audit Training for ISO Champions is provided. Additionally, an Internal Audit is conducted by an independent Consultant/Auditor.
    7. Step 7: Non-conformance and Corrective Action (Root Cause Analysis) Workshops are conducted – risks are updated as required.
    8. Step 8: Management Review Meeting is held, and statistical Objectives are proven. Thereafter a final action plan on what is required for the Certification Audit is prepared.
    9. Step 9: Stage 1 Audit with an accredited Certification Body is undertaken. Completion of the application forms with multiple Certification Bodies is conducted and preference is chosen. The Stage 1 and 2 fees are paid to the Certification Body and a date is set for the Stage 1 Audit, or desk study Audit, for a day or 2. The Stage 1 Report is presented highlighting areas of concern.
    10. Step 10: Areas of concern will be addressed and preparation for Stage 2 Certification Audit is undertaken. Note: this must take place within 3 months of the Stage 1 Audit, or the Stage 1 Audit is forfeited.
    11. Step 11: The Stage 2 Audit is conducted with Top Management, process owners, and staff audited against inputs of the Standard (Policies, Processes, Procedures, and respective Standards controls) to outputs evidence of 6-12 months. Thereafter a Report is submitted with any non-conformances noted.
    12. Step 12: Corrective actions with evidence supplied to the Auditor. This is necessary, as evidence of closure of the findings must be provided.
    13. Step 13: Certification is awarded. This includes the benefit of utilising the ISO logos for marketing purposes. Furthermore, the annual Surveillance Audits of year 2 and 3 are agreed upon.
    14. Step 14: Consultant guidance can be provided – this may be a monthly retainer or adhoc.

What are the benefits of a Consultant?

The guidance of a competent Consultant who understands the requirements of the Standard and the organisation’s business and strategic objectives is key when documenting a system. This system will align with the culture of the organisation and provides assurance that there are no drastic changes required, rather improvements and adjustments. A Consultants’ objective is to assist in guiding an organisation to develop a system that is embedded within current practices. Our Consultants have the ability to understand blue- and white-collar employees – communicating effectively and translating the value of the improvements to daily activities.

What are the disadvantages of a Consultant?

A Consultant functions to advise on what to do. Organisations and employees do not have the time to document Policies, Processes, Procedures, and standardise Forms which is an administrative burden and results in delays of the project.

To mitigate this, WWISE recommends Option 3 – Implementation. 

What are the costs?

On average, for all 14 phases, this ranges from a total of 7 days (56 hours) for smaller companies, excluding training and the Certification Audit (Stage 1 and 2) dates, or 15 days for medium sized organisations that can be spread out in an hourly, daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

A system is required to provide at least 3-6 months of Records to be considered for certification.

Costs vary based on time required, for example:

  • For an organisation between 0-10 employees, on average the days and costs are, excluding training:
  • 5 days or 40 hours over a period of time, either a month or 3.
  • R 750,00 an hour R 30 000-00 ex. VAT and travel expenses, for 5 days or 40 hours.
  • An organisation between 11-20 employees, on average the days and costs are, excluding training:
    • 10 days or 80 hours over a period of time either a month or 3.
    • R 750,00 an hour or R 6000,00 per day. A total of R 60 000-00 ex. VAT and travel expenses, for 10 days or 80 hours.
  • For 21 employees or more – Options 1 and 3 are recommended unless a set number of days and hours are required. This will be at a rate of R 9250-00 per day or R 1200-00 per hour ex. VAT and travel expenses.

All our Consultants are professionals with specific industry experience and are registered Auditors. We have over 100 years of combined experience with a 100% Certification Record.