The Botswana Bureau of Standards (BOBS) has called upon Companies and organisations to be ISO certified to improve their competitiveness in both local and international markets.
“We are not impressed with the numbers of certified companies; we need more companies and different organizations, than we have currently, to come for certification to enhance their competitiveness,” said Keemenao Jappie, the Acting Public Relations Officer at BOBS.
He said at least 33 Companies are certified for ISO 9001:2008 and there are 19 other companies whose products are certified by BOBS for compliance with different product specifications.
The purpose of ISO is to promote the development of standardization and related world activities to facilitate the international exchange of goods and services, and to develop co-operation in intellectual, scientific, technological and economic activity. ISO 2001:2008 compels companies to employ quality management systems that guarantee quality products or services.
Jappie said companies in developed countries do not want to do business with companies in developing countries that are not ISO 9001 certified.
“The export sector will not grow if quality of products and services does not improve,” he added, noting that having businesses certified will promote consistency of service or product quality.
He said SMEs have not taken up use of standards. “SMEs are having challenges of appreciating the value which certification gives to the clients,” said Jappie.
All certified clients are issued with licenses to use the BOBS certification marks; these marks are registered trademarks, which belong to BOBS and can only be used by BOBS certified companies.
“We have observed unauthorized use of these certification marks and this can result in legal action being taken against such companies or organizations,” he said.