How Charities & Not-for-Profit Organisations can Benefit from Certification to ISO Standards

Certification to ISO Standards can provide great benefits to organisations across all sectors and can become a potent trust signal that not only supports sustainable business management, but also aids in procuring new partnership opportunities.

For charities and not-for-profits (NFP) that have obligations to maintain transparency with partners and donors, displaying Certification badges on your website and maintaining conformance to ISO Management System Standards can showcase your commitment to excellence.

The question is which ISO Management System Standards are most worthwhile for your organisation to engage with? And what are the actual benefits of achieving Certification to those ISO Standards?

At ISO Certification Experts, we are here to answer these questions for you. Below, you’ll find a quick overview of all the overarching benefits of Certification for charities and not-for-profits, as well as the key ISO Standards that are most relevant to these unique organisations.

Key Benefits of Certification to ISO Standards for Charities & Not-for-Profits

1. Increased operational efficiency

To achieve Certification to any of the main ISO Management System Standards, organisations must develop clear and comprehensive documentation that supports the effective implementation and maintenance of their management systems. Supporting documentation can refer to policies, procedures, objectives, scope of the Management System with outlines of the context of the organisation, reporting and data management, internal audit schedules, etc.

This need for greater organisation and the standardisation of processes naturally helps charities and not-for-profits boost their operational efficiency. With these systems in place, charities and not-for-profits can not only operate but also scale sustainably.

2. Improved resource management

The standardisation of organisational workflows and processes can aid in reducing organisational waste. This results in reduced operational costs and general improvements to other elements of resource management. This is especially valuable in NFPs where resources are limited and every dollar counts.

As Management Systems must also include Business Process Improvement measures to ensure full conformance to the relevant Certification Standard, Certification to ISO Standards can also help charities and not-for-profits ensure ongoing optimisation of resources over the long term.

3. Improved risk management

Charities and not-for-profits come with their own unique array of operational risks, including:

• Privacy breaches
• Financial mishandling
• Reputational risks
• Employee negligence

As is the case with any organisation, the key to risk management for charities and NFPs is through establishing detailed risk assessment and mitigation processes. Thankfully, risk management and assessment are pillars of the Certification Standards that are most relevant for charities and not-for-profits. Using the frameworks outlined in these ISO Standards, charities and not-for-profits can maintain a more proactive approach to risk management, ultimately reducing the likelihood and potentially even the severity of identified risks.

4. Stronger donor and stakeholder trust

For charities and not-for-profits, providing transparency on the use of donated funds is essential for maintaining relationships with donors and stakeholders. The Quality Management Systems Standard in particular aids in maintaining these relationships in a few different ways, including by providing frameworks for customer service, stakeholder engagement, and other processes that are vital in cultivating stakeholder trust.

By establishing a Quality Management System and ensuring conformance to ISO 9001:2015, charities and organisations can not only maintain these processes, but also showcase to donors and stakeholders their commitment to trust signals such as achieving and maintaining Certification to ISO 9001:2015.

5. Strengthening reputation and credibility

One of the key benefits of Certification for small businesses is the opportunity to present your organisation as a well-established and responsibly operated entity in its market or industry. For charities and not-for-profits, the need to maintain credibility is foundational to even occupying space in the industry landscape, as public perception can greatly influence consumer trust. In this regard, reputation management is vital for charities and not-for-profits to flourish.

Implementing standards like ISO 9001 (Quality Management) or ISO 27001 (Information Security Management) demonstrates a commitment to transparency, quality, and data protection. This helps build trust with donors, partners, volunteers, and the community.

6. Strengthening overall organisational impact

By providing frameworks for improving donor and stakeholder relationships, streamlining operational processes, and supporting social responsibility initiatives, Certification to ISO Standards helps ensure that charities and not-for-profits can deepen their overall organisational impact sustainably through ongoing collective efforts and a commitment to continual improvement.

The Management Systems Standards that we’ll be outlining below all include frameworks for supporting organisations in strengthening their overall impact.

The Best ISO Standards for Charities & Not-for-Profits

The following list of ISO Management System Standards relates to Accredited Certification Standards that are designed to provide frameworks for aspects and disciplines highly relevant and beneficial to charitable organisations.

ISO 9001:2015 – Quality management systems

Arguably the most recognisable Certification Standard, ISO 9001:2015 outlines the guidelines for Quality Management Systems (QMS). Conformance to this ISO Standard is designed to ensure that an organisation can develop and maintain consistently high-quality products, services, and organisational processes.

ISO 9001:2015 outlines frameworks for business growth via a risk and opportunity-based process approach. ISO 9001:2015 is specifically valuable to charities and not-for-profits because it helps them formalise and optimise their unique service delivery processes, manage donor and beneficiary expectations consistently, ensure transparency and accountability, and make the most of limited resources – all of which are critical for building trust and maximising social impact.

ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental management systems

The ISO 14001:2015 Standard outlines the guidelines for development, implementation, and monitoring of Environmental Management Systems. Designed as a cornerstone for sustainable business practices, Certification to ISO 14001:2015 supports organisations in generally improving environmental performance and performance monitoring. An EMS improves environmental performance by focusing on key operational considerations, including:

• optimising resource consumption,
• boosting the sustainability of business processes, and
• establishing environmental policies that align with an organisation’s ethos and operational goals.

For charities and not-for-profits championing an environmental or ecological cause, Certification to ISO 14001:2015 can be essential for supporting their organisation’s reputation, especially for those working in environmental, social, or community services. However, Certification to ISO 14001:2015 can still be an invaluable trust signal for charities and not-for-profits operating outside of green movements as well, mainly as maintaining an EMS showcases an organisation’s commitment to sustainability over the long term.

ISO 27001:2022 – Information security management systems

As charities and not-for-profits typically handle a large volume of revenue streams, ensuring the privacy and data security of donors/partners and the responsible handling of financial information is a consistent concern. This is where the ISO 27001:2022 Standard comes into play.

Relating to the development, implementation, and continual improvement of Information Security Management Systems, Certification to ISO 27001:2022 demonstrates to prospective donors and stakeholders that the organisation has invested in robust data security measures that support their best interests and aid in preventing risks like privacy breaches, while keeping transparency of relevant information.

ISO 45001:2018 – Occupational health and safety management systems

Certification to ISO 45001:2018 can be just as valuable for charities and not-for-profits as it is for the construction industry. Charities and NFP organisations have responsibilities to protect volunteers, paid workers and clients across on-site and off-site duties.

When it comes to charities and NFP, ISO 45001:2018 can be relevant in areas with potential health and safety risks, such as community services, aged care, disability support, homelessness services, international aid, environmental work, food relief, education, and childcare. These sectors often involve direct interaction with vulnerable people, physical work, or unpredictable environments, making it essential to have a structured system for identifying and managing health and safety risks.

With Certification to ISO 45001:2018, charities and not-for-profits can establish health and safety policies that reduce risks of workplace-related injuries or illness, which in turn will keep volunteers and employees secure on the job, and help organisations meet legal obligations.

Secure Certification for your Charity or Not-for-Profit Organisation

There are a range of benefits to Certification to ISO Standards for charities and not-for-profits, with the most optimal Certification Standards also being dictated by the scope of the charity and the nature of their work.

Understanding the full benefits of implementing these ISO Standards in your charity or not-for-profit naturally starts with understanding the Standards themselves. Our consultants at ISO Certification Experts are here to advise you. Together, we can determine the strongest Certification strategy for your charity or not-for-profit.

Get started on your journey to Certification Readiness with support from our team at ISO Certification Experts. Book a free strategy session with one of our experts today.