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03 — Competencies

Integrated Management Systems

Building, certifying, and continuously developing management systems per ISO 9001, IATF 16949, and VDA 6.3.

A certification audit you fail, or a standard revision you address too late, costs time, trust, and potentially orders. This topic first creates clarity about your status quo – through a GAP analysis against the relevant standards (ISO 9001, IATF 16949, EN 9100, AQAP, VDA 6.3, ISO 14001) – and builds on that a documented management system that is actually lived in daily operations.

This pays off twice over economically. A passed audit secures existing customer relationships and opens up new tenders – timely preparation is usually significantly cheaper than rework under time pressure shortly before the assessment date. The effort depends on the number of standards involved and system maturity, ranging from a few weeks for a status assessment to several months for build-up and certification support.

This also keeps you on top of standard revisions such as ISO 14001:2026 or ISO 9001:2026, and permanently secures your certification readiness – instead of working through individual deadlines under pressure.

I follow this same approach myself: how I anchor quality, environment, and energy in my own policy – including its actual implementation status – is something I publish transparently (see box below).

My Own Corporate Policy
Policy for Quality, Environment and Energy — incl. implementation status
View policy →
Industry entry assessment

Defence sector as an additional line of business?

If you are considering the defence sector as an additional market, an initial assessment identifies the organisational and quality-related prerequisites you already meet and the areas that need further attention. We relate this assessment to a defined supply segment and develop prioritised next steps with an initial effort estimate.

Explore the entry assessment
Modular Structure

Three stages, independently bookable

1

Status Assessment

GAP analysis & maturity check
  • Comparing standard requirements
  • Assessing process maturity
  • Prioritized action plan
2

Build-Up & Implementation

System build-up & process integration
  • Processes, manual & documentation
  • Core tools, VDA 6.3, legal register
  • Internal audits & effectiveness
3

Full Service

Certification support & ongoing care
  • Supporting the certification audit
  • Customer/2nd-party audits
  • Ongoing system maintenance & transition

Each stage can be commissioned independently and can be configured for one or several standards.

The entry point depends on your starting situation. Building a new system usually starts at stage 1; an existing certification with an upcoming recertification or standard transition often starts at stage 2 or 3.

In Detail

The three modules in detail

Goal, target group, and service components of each module — each module can be commissioned independently.

01

Module 1: Status Assessment

Goal

GAP analysis & maturity check — creating clarity on standard requirements and the status quo.

Target group

Companies introducing a new management system, extending it to an additional standard, or wanting their existing system checked for currency and certification readiness — including an assessment of upcoming standard revisions.

Service components

  • Kick-off workshop to capture the organization, process landscape, and existing systems/certificates
  • GAP analysis against the relevant standard(s): ISO 9001, IATF 16949, EN 9100, AQAP, VDA 6.3, ISO 14001
  • Entry assessment for industrial companies considering the defence sector: prerequisites and adaptation effort
  • Assessment of the maturity of processes, documentation, and risk management
  • Assessment of the impact of current standard revisions (ISO 14001:2026 published, ISO 9001:2026 from September 2026, IATF 16949 revision in preparation) on your own system
  • Management presentation with a prioritized action plan for certification or transition readiness
02

Module 2: Build-Up & Implementation

Goal

System build-up & process integration — documenting, embedding, and living the management system.

Target group

Companies actively building their management system, extending it to an additional standard (e.g. ISO 9001 → IATF 16949, integrating ISO 14001), or transitioning to a new standard revision.

Service components

  • Developing/adapting the process landscape, management manual, and procedural instructions
  • Implementing standard-specific requirements: core tools for IATF 16949 (APQP, PPAP, FMEA, SPC, MSA), process audit logic per VDA 6.3, environmental aspects and legal register per ISO 14001
  • Migrating existing documentation to the harmonized structure of the 2026 standard revisions
  • Building risk and opportunity management, plus a target system with KPIs
  • Training internal auditors and process owners
  • Conducting internal audits to verify effectiveness and prepare the management review
03

Module 3: Full Service

Goal

Certification support & ongoing care — audit confidence and permanent system maintenance.

Target group

Companies ahead of an initial or recertification audit, with upcoming customer/2nd-party audits (especially VDA 6.3), or in need of ongoing support, including transition to new standard revisions.

Service components

  • Preparing and supporting the certification audit (stage 1/stage 2 audit) with the certification body
  • Supporting customer/2nd-party audits, in particular VDA 6.3 potential analysis and process/series audits
  • Following up on audit findings and corrective action management (8D report, root cause analysis)
  • Supporting the transition to new standard revisions (e.g. ISO 14001:2026, ISO 9001:2026) within the transition periods
  • Building or further developing an integrated management system (IMS) across multiple standards
  • Supporting annual surveillance audits and continuous improvement (CIP)

Does this topic fit your situation?

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