ISO 9000, 14000 show continued strong growth in Canada

2000-09-25

Both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 continue to show strong growth in Canada, according to a new survey conducted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). 

At a glance ISO 9000 Number of registrations (as of December 1999) In Canada: 10,556 Worldwide: 343,643 Increase from previous year In Canada: 39% Worldwide: 26% ISO 14000 Number of registrations (as of December 1999) In Canada: 276 Worldwide: 14,106 Increase from previous year In Canada: 165% Worldwide: 79%

Both ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 continue to show strong growth in Canada, according to a new survey conducted by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO).

Between December 1998 and December 1999, the number of ISO 9000 registration certificates issued in Canada increased by 39 per cent. Over the same period, the number of ISO 14000 registration certificates increased by 165 per cent.

Those numbers come from the ninth round of the ISO survey of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 registrations. First conducted in 1993 by the multinational oil company Mobil, the survey is the only worldwide review of the status of the two series of standards.

The survey found that 10,556 ISO 9000 registration certificates were in effect in Canada as of the end of December 1999, up from 7,585 certificates the year before.

While the number of certificates issued in Canada is significant, we're still a fairly minor player worldwide. The ISO survey found that at least 343,643 ISO 9000 registration certificates had been issued around the world, with Canada holding just three per cent of the total. As in previous surveys, the lion's share of certificates is held in Europe and the Far East.

Canada is catching up to the rest of the world, however. Our growth rate of 39 per cent is significantly ahead of the global rate of 26 per cent.

Number of ISO 9000 registrations in Canada
Jan. 1993	Sept. 1993	June 1994	March 1995	Dec. 1995	Dec. 1996	Dec. 1997	Dec. 1998	Dec. 1999
292	530	870	1290	1397	3955	5852	7585	10556

The survey also included information on the industrial sectors of the registered operations, although not all participating registrars were able to supply this information. The leading single sector was electrical and optical equipment, with 15 per cent of registrations, followed by basic metal and fabricated metal parts (11 per cent), construction (9 per cent) and machinery and equipment (7 per cent).

Those global figures are somewhat different from the data in a recent Canadian survey conducted on behalf of the Standards Council of Canada (click here for more information on that survey). That study found that the leading sector for Canadian ISO 9000 registrations was primary metal manufacturing (45 per cent), followed by wood product manufacturing (18 per cent), professional and technical services (11 per cent) and wholesale trade (9 per cent).

The difference between the worldwide and Canadian industrial sector breakdowns likely reflects a difference in the relative significance of various sectors to the global economy (particularly Europe and the Far East) and the Canadian economy.

On the environmental side, the survey found that 276 ISO 14000 registration certificates had been issued in Canada, up from 104 the year before.

The global total was 14,106 certificates, with Canada holding two per cent of the total. Once again, however, Canada exceeded the average growth rate: the worldwide increase in ISO 14000 certificates was 79 per cent, compared to 165 per cent in Canada.

Number of ISO 14000 registrations in Canada
December 1995	December 1996	December 1997	December 1998	December 1999
0	7	27	104	276

Overall, the industry sector breakdowns were largely similar to those for ISO 9000, suggesting that companies that have already registered to ISO 9000 are more likely to register to ISO 14000. Electrical and optical equipment was again in the lead at 21 per cent of the total number of certificates for which a sector was reported. That was followed by chemicals, chemical products and fibres (10 per cent) and machinery and equipment (6 per cent).

Again, the picture in Canada is somewhat different. According to the Standards Council survey, most Canadian organizations registered to ISO 14000 are in the primary metal manufacturing sector (50 per cent), followed by wood product manufacturing (32 per cent) and professional and technical services and food product manufacturing (both 6 per cent).

An electronic version of the ISO Survey of ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 Certificates is available for free.