Quality Assurance
10 Sep 2024
When Quality Assurance Coordinator Rico Valentino joined TeamworX in 2015, he quickly noticed the company’s commitment to quality. As someone who oversees the implementation of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards, he has seen firsthand how the company's adherence to ISO standards has led to improvements.
He gave the example of ISO 9001 on quality management system certification, which has been a cornerstone for TeamworX since 2007. These certifications help the company maintain credibility by conducting annual audits—both internal and external audits—to ensure TeamworX's quality management systems are continuously reviewed and improved.
"By certifying ourselves with ISO, we commit to conducting annual internal audits, management review meetings, and external audits," Rico explained.
As TeamworX expanded, maintaining integrity also became a top priority. Thus, TeamworX took another step toward ensuring ethical business practices by achieving ISO 37001 certification in 2024, which focuses on anti-bribery management.
The adoption of ISO 37001 involved several changes within TeamworX, including the establishment of an Anti-Bribery Compliance (ABC) team and the creation of a whistleblower system. This system allows the company to maintain transparency and ethical practices.
"Now, we have an email for whistleblowing, where both internal and external parties can report any incidents related to bribery without revealing their identity," Rico explained.
He admitted that it has not always been easy to obtain these ISOs. It often involved revising documents, issuing new ones, and assigning dedicated teams to handle the process. If TeamworX does not initially meet the auditors' standards, they must repeat the process until their documents and practices are fully compliant.
For TeamworX, however, these certifications are not just achievements but commitments to maintaining high standards. These certifications also provide a competitive edge for TeamworX when bidding for new projects, as it reduces the number of documents and explanations required.
Looking ahead, TeamworX remains dedicated to these standards. Rico believes that the role of ISO certifications will continue to evolve, especially with various technological advancements in the construction sector.
"ISO always talks about continuous improvement,” Rico said. “There is no ‘finish line’ — there is no end point, so we must continuously improve."