Thirty years on and standards are more important than ever
Is it me,
or do others have the same
impression that some people do not seem to understand, or even less care about doing the right thing in the right manner too often these days?
As IIMS celebrates its 30th birthday, I believe it is more important to have and to adhere to standards these days than ever, not least as marine surveying remains a largely unregulated profession; for without a standard, how do we benchmark our industry and performance? And with litigation increasingly prevalent, being able to support what you do and how you did it by means of reference to an acceptable standard is of key importance and could serve you well in times of crisis.
But who creates these standards and determines what they should be, especially in an unregulated profession such as marine surveying? Of course IIMS has a key role to play in that process, as do other membership organisations representing surveyors around the world along with other learned institutions operating in the wider marine world. The IIMS Professional Assessment Committee applies standards when considering the many new applications the Institute receives. The Institute also expects its members to abide by the Code of Conduct. Maritime regulators, IMO, Classification Societies and P&I Clubs all play key roles too in setting standards. There are other examples of longstanding standards, including those produced by ISO (International Standards Organization) and the BSI (British Standards) to name but two. And of course individual sectors impose their own sets of standards too, for example, in the superyacht
coatings inspection arena or the auditing of offshore assets under the standards set by IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association).
But a word of caution. Do not confuse standards with regulation. There is a correlation between the two for certain, but a distinct point of difference. Standards are not the same as regulations
30 | The Report • June 2021 • Issue 96
and following a standard does not guarantee that you are operating within the relevant laws. In fact standards rarely cite the law. But governments and regulatory bodies often refer to standards when putting together legislation. Standards are used to establish the technical background and detail, allowing the resulting legislation to concentrate on long term policy objectives.
Increasingly it appears that there is a propensity by some to do things their way rather than following a standard method. It seems that it is more important to them to do things “their way,” instead of following a standard method which delivers the defined results, and is repeatable across the majority of those performing similar tasks. This does not mean that you cannot be a memorable surveyor who has his/her specific methods and specialisations - or that all surveyors must do things in an identical manner - just as long as a recognized standard underpins the activity.
When we choose to follow standards, it allows us to establish, measure and assure a level of quality, service and predictability to our clients and to one another.
All businesses, from sole traders to larger surveying groups, can benefit from adopting standards. Recent research has shown that many businesses lack sufficient information to make effective use of standards. However standards can provide real societal benefits to both businesses and individuals. If your business is not using standards, I would urge
IIMS CEO, Mike Schwarz, ponders and argues the importance and relevance of standards in a modern marine surveying world.
serious consideration be given to adopting them, wherever feasible. And by the way, I am not advocating wrapping your business in unnecessary red tape for the sake of it. I am personally averse to red tape!
Some of the business benefits from developing standards are:
- Standards can provide best-practice guidance helping your business to assess and review your processes, allowing you to take steps to increase efficiency and increase profitability. - Standards provide a reliable benchmark against which performance can be judged, both against your own and external standards, helping your business to retain existing clients and generate new ones.
- Being able to claim compliance with widely recognized and respected standards is an effective way of supporting the value of the services you provide. If you cannot demonstrate such compliance, customers only have your word for it. Membership of IIMS, or a similar body, is a great way to show compliance. - Complying with recognized standards can provide a competitive advantage and could be a deciding factor when a buyer has to choose between two organisations.
If everyone knows, practices and adheres to a standard, then those who do not follow the standard can be singled out by their peers and others in their network, who can then distinguish between a required level of competence (which can be corrected), and ‘special’ behaviour (which is a choice).
Over thirty years, IIMS has come a long way from its humble beginnings. The adoption and implementation of accepted standards is one reason why the Institute had grown and prospered. I raise a glass to the importance of standards and encourage you to do so too. As IIMS continues to develop, further achievements will inevitably be due to the adherence and acceptance of standards.
Mike Schwarz
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