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- B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?Publication . Fonseca, Luís; Silva, Vitor; Sá, José Carlos; Lima, Vanda; Santos, Gilberto; Silva, RuiCorporate social responsibility (CSR) emerged to deliver sustainable economic, environmental, and social value to organization's extended stakeholders and society in general. This study investigates the similarities, differences, and relationships between B Corp, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications and is supported by a mixed research methodology and a sample of 701 B Corp companies certified between January 2020 and March 2021. The results indicate that ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified B Corp companies have statistically higher scores for the Environment dimension but are inconclusive, or even contradictory, for the other BIA (B Impact Assessment) dimensions. Differences in size, activity sector and geographical location are discussed. It is shown that both B Corp, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified companies, guided by different missions and business models, contribute, at different levels, towards CSR and sustainable development goals.
- B Impact Assessment as a Sustainable Tool: Analysis of the Certification ModelPublication . Silva, Vítor; Lima, Vanda; Sá, José Carlos; Fonseca, Luís; Santos, GilbertoCurrently, certification is an essential tool for a company’s sustainability and a seal of trust for the stakeholders. The B Corporation (B Corp) certification system is in line with the leading indicators of sustainable development and social responsibility published by the general assembly of the United Nations, namely: environment, community, workers, customers, and governance. Nevertheless, it is essential that academic research should empirically assess the B Corp model’s reliability for its validation and legitimization. In this study, we address the results of the B Impact Assessment of 2262 companies certified by B Corp from the beginning of 2017 to March 2021. The main objective is to analyze the B Impact Assessment, verifying the robustness and consistency of the model to measure and improve the economic, social, and environmental impact of companies. We analyzed the construct’s validity through a confirmatory factorial analysis using AMOS statistical software. The results allowed us to identify some weaknesses and limitations of the B Impact Assessment. This certification system reflects an unadjusted model where the main assessment indicators have problems with regard to the measurement scale. The governance and customer indicators are the most vulnerable. The findings also allow us to state that there are apparently no minimum values established for each of the parameters evaluated, which may cause imbalances in the sustainable development process of B Corp companies. This research contributes to enhancing B Impact Assessment as a sustainability tool, highlighting areas for improvement concerning the indicators’ measurement scales and the assessment process, including the monitoring of evaluators.
- B Corp versus ISO 9001 and 14001 certifications: Aligned, or alternative paths, towards sustainable development?Publication . Fonseca, Luís; Silva, Vitor; Sá, José Carlos; Lima, Vanda; Santos, Gilberto; Silva, RuiCorporate social responsibility (CSR) emerged to deliver sustainable economic, environmental, and social value to organization's extended stakeholders and society in general. This study investigates the similarities, differences, and relationships between B Corp, ISO 9001, and ISO 14001 certifications and is supported by a mixed research methodology and a sample of 701 B Corp companies certified between January 2020 and March 2021. The results indicate that ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 certified B Corp companies have statistically higher scores for the Environment dimension but are inconclusive, or even contradictory, for the other BIA (B Impact Assessment) dimensions. Differences in size, activity sector and geographical location are discussed. It is shown that both B Corp, ISO 9001 and 14001 certified companies, guided by different missions and business models, contribute, at different levels, towards CSR and sustainable development goals.
- A model of integration ISO 9001 with Lean six sigma and main benefits achievedPublication . Sá, José Carlos; Vaz, Sílvia; Carvalho, Orlancina; Lima, Vanda; Morgado, Luísa; Fonseca, Luís; Doiro, Manuel; Santos, GilbertoThe main purpose of this article is to depict the integration of Lean tools with requirements of ISO 9001:2015 standard as an operationalisation and support tool for a Quality Management System (QMS). The research was carried out through a questionnaire, which was sent to 2040 Portuguese companies. From the two hundred responses, 77 of them were validated (companies certified by at least one quality management system and which simultaneously have lean six sigma (LSS) tools and/or techniques implemented) corresponding to the sample of this study. Additionally, the research was also based on a case study in a footwear company where the model was applied. This research proposes a model for integrating Lean tools and requirements of ISO 9001:2015. This integration allows the QMS to become more practical and dynamic, reinforcing the creation of value for the organisation. As main benefits, we can highlight, among others: improvement of problem solving, waste reduction, improvement in internal communication, and increase in productivity. Thisarticle aims at becoming a relevant contribution to business management as it displays the main tools and methodologies to implement and sustain a QMS.
- The Development of an Excellence Model Integrating the Shingo Model and SustainabilityPublication . Sá, José Carlos; Reis, Manuel; Dinis-Carvalho, José; Silva, Francisco J. G.; Santos, Gilberto; Pinto Ferreira, Luís; Lima, VandaCompanies are continuously looking to improve their production systems using excellence models, with lean thinking, the Shingo model, six sigma and lean six sigma being the most comprehensive and applied. It is expected that the initial focus for the survival of companies is their economic profitability, but when economic needs are met, the next step is to achieve operational excellence. For this, in addition to economic objectives, it is necessary to include social and environmental objectives, i.e., the other two pillars of sustainability. This study aims to propose a conceptual model identifying the tools that can help achieve the desired results in the three pillars of sustainability aligned with operational excellence. The design of the conceptual model was based on a bibliometric analysis of the literature that relates the concepts of lean thinking, six sigma, lean six sigma and the Shingo model. The Web of Science was the platform selected for the collection of data, and the timeframe considered was 2010 to 2021. A total of 125 articles were analyzed using the VosViewer software, through which it was possible to analyze different topics of study related to the literature. The bibliometric analysis allowed for the identification of the temporal distribution of publications, the categorization of topics, different areas of application and the importance of the tools used in different practical cases. This study points out that companies have at their disposal several tools to achieve economic objectives. On the other hand, there is a set of more restricted tools that are used to meet the objectives of the social and environmental pillars. Future research should focus on identifying tools that meet social and environmental goals in order to strengthen these pillars that are essential for operational excellence and for the sustainability of companies.
- B Impact Assessment as a Sustainable Tool: Analysis of the Certification ModelPublication . Silva, Vítor; Lima, Vanda; Sá, José Carlos; Fonseca, Luís; Santos, GilbertoCurrently, certification is an essential tool for a company’s sustainability and a seal of trust for the stakeholders. The B Corporation (B Corp) certification system is in line with the leading indicators of sustainable development and social responsibility published by the general assembly of the United Nations, namely: environment, community, workers, customers, and governance. Nevertheless, it is essential that academic research should empirically assess the B Corp model’s reliability for its validation and legitimization. In this study, we address the results of the B Impact Assessment of 2262 companies certified by B Corp from the beginning of 2017 to March 2021. The main objective is to analyze the B Impact Assessment, verifying the robustness and consistency of the model to measure and improve the economic, social, and environmental impact of companies. We analyzed the construct’s validity through a confirmatory factorial analysis using AMOS statistical software. The results allowed us to identify some weaknesses and limitations of the B Impact Assessment. This certification system reflects an unadjusted model where the main assessment indicators have problems with regard to the measurement scale. The governance and customer indicators are the most vulnerable. The findings also allow us to state that there are apparently no minimum values established for each of the parameters evaluated, which may cause imbalances in the sustainable development process of B Corp companies. This research contributes to enhancing B Impact Assessment as a sustainability tool, highlighting areas for improvement concerning the indicators’ measurement scales and the assessment process, including the monitoring of evaluators.