BSI's CEO on CNBC: Companies Need to Speak a Common Language to Create Solid Partnerships

LONDON, Dec. 8, 2010 /PRNewswire/ -- The current economy is a climate in which companies need to focus and pursue business partnerships to drive growth and innovation. "Organizations will have to work together to maximize growth potential. How do they do this? What are the rules of engagement? A framework, a consistent methodology is critical to enable companies to speak a common language". So spoke BSI's CEO Howard Kerr live on CNBC yesterday morning.

Mr Kerr appeared on CNBC's business news programme "Strictly Money" where he presented the results of BSI's Business Barometer that surveyed senior decision makers from different industries. The survey ascertained the most formidable challenges perceived by companies for ongoing collaboration, the benefits and the key factors that are set to increase the need for partnerships.

Mr Kerr highlighted some of the results of the Business Barometer with cultural differences identified as the key challenge for companies working in partnership with other organizations.

"56% of companies find that cultural differences represent the main challenge when forming a partnership," said Mr Kerr. "By cultural differences we are not talking about geographies, not necessarily. It is more about organizational culture. How do we overcome this challenge? BS 11000 scope is to enable complex consortia and supply chains to work together speaking a common language".

Soon after the interview on CNBC, Mr Kerr went to the House of Lords where BSI officially launched the certification programme for the first standard on Collaborative Business Relationships (BS 11000-1).

Industry managers, visionaries and thought leaders convened to gain a deeper understanding on how this unique standard can help them stay ahead of the curve by generating and implementing practical, innovative solutions through effective business relationships.

The event featured key speakers from BSI and Partnership Sourcing Ltd (PSL), with an additional session from NATS, one of the five organizations that achieved certification under PAS 11000 - the precursor to BS 11000 - during the certification pilot programme earlier this year.

BS 11000 is a breakthrough standard – not just for BSI, but for the whole of industry. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) has already committed to adopt it. Building on PAS 11000, which presented an eight-stage approach to successful business collaboration in the public and private sectors, BS 11000 has expanded the scope of this approach to address a wider audience, including small and medium-sized enterprises.

About BSI Group

BSI Group is a global independent business services organization that develops standards-based solutions to improve management practices and promote innovation. BSI can help businesses, governments and other organizations around the world to raise quality and performance in a sustainable and socially responsible way. From its origins as the world's first National Standards Body, BSI Group draws upon over 100 years' experience to work with 66,000 organizations in 147 countries from its 50 offices. To learn more, please visit www.bsigroup.com

SOURCE BSI Group