Interview
Christy: Hi Michel, to start us off, how would you describe our approach to quality as a business?
Michel: Quality is a mindset that we share with our Life Sciences clients. This mindset has been embraced throughout MyData-TRUST. It drives the entire team to continuously deliver the highest level of service to our clients.
C: We’re not required to have ISO 9001 certification, so what motivated the decision to pursue it anyway?
M: This certification was neither a regulatory nor a contractual requirement. It stemmed from our desire to take a step forward and set a higher standard for ourselves. We voluntarily embarked on this initiative with strong support from the leadership team.
Demonstrating this commitment to continuous improvement, with the goal of enhancing client satisfaction, has brought MyData-TRUST significant international recognition and additional value compared to our competitors.
C: From your perspective, how does ISO 9001 align with our role as a Data Privacy advisor?
M: Both ISO 9001 and Data Privacy require the same approach in terms of planning, documentation, and excellence.
This approach provides our clients with a high level of confidence in the services we deliver.
C: From your perspective, how does ISO 9001 align with the needs of our Life Sciences clients?
M: I believe it is a perfect fit. Life Sciences organizations operate in highly regulated environments where there is little room for error.
ISO 9001 requires a highly structured and demanding way of working that closely aligns with the standards needed to deliver the highest quality service to our clients.
C: How did the business approach the journey toward certification?
M: Senior management initiated this effort and instilled this quality mindset throughout the organization.
This resulted in a collaborative effort that was not only rewarded with certification but also demonstrated the added value we bring to our clients.
C: What were some of the biggest challenges MDT faced along the way, and how did we overcome them?
M: One of the biggest challenges was finding the right balance between rigor and flexibility.
While it was essential to properly map, document, record, and monitor our processes, we also needed to avoid becoming overly rigid, which could have limited our ability to deliver services efficiently on a day-to-day basis.
C: In a competitive market, how does ISO 9001 differentiate us?
M: ISO 9001 has brought genuine value to both the operational and human aspects of our business.
It requires us to continuously improve our processes, which ultimately enhances the overall quality of the services we deliver to our clients.
This quality-driven environment enables us to better understand our clients’ needs within their highly regulated industries and sets us apart from our competitors. It transforms good intentions into reliable, consistent service.
Author: Michel Lapaige & Christy Yip
