Galapagos National Park enhances ‘top ten’ competitiveness with ISO 9001:2000

Autor: Edwin Armijos

Gestión de la calidad

09-2004

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The Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve, Ecuador, home to the famous giant tortoise and many other unique species of flora and fauna, now manages its ecosystems and biological diversity with an ISO 9001:2000-based quality management system.

A ranger surveys
Isabela Island, one of
three populated islands
within the Galapagos
National Park.

If you don't change, you will become extinct. Spencer Johnson *

Ecuador’s Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve (GNPS), a governmental institution responsible for the management of the protected areas of the Galapagos archipelago, is rated among the ten most important World Heritage Sites. It dates back to 1959, when first designated as a protected area, and today welcomes more than 90 000 tourists per year.

The GNPS employs some 250 people in the daily management of the Galapagos National Park enhances ‘ top ten ’ competitiveness with ISO 9001:2000 The Galapagos National Park and Marine Reserve, Ecuador, home to the famous giant tortoise and many other unique species of flora and fauna, now manages its ecosystems and biological diversity with an ISO 9001:2000-based quality management system. BY EDWIN ARMIJOS park with the objective of “ protecting and conserving the ecosystems and biological diversity of the archipelago for the benefit of humanity, the local population, science and education ”. This article outlines our experiences in implementing a quality management system (QMS) for a national park, based on ISO 9001:2000, as we ready ourselves for the certification audit next October.

Meeting future challenges

In this age of change, we accept that our managerial projects and concepts must be in a permanent state of development to meet future challenges and to create a common vision for the future. It is time for managers of protected areas such as national parks to move beyond the traditional technical- scientific models of the 80’s and 90’s. Many modern-thinking national parks are now adopting social and eco-systematic managerial concepts, with the capacity for technical and financial self-management, in addition to those traditional systems.

The principle that “ the only permanent thing is change ” is a reminder of the changing environment and the instability of organizations in the new millennium. This has motivated us to design and implement a new model of institutional management for the GNPS, to enhance its competitive position worldwide.

The pursuit of competitiveness, continual improvement, employee commitment, customer satisfaction, and community participation in the management of the Galapagos eco-systems are the challenges that have driven GNPS’ administration. We have worked on ISO 9001:2000 implementation and certification since October 2002 with the support of the Environmental Programme for the Galapagos Islands, and in consultation with Bureau Veritas 1).

GNPS’ mission

Our mission at GNPS is “ to be the leading institution worldwide in the eco-system management of protected areas, involving the community, using investigation and technological innovation to ensure the sustainability of its natural resources, and the environmental services generated by the National Park and the Galapagos Marine Reserve, for the benefit of present and future generations ”.

The QMS implementation process

Client satisfaction and continual improvement were the key objectives behind ISO 9001:2000-based QMS implementation at GNPS. We adapted some of the requirements to suit the particular needs of a national park, principally in training, the system of evaluation, writing of conservation procedures, the institutional mission, and in adopting a new management model.

Diagnosis. A QMS implementation feasibility study took place in October 2002, with the help of Bureau Veritas. This included interviews with institution personnel and revision of existing documentation.

Implementation planning. Once we had decided to go ahead, we drew up an implementation plan for the areas and sub-areas governed by our four technical offices : located on the islands of Isabela, San Cristobal, Floreana and Santa Cruz. The system covers all areas of management, including marine and land resources, tourism, environmental education, communication, control and patrolling, institutional development, financial management, directorship and general management.

The corporate launch. In November 2003, we presented the framework of the ISO 9001:2000-based QMS to the GNPS’ technical committe, and publicized it on notice boards, via e-mail and through meetings with the area and sub-area offices.

Training and education. Park Warden training workshops were held from January 2003 covering the QMS and its documentation and implementation, management processes, continual improvement, technical statistics and internal quality audits.

ISO 9001:2000 documentation. Following the advice of Bureau Veritas, we drew up quality, process and continual improvement manuals, and developed 61 ISO 9001:2000 procedures.

Implementation. Following the training and documentation steps, we were now ready to apply the new system to the everyday operation of the organization.

Evaluation and monitoring. We verified the extent to which the system fulfilled ISO 9001:2000 requirements from staff feedback and by monitoring procedures, in the run-up to internal and external auditing.

Internal quality audits. Some 21 GNPS internal auditors carried out three internal quality audits, These audits identify opportunities for improvement.

Certification. Following the implementation process, GNPS is fully prepared for its certification audit by Société Générale de Surveillance S.A. (SGS) 2) in October 2004.

Continual improvement: In our endeavours to ensure continual improvement, suggestion boxes have been placed around the park office areas for use by both internal and external clients, and park wardens are also encouraged to suggest improvements. Thus the local community benefits from the enhanced quality service carried out by the GNPS.

The future

Should we be successful in achieving ISO 9001:2000 certification, GNPS will become one the first national parks in the world to enjoy such recognition. It would undoubtedly be a source of great pride and encouragement for all at GNPS, and a spur to continue our vital conservation work at this World Heritage Site.

What is more, we plan to implement an ISO 14001-based environmental management system (EMS) to raise awareness of our responsibility in offering a quality service in conservation. It is also important for us to communicate. I would welcome contact with other national parks or protected areas of the world to exchange our experiences in this area.

To quote author Ray Bradbury *: We continue to be imperfect, dangerous and terrible, yet at the same time marvellous and fantastic. But we ARE learning to CHANGE.

Many modern-thinking national parks are now adopting social and eco-systematic managerial concepts

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Edwin Armijos V.

COORDINADOR SISTEMA DE GESTION DE CALIDAD ISO 9001:2000 PARQUE NACIONAL GALAPAGOS Teléfono: 593-05-526189 ext. 230  GALAPAGOS-ECUADOR www.galapagospark.org 

earmijosarrobaspng.org.ec  edwinarmijosarrobahotmail.com

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