International Quality Standard 9001: 2015 And Sustainability Of Iso Certified Deposit Taking Saccos In Nairobi City County, Kenya

Abstract

ISO 9001 is an international standard which set out the steps necessary to adopt a quality management system. Sustainability, on the other hand, refers to the ability to maintain existing practices without risking the potential value of existing resources and in the process, enhancing value proposition. This study sought to establish how the ISO 9001: 2015 quality management systems standard supports the sustainability of SACCO operations in Kenya. The specific variables include customer focus, leadership, continuous improvement, and process approach. The study was conducted across registered SACCOs in Nairobi. The study was anchored by the corporate social responsibility theory and stakeholder theory. The study utilized a descriptive cross-sectional design. The population of the study was drawn from the 57 ISO certified deposit-taking SACCOs in Nairobi County registered with SASRA with the Chief Operations Manager selected as the unit of observation. The research relied on structured questionnaires to collect survey data from the respondents. Collected research data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics through SPSS 26. From the analysis, the findings pointed to a significant positive impact of ISO 9001: 2015 adoption and the sustainability of registered deposit taking saccos. Conclusions revealed that while process approach and leadership had a positive and significant effect on the sustainability of the SACCOs, customer focus and continuous improvement had insignificant effects. The findings of this research contribute to the body of literature on how ISO 9005:2015 practices impact the sustainability of financial sector firms, and from the findings, the study recommends that the registered DTS ensure they pursue ISO certifications as this would demonstrate to their members that they are committed to guaranteeing. The study further recommends that SACCO managements embrace member focus and a process approach in the design and introduction of new innovations that would enhance customer satisfaction. The study also recommends that SACCO managements procure modern computer software systems that can enhance the range of services offered, and continuously evaluate their processes and services to ensure they can continually meet customer expectations.