Quality management with social responsibility: ISO 9001 and ESG

Quality management has evolved from an approach focused exclusively on customer satisfaction to a comprehensive vision that considers the well-being of all stakeholders. In an environment where business sustainability, corporate governance, and social responsibility have become critical success factors, organizations need management systems capable of generating trust, transparency, and shared value.

In this context, ISO 9001:2015 and ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria offer complementary frameworks for promoting sustainable quality based on continuous improvement and responsibility toward society and the environment. This article analyzes the integration of quality management with the principles of sustainability and social responsibility, strengthening competitiveness and organizational legitimacy.

From technical quality to sustainable quality

Traditionally, quality management focused on product control and customer satisfaction. However, this approach proved insufficient in the face of current challenges: climate change, technological innovation, globalization, and growing demand for transparency.

Modern quality is conceived as a comprehensive organizational philosophy that seeks to meet the needs and expectations of all relevant stakeholders: customers, employees, suppliers, the community, authorities, shareholders, and society in general. ISO 9001:2015 reinforces this approach by analyzing the organizational context, identifying risks and opportunities, and understanding stakeholder expectations.

This change implies that quality is not limited to ensuring technical conformity, but is oriented toward creating sustainable value, considering the social, environmental, and ethical impacts of operations.

Quality management and social responsibility

Various studies, including Tarí & García (2011); Zapata-Gómez & Sarache (2013), Sánchez-Ortega, et al. (2021), have shown that quality management and corporate social responsibility (CSR) share common principles: ethics, respect for people, transparency, and continuous improvement.

The pioneers of quality, Deming, Juran, and Crosby, already considered the human dimension to be fundamental. These experts promoted justice, participation, and honesty as the foundations of excellence. Consequently, quality management practices, such as people management, participatory leadership, and open communication, are also considered socially responsible practices.

In summary, both approaches agree on:

• Stakeholder orientation: not only satisfying the customer, but all relevant groups.
• Ethical and efficient internal processes: transparent and participatory management.
• Responsible innovation: continuous improvement oriented towards collective well-being.

In this way, quality management becomes a tool for institutionalizing social responsibility, integrating ethical values into business strategy.

Quality management according to ISO 9001:2015

ISO 9001:2015 is the most widely adopted international standard for quality management. Its structure, based on the PDCA cycle (Plan–Do–Check–Act) and risk-based thinking, makes it a model that can be adapted to sustainability objectives.

Its fundamental principles—leadership, staff involvement, process-based approach, evidence-based decision-making, and continuous improvement—provide a solid foundation for developing a responsible and transparent organizational culture.

In particular, the principle of “stakeholder focus” broadens the purpose of the system: it is no longer just a matter of meeting customer requirements, but of ensuring the sustainable performance of the organization vis-à-vis all stakeholders who influence or are affected by it.

Risk-based approach and social responsibility

The risk-based approach, incorporated by ISO 9001:2015, introduces a preventive view into organizational management. It seeks to identify, evaluate, and address factors that may affect the company’s ability to meet its objectives and satisfy stakeholder expectations.

This preventive logic aligns directly with social responsibility, whose purpose is to avoid negative impacts and promote positive effects on society and the environment. While CSR emphasizes ethics and sustainability, the risk-based approach offers a structured methodology for managing them.

By integrating both approaches, the organization extends its risk management to social, environmental, and ethical dimensions:

Type of risk	Example	Associated social responsibility dimension
Environmental	Emissions, waste, energy consumption	Environmental protection and climate change mitigation
Labor and social	Accidents, discrimination, work environment	Well-being and equity in the workplace
Ethical and reputational	Corruption, conflicts of interest	Transparency and public trust
Supply chain	Suppliers with unfair practices	Consistency with corporate values
Community	Impact on local communities	Social license to operate

In this way, the organization moves from reactive management of problems to an approach focused on preventing negative impacts, strengthening its governance and long-term sustainability. This vision is, in essence, a manifestation of quality with social responsibility. In this way, the organization moves from reactive management of problems to an approach focused on preventing negative impacts, strengthening its governance and long-term sustainability. This vision is, in essence, a manifestation of quality with social responsibility.

From the ISO 9001 approach to the ESG framework

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) criteria assess the environmental, social, and governance performance of organizations, becoming a benchmark for investors and stakeholders. ISO 9001 provides the necessary structure to integrate these criteria in a consistent manner.

• E (Environmental): process management allows environmental impacts to be controlled and resource use to be optimized.
• S (Social): the principles of participation, communication, and talent development strengthen equity and job satisfaction.
• G (Governance): leadership and evidence-based decision-making ensure transparency and accountability.

ESG reporting, which is increasingly in demand, can draw directly on the results of the quality management system, as it provides reliable indicators on performance, risks, stakeholder satisfaction, and continuous improvement.

Quality, sustainability, and shared value

Adopting a sustainable quality approach means going beyond technical or financial indicators to include social and environmental impact in measuring success. Quality then becomes a driver of shared value, harmonizing productivity with ethics and sustainability.

The benefits of integrating quality with social responsibility and ESG criteria include:

• Enhanced reputation and trust among customers, investors, and the community.
• Reduced operational, legal, and social risks.
• Responsible innovation geared toward sustainable development.
• Strengthened internal commitment, thanks to a culture based on purpose and values.
• Attraction of sustainable investment by demonstrating ethical and transparent performance.

Towards a culture of quality with social purpose

True transformation towards sustainable quality occurs when the organization’s values are aligned with its management system. ISO certification or the publication of ESG reports are means, not ends. The essential thing is to consolidate an organizational culture based on ethics, equity, and continuous improvement.

Building a culture of quality with social purpose requires conscious leadership, participation at all levels, and open communication with stakeholders. Only then can quality management become a tool for human development, responsible innovation, and business sustainability.

Conclusions

Quality management and social responsibility are no longer parallel paths, but complementary dimensions of the same purpose: to build sustainable, reliable, and ethical organizations.

The risk-based approach of ISO 9001:2015 allows for anticipating impacts and managing sustainability preventively, while ESG criteria provide the framework for communicating results and building trust in markets and society.

The interaction of both approaches strengthens corporate governance and turns quality into a tool for social and environmental transformation, driving more resilient, competitive, and future-oriented organizations.

References

1. Tarí, J. J., & García, M. M. (2011). La gestión de la calidad y la responsabilidad social en empresas de servicios. Revista Dirección y Administración de empresas, Número 18. Págs. 77-93. https://rua.ua.es/bitstream/10045/61017/1/2011_Tari_Garcia_RDAE.pdf
2. Zapata-Gómez, L., & Sarache, W. (2013). Calidad y Responsabilidad Social Empresarial: Un modelo de causalidad. Dyna, vol. 80 núm.177. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=7705457
3. Sánchez-Ortega, Jaime Agustín; Seminario-Polo, Alejandra; Oruna-Rodríguez, Abel Marcial. (2021). Responsabilidad social y la gestión de calidad: Empresa Peruana de Seguros RETOS. Revista de Ciencias de la Administración y Economía, vol. 11, núm. 21, 2021. https://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=504566292007