Brexit and the quality management profession
If you’re a CQI member, join the Brexit discussion section in our community forum, Quality Connect. Members can also download the Brexit edition of our guide on Managing Disruptive Change, to analyse the magnitude of the Brexit impact and plan your organisation’s responses, especially as we face the dual challenges of Covid-19 and leaving the EU.
Key considerations for quality professionals
Compliance and Regulation - Whether you’re importing from or exporting to the EU, you’ll need to consider changes to compliance and regulatory requirements. This includes the new Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark which replaces the CE mark in the UK. Note the new arrangements for notified bodies and see Standards & Conformity Assessment.
Customers and Suppliers - The 2019 CIPS Brexit Storm report survey found that 32% of UK businesses who use EU suppliers are looking for British replacements, and 46% of European businesses expect to reduce their use of UK suppliers. See our Useful Links section for more.
Internal Capability - Where your operations rely on the movement of skills to and from the EU, you’ll need to consider the impact of limitations on the movement of people. See our Useful Links. A CIPD survey has found that, “…only 12 per cent of employers say they have made changes in anticipation of the migration restrictions. This finding is worrying given the scale of the challenge facing employers that want to hire EU nationals. Substantial fees, right to work checks, the requirement to have a sponsorship license and a slower recruitment process are all features of the new post-Brexit immigration system that employers will have to get used to.”
Planning – Brexit may require a shift in your organisation’s business model given changes in trading arrangements. The CBI has noted that, “the right planning will help your business to mitigate against some of the impact. But since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, 58% of firms have been unable to progress their Brexit preparations. 21% of firms feel their level of preparedness has fallen, increasing to 27% for manufacturers.”
We will update this section of the website as the Brexit situation progresses. If you have any insights or views to share and you're a CQI member, please post your comments on Quality Connect