Integrating Lean Six Sigma with the new Management System Standards

Purpose – This paper presents a model to integrate Lean Six Sigma with the new versions of the management system standards following the structure provided by Annex SL. The general model will be particularized for the requirements of the quality (ISO 9001) and environmental (ISO 14001) management system standards.
Design/methodology/approach – The model provides a framework that scopes the life cycle stages of a Lean and/or Six Sigma project, from its identification to the post-project phase, with the clauses inherent to the high level structure of the Annex SL. The general model can then be tailored for each specific management system standard, including ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.
Findings – In addition to providing an effective mean to facilitate the integration of multiple management system standards, Annex SL also provides a useful framework to link Lean and Six Sigma programs to the overall management system of an organization.
Research limitations/implications – The integration model herein proposed now needs to be tested in companies from different business sectors.
Originality/value – As far as the authors of this paper are aware, this is the first attempt to develop a framework to integrate Lean and Six Sigma with the 2015 versions of the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 management system standards.

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Annex SL; Lean, Management System Standards, Six Sigma