Resources · Case studies
ISO consulting case studies: how organisations built systems that hold up
Ten anonymised Sterling engagements across nine sectors: where each organisation started, what it built and what it reports changed.
About these cases
Real engagements, published without client names
Each case comes from a Sterling engagement and is published anonymised: sector, standard and problem are kept; name, location and dates are left out. Client views are reported in our words, and no figure appears unless the case record holds it.
More anonymised cases are summarised on the standard hub pages, alongside client accounts drawn from signed letters on file. Sterling’s role in each case was consulting; the audit and the decision sat with an independent body.
Case studies by sector and standard
Ten case studies, each with its sector and standard
Each card names the sector, the standard and the question the case answers.
- AS9100 case study: an aerospace parts makerAerospace parts · AS9100: tighter quality control and design validation, simpler supplier audits.
- IATF 16949 case study: an automotive supplierAutomotive supply · IATF 16949: defect prevention and inspection that meet vehicle makers’ requirements.
- ISO 13485 case study: a medical device manufacturerMedical devices · ISO 13485: design controls and risk management for smoother market approvals.
- FSSC 22000 case study: a food and beverage manufacturerFood and beverage · FSSC 22000, ISO 22000 and ISO 9001: food safety and allergen control.
- ISO/IEC 17025 case study: a calibration and testing laboratoryCalibration laboratory · ISO/IEC 17025: proving accuracy through traceability and accreditation.
- ISO 29001 and API Spec Q1 case study: an oil and gas organisationOil and gas · ISO 29001 and API Spec Q1, integrated: a dependable supply chain and fewer incidents.
- ISO/IEC 27001 case study: a BPO providerBPO · ISO/IEC 27001: protecting client code, data and intellectual property.
- SOC 2 case study: an ITES and BPO providerITES and BPO · SOC 2: one report in place of repeated client audits.
- ISO 37001 case study: a multinational groupMultinational group · ISO 37001: one anti-bribery system across every business unit.
- ISO 21001 case study: an educational institutionEducation · ISO 21001: consistent teaching, support and assessment across several schools.
Every case is anonymised. To talk through a project like one of these, book a discovery call with a Sterling consultant in your region.
- 60+countries where Sterling has delivered certification
- 21countries with a Sterling office, eight regions, one coordinated team
- 2003the year the group began implementing ISO management systems; the same method, refined, since
- 8,100+client engagements across the group, from single-site SMEs to multinationals
FAQs
Questions about our case studies
How the cases are written and what they can tell you.
Why are the case studies anonymised?
Clients share their systems, risks and results in confidence. Leaving out the name lets us show how a project unfolded without breaking that confidence.
Did Sterling certify these organisations?
No. Sterling consults and does not certify, accredit or attest. Accredited certification bodies audited the management systems, an accreditation body assessed the laboratory, and a licensed CPA firm issued the SOC 2 report.
Can I see a case closer to my sector or standard?
Yes. The standard hub pages summarise further anonymised cases, and a Sterling consultant can talk you through comparable engagements on a discovery call.
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