River Stewardship Company

Quality: Think Differently - How RSC Transformed Its Future with ISO Certification

World Quality Week 2025: Quality – Think Differently This year’s theme invites organisations to challenge conventions and rethink what quality means in a changing world. For the River Stewardship Company (RSC), that meant reimagining ISO certification not as a formality, but as an opportunity to build smarter, more sustainable systems for the future.

About RSC

RSC delivers environmental improvement projects that protect and enhance waterways across the UK. Working closely with various clients, including the Environment Agency, the company restores riverbanks, supports biodiversity, and manages invasive species such as Japanese knotweed and giant hogweed. Their mission is to create cleaner, safer waterways for people and wildlife keeping sustainability at the heart of everything they do.

Why Certification Mattered

When Alex Jackson-Stokes joined RSC as Project Support Officer, the business was growing quickly and taking on larger, more complex projects. With this growth came the need to make sure internal systems were strong, aligned, and capable of supporting continued expansion.

“After such a period of growth, we needed to make sure all our business procedures were in the best possible shape. ISO certification helped us achieve that,” Alex explained.

He added that certification was not only about improvement but also about opportunity. “We ran the risk of losing substantial contracts if we didn’t have, or chose not to pursue, certification. Many of the projects we deliver for the Environment Agency and others depend on having these standards in place.”

Thinking Differently

At Clear Quality, we were particularly inspired by how RSC approached the process. Rather than viewing ISO as something to get through, they used it as a chance to completely rethink how they worked and to build a management system that genuinely added value.

“It was a big challenge,” said Alex. “We were building a management system at the same time as working towards three certifications. But the goal wasn’t just to pass the audit it was to improve the way we work and make sure the systems we created would last.”

That forward-thinking mindset reflects this year’s World Quality Week theme perfectly. RSC were not just aiming for compliance; they were striving for improvement that would continue long after the audits were complete.

What They Found Most Valuable

Coming from a background in continuous improvement, Alex found the process gave the team valuable time to reflect and reassess how things worked across the business.

“It gave us the space to really assess how things worked and, just as importantly, how they didn’t. It was a good opportunity for self-assessment and helped us understand the business inside out.”

For RSC, the process was not just about achieving certification but about learning, improving, and developing a stronger sense of ownership and accountability across teams.

Our Support

Throughout the process, RSC worked closely with our consultant, Darren, who provided ongoing guidance and reassurance at every stage.

“Darren was invaluable,” Alex said. “I was new to ISO and quite new to the business too, so having someone patient, knowledgeable and always available made a huge difference. He explained everything clearly and kept the process manageable, even when it felt intense at times. He really fought our corner and that kind of support gave us confidence throughout.” At Clear Quality, we believe that every organisation’s quality journey should reflect its unique culture, challenges, and goals. That’s why we don’t use off-the-shelf management systems, we build them from the ground up with our clients. For RSC, this meant working collaboratively to review their new bespoke QMS they were implementing, to ensure the it truly supported their day-to-day operations and long-term ambitions.

Advice for Other Businesses

When asked what advice he would give to others starting their ISO journey, Alex encouraged organisations to look at certification as an opportunity to grow rather than a box to tick.

“It’s easy to focus on the audit itself, but there’s so much more value in thinking about the long-term benefits. ISO certification helps you build something sustainable that supports the business every day, not just once a year.”

Final Thoughts

RSC’s story shows what it truly means to think differently about quality. By seeing ISO certification as a chance to evolve, rather than a requirement to meet, they built systems that continue to support growth, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Their journey is a powerful reminder that quality is not just about compliance it’s about performance, progress, and people.

You can learn more about the River Stewardship Company at www.the-rsc.co.uk.