From Chaos to Leadership: How Standards Transform Business in Africa - Dr. Mike Eric Juru

In this episode of IFAN – The Voice of Standards Users, we speak with Dr. Mike Eric Juru, CEO of Integrated Properties and Chairman of the Green Building Council of Zimbabwe, about the transformative power of international standards.Dr. Juru shares the remarkable journey of Integrated Properties from a business struggling with inconsistent processes and operational challenges to becoming the first organization in Zimbabwe to achieve certification to three major ISO standards: ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.For Dr. Juru, standards are far more than certificates on the wall. They provide the structure, discipline and risk-management framework that enable organizations to improve performance, strengthen customer confidence, engage employees and ultimately become leaders in their industries.The conversation also explores one of the major challenges facing Africa: awareness. Standards are still often perceived as tools primarily for manufacturing, while their value to real estate, professional services and many other sectors remains insufficiently understood.Dr. Juru makes a strong case for greater adoption of environmental and occupational health and safety standards and argues that, in the face of climate change, some standards should become mandatory. He also challenges international standards organizations to do more to promote certified companies and demonstrate the tangible business value that standards can create.A compelling conversation about standards, sustainability, leadership and the future of business in Africa—from someone who has experienced firsthand how standards can transform an organization.