So just who is your management system written for?

I regularly see companies who have management systems in place, sadly some of these systems have very clearly been written with the aim of satisfying a certification body and doing little else.  Management systems work best when they are written to help a business develop and manage it's processes.  Not to get a certificate on the wall because that will come as a by product.  Clever companies see how much they can gain by understanding their processes and having them documented well, they see the chance to streamline, to deliver consistency, to work smarter.  As a result of that they see improvements in the bottom line, reductions in wastage, improvements in understanding. 

So who is your system written for - your business and it's stakeholders, or the visit once a year certification body?  Make the most of it and make it work for you!