Our journey towards ISO certification began more than 20 years ago, shortly after I joined AGC in 2003.
Coming from a management consulting background, I joined the company as it was starting to transition from constructing one project at a time to managing several projects simultaneously. It was evident that the informal working methods that suited a smaller organisation could not support this growth. Standard operating procedures were needed to ensure consistency, accountability and control.
We explored ISO 9001 certification, but the standard in force at the time placed significant emphasis on formal documentation. Implementation often resulted in extensive manuals, procedures and work instructions. For a growing construction company with rapidly evolving methods, this could make the system inflexible and overly burdensome.
Well-designed processes can be an important source of competitive advantage, but only when they improve the way an organisation works. I was reluctant to certify procedures that were expected to change as the company grew. We therefore abandoned our first certification effort.
In hindsight, I believe that was the correct decision.
Choosing a different path
We did not, however, abandon the development of systems. Before commencing each major project, we reviewed the principal steps required, considered lessons from previous projects and revised our methods accordingly. Our templates, procedures and checklists grew at a rapid pace. Remaining outside a formal certification framework gave us the freedom to experiment, improve and refine our methods.
Over time, our processes matured and the pace of change gradually slowed. Two important internal systems emerged from this work.
The first was the AGC Quality Manual, consisting of 14 chapters covering different construction disciplines, including concrete works, formwork and insulation. Each chapter identifies the information, tools, resources and sequence of work required before, during and after each activity. It also includes inspection checklists together with the relevant environmental, safety and health considerations. Implementation across our projects is overseen by our Quality, Environment, Safety and Health Department (QESH).
The second was the AGC Construction Method, defining how we manage the full project lifecycle across all departments. It includes the forms and procedures supporting activities ranging from identifying discrepancies between drawings to procuring materials and subcontractors.
To ensure the consistent application of these procedures, we formed the Project Support Office (PSO), which assists project teams in following the AGC Construction Method. Going beyond traditional project support, it helps departments apply and improve the way we work.
Together, these created a clear division of responsibility. QESH focused on technical quality, environmental, safety and health requirements, while the PSO focused on the broader management and administrative processes required to deliver a project.
Ironically, because our focus had been on improving how we worked rather than obtaining a certificate, formal certification had largely slipped our minds.
The turning point
We revisited certification when I learned that ISO 9001 itself had evolved. The earlier version prescribed a quality manual and several specifically documented procedures, together with any additional documents required to control operations. ISO 9001:2015 introduced a more flexible concept of “documented information”. Organisations were given greater freedom to determine what should be documented according to their size, complexity, risks and operational needs. The objective remained the same, but the method became less prescriptive.
For us, this change was important. ISO 9001 could now provide structure without sacrificing flexibility. More importantly, AGC had reached a stage of maturity where its principal processes were well established across the organisation.
The decision to pursue certification was taken in June 2025. An external consultant was appointed in July to assess our existing system and develop an implementation plan. The first company seminar was held in September, followed by departmental meetings completed in October.
Full implementation began in November, allowing the revised system to operate in practice before the formal management review in January 2026. The certification audit followed in February, and AGC achieved ISO 9001 certification in March 2026.
Since much of the documentation had already been developed, tested and adopted, the process was considerably more straightforward. It was not, however, simply a matter of presenting existing documentation to an auditor. We had to review, organise and challenge our practices, clarify responsibilities and ensure that the system was being applied consistently across the company.
The lessons we took forward
Certification did not mean that our processes were flawless. It gave us a more disciplined framework for continuing to improve them.
For us, ISO 9001 was the formal recognition of a system that had evolved over more than two decades.
Our experience taught us that organisations should not document processes simply to satisfy an auditor. Procedures must reflect how a business genuinely operates, address its actual risks and help employees work more consistently. Certification creates the greatest value when it confirms and strengthens a living management system, rather than creating a parallel bureaucracy designed only to obtain a certificate.
*Joseph Merhi is Managing Director of AGC Contractors Ltd, one of Cyprus' leading construction companies. Before joining AGC in 2003, he spent five years as a management consultant with a Big Four firm. He is Treasurer of the Federation of the Building Contractors Associations of Cyprus (OSEOK), Director of the Cyprus Joint Construction Contracts Tribunal company (MEDSK), and serves as a Lay Member of the Industrial Disputes Tribunal.
