The Electricity Transmission Company, SA (ETESA) received the ISO 9001: 2015 Quality Management certification, thus becoming the first Panamanian state entity audited and certified 100% of its operations, processes, services and administrative areas, by the Certification Body, SGS Panama Control Service.
This certification guarantees that the transmission of electricity by ETESA is continuous, safe and reliable, in a sustainable way, oriented towards the satisfaction of the electricity market, as well as the fulfillment of its needs and expectations.
At the award ceremony, the general manager of ETESA, Carlos Mosquera Castillo, explained that this achievement is achieved after overcoming a meticulous process, which began in October 2020 (in a pandemic) and ended in August 2022, in which the a diagnostic evaluation, an awareness campaign for collaborators and directors, internal audits and an exhaustive final external audit, which yielded 0 (zero) non-conformities.
“The demands and complexity of the market in which we operate mean that the expectations of our clients and of society in general are ever greater. Given this scenario in the electricity market, we made the strategic decision to implement and certify a quality system based on the ISO 9001:2015 Standard, in order to have a consistent and systematic management model, recognized and accepted internationally”, explained Mosquera Castillo .
Jorge Rivera Staff, Secretary of Energy and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Etesa highlighted “that betting on quality is betting on the future. And it is that quality allows us to ensure good practices and consolidate action protocols that transcend future management. In the same way, it helps us to have an order, to measure in order to improve” and I point out that this is a process of continuous improvement.
Meanwhile, Alejandro Pérez, director of the Electricity and Related Industry Workers’ Union (SITIESPA), highlighted the effort made by the collaborators, demonstrating a high capacity for teamwork, a vocation for service, a sense of dedication and commitment, capable to work aligned for the same goal.
Certification Steps
As part of the certification process, ETESA carried out a series of actions that included:
· Comprehensive review of the documented information, policy, objectives, process map, technical files and existing procedures.
· Survey and diagnosis of the key management indicators of the company’s processes.
· Update of the mission, vision, quality policy and objectives.
· Sensitization and training of personnel in the quality management system.
· Evaluation of the performance of human resources (directors, managers, administrative and field staff).
