MATURITY MODEL FOR ASSESSING THE SUSTAINABILITY OF CHEMICAL ANALYSIS LABORATORIES IN PUBLIC HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTIONS
Maturity Model, Sustainability, Integrated Management Systems, ISO 17025.
The growing demand for sustainable products and services has become a constant requirement for the various stakeholders of an organization. Higher education institutes (HEIs) play a fundamental role in training conscious and competent professionals to lead these changes. Chemical analysis laboratories bring together characteristics where the adoption of mature and efficient management systems proves to be essential not only for the better training of the institution's human resources but can also corroborate with the capture of research projects and other services intended for society. Maturity models help in the necessary steps for this growth in a sustainable way. This work propose a Maturity Model (framework) based on standardized norms to guide adjustments in quality, risks, safety and environment of chemical analysis laboratories inserted in public institutions of higher education. For that, a survey was developed, with the aim of evaluating the relevance of management systems and maturity models for the managers of HEI laboratories. The research procedure included four stages: theoretical research on the themes Maturity Model, Integrated Management Systems and Sustainability; survey research with laboratories; case study in a chemical analysis laboratory of an HEI; and structuring and validation of the maturity model. The Maturity Model includes 8 dimensions (Strategy, Leadership, Management, Operations, Continuous Improvement, Sustainability, Culture and Integration), 31 sub-dimensions and 204 management practices for evaluating and conducting chemical analysis laboratories at sustainable levels of maturity.