Recognition of your organisation's lean training capability
An organisation can become LCS accredited when it has demonstrated that it has a technically robust, well organised, effectively managed, professionally delivered training programme that is aligned to the LCS qualifications framework. Accreditation signifies a commitment to high standards and continuous improvement and enables the organisation to award Certificates of Lean Competency to those it trains.
Benefits of becoming an LCS Accredited organisation
- It motivates employees to engage in continuous improvement.
- The accrediting process helps improve the design, integration and professionalism of your training system.
- It allows for rapid and cost effective scalability of CI staff competency, creating a large cohort of improvers that can generate substantial CI momentum.
- Your training system receives external endorsement from a respected institution.
- The LCS qualifications structure helps promote employees’ professional development.
- It links your training with practical application, so directly benefiting business performance.
- It gives you a standard that you can apply throughout the organisation.
- It provides you with a flexible framework that can be adapted to suit the organisation’s continuous improvement approach.
- LCS certification rewards and recognises employee effort and achievement.
The seven levels of the LCS Framework
The LCS framework has seven competency levels, grouped into three categories: 1) Fundamental, 2) Technical and 3) Strategic. The levels cover a broad range of competency, from awareness of core principles of lean, right up to strategic lean leadership. An organisation can initially accredit to any number of levels and can add levels to its accreditation at any point.
Fundamental
1a: Awareness
On the underlying principles of lean, its development and antecedents.
1b: Diagnosis & Analysis
On the tools and techniques required to understand and analyse the current state and solve problems.
1c: Implementation & Improvement
On the tools and techniques required to apply and sustain lean in the workplace.
Technical
2a: Implementation & Design
On the advanced lean knowledge and leadership competences required for lean management. Ability to design and implement programmes, play a leading role in managing departmental or cross functional teams, with some support and guidance.
2b: Implementation & Leadership
On the advanced lean knowledge and leadership competences required for
lean management. Ability to design and implement programmes, play a leading role in managing inter-business, departmental or cross functional teams, with high levels of responsibility and requiring minimal support and guidance
Strategic
3a: Strategic Enterprise
On advanced lean knowledge and the strategic and leadership competences required for lean leadership at a senior level. Those with LCS 3a should be able to design lean strategies for an organisation (or a significant business unit) and demonstrate appropriate lean leadership qualities and practices.
3b: Strategic Supply Chain
On advanced lean knowledge and the strategic and leadership competences required for lean leadership at the highest level. Those with LCS 3b should be able to design and lead lean strategies for an organisation and demonstrate mature lean leadership qualities and practices.
Who can become accredited?
Any organisation that has its own CI training programme for its staff can be accredited – it can be in any sector and geographic location. The programme can be at any scale, from a small team delivering occasional training at different levels to an academy delivering a range of courses to many learners.
The organisation should have in place:
- A CI methodology and defined approach to improvement
- A CI training programme in place that can be aligned to the LCS framework
- Delivery resources and training support mechanisms
How to become LCS accredited
There are two types of accreditation – SME and Standard. The first is for small firms or start-ups and the latter for larger organisations or those with established CI training.
To become LCS accredited for the first time, you start the process by sending in a Registration Form. A Submission Form is then completed, which describes all the elements of your training programme, contains evidence of capability and examples of training materials and instruments.
The submission is reviewed to ensure that it is aligned to the LCS framework, has the capability to deliver effective learning and practical capability, whilst maintaining LCS standards over the two-year licence period.
The accrediting process typically takes between one and three months to complete. The accreditation licence is valid for two years, after which time the organisation can opt to re-accredit.
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Certify your workforce
Once your lean training programme has become LCS accredited, you can issue LCS Certificates to potentially your entire workforce, thus providing employees with reward, recognition and professional development opportunities, as well as laying the platform for the development of a sustainable CI culture.
Already an LCS accredited organisation?
If you’re already an LCS accredited organisation, we have a section of useful resources to help you manage and promote your accreditation, including information on re-accrediting, purchasing additional L1a certificates, downloading digital badges, adding levels to your accreditation and setting up tests
Developed by LERC, Cardiff University
The LCS is the only university linked lean qualification framework for the workplace. Created in 2005 by the Lean Enterprise Research Centre, Cardiff Business School, it is managed by Lean Competency Services Ltd under licence from Cardiff University.
“LCS accreditation allows us to reward and recognise all our leaders, managers and associates for their continuous improvement knowledge and practical application, ensures our training, facilitation and coaching methods, materials and activities are robust and meet a universal standard and provides a legacy system that will help ensure our desired future state”.
Business Excellence Manager - UK food manufacturer
Calculate your accreditation costs
Accreditation fees vary depending on several factors, including the accreditation type required, number of certificates to be issued and sector. You can calculate the cost using our online fees calculator.
Discuss accreditation
If you want to discuss accreditation options, get in touch using our Contact Form.
