Is a Six Sigma Certification Worth It? A Deep Dive

Sustainable compliance is only going to ramp up in 2025. Six Sigma certifications are one of the best that manufacturers and everyone in industry can obtain. It not only makes operations more eco-friendly, but it also makes them lean, productive and optimized. What is involved? Discover what corporations would need to do to get approval.

What Is the Six Sigma Certification?

The Six Sigma certification is a process developed by The Council for Six Sigma Certification. It is awarded to companies that refine their quality control by reducing waste. Oftentimes, this is done by minimizing defects and streamlining operations. The organization’s goal is to train people about its methods to better companies worldwide.

Like many certifications, Six Sigma comes in several levels to allow for scaling. Here are all the different degrees:

• White
• Yellow
• Green
• Green II
• Black
• Black II
• Black III
• Master

These all require different qualifications. What do they include?

What Are the Qualifications for Six Sigma?

As you progress to the higher tiers of Six Sigma called belts there are more demands. These are the most common threads throughout all the levels and a few of the exclusive qualifications for the top performers.

Multiple-Choice Tests

Applicants need to know the Six Sigma mindset inside and out. White-level testers only have 30 questions to battle, while Green and higher require over 100. At the Black tier, it goes to 150.

Additionally, the number of exam attempts is unlimited for White and is pared down to three for anything above. Fortunately, these are open-book tests with untimed options available as an option. You need at least 70% for all tiers up to Black III. Master requires a 90% success rate.

Project Submission

Once you’ve ascended to at least Green II, you need to submit a project with specific requirements in a project charter. It follows a specific methodology, which is:

• Define
• Measure
• Analyze
• Improve
• Control

The project shows how the company improves when implementing Six Sigma mindsets and practices, involving root-cause analysis, storytelling, results and more. It demonstrates competency with the organization and increases the chances for long-term implementation of the program. 

Lean Six Sigma

In addition to the standard compliance, there is also a subsection of the organization that offers Lean Six Sigma certifications, which embrace everything good about this certification alongside lean business mentalities. These goals revolve around cutting waste generation and streamlining excessive operational processes. It also follows the DMAIC method.

How Do Companies Change Under Six Sigma?

The process seems arduous, but many organizations do it for a reason — the benefits are too much to ignore. What are the process improvements most businesses see when they are Six Sigma-certified?

Becoming Data-Driven

Everything under the Six Sigma certification requires proof. Any operational change needs to be inspired by data, and the solution must change these numbers for the better. This encourages companies to be evidence-based and waste less money, because every alteration is informed by facts. Stakeholders will also have better visibility over the company’s operations because suggestions are verifiable. 

Boasting Innovation

If a business shifts based on what competitors are doing or what it feels is correct without reason, it will never achieve greatness. Instead, it will be confused why these changes aren’t yielding results, which prevent embracing properly innovative practices. Six Sigma-certified corporations will have more time and resources to invest in innovative thinking and products because they have streamlined resources to let them do so.

Paying Attention to the Public

Companies complying with Six Sigma want to please their customers as much as possible. They show this by reducing defects and issues with their work, boosting customer service and satisfaction. By making products more consistent and higher quality, Six Sigma businesses listen to what their buyers have to say so they can boost their loyalty.

Changing Culture

Some companies may be entirely driven by profit, while others have differing motivations. Regardless of what the drive is, Six Sigma forces a corporate culture shift. Dedication to the brand should be holistic. The culture must be attentive to the customers, environment, business needs and employee wellness simultaneously. The certification aims to streamline all processes to be more considerate and represents an ethical and efficient workplace.

Boosting Employee Engagement

Discovering every improvement area and validating every tactic’s effectiveness requires employee input. Striving for Six Sigma demands everyone work together as a team, regardless of what part of the ladder they fall under. 

If a process development occurs on the floor or in the board room, everyone must know how this impacts efficiency in its location and trickles into other parts of the business. Everyone eventually feels connected to each change, empowering all employees.

Embracing Sustainability

In an effort to minimize waste and resource expenditure, Six Sigma-certified outfits are more likely to reduce negative environmental impacts. This means enterprises have a greater chance to adopt electrification, water recycling or renewable energy because they make processes more efficient and inexpensive, while saving emissions.

Companies are also more likely — with their commitment to innovation — to transform into closed-loop supply chains. These are essential for circular economic development and transforming the wasteful culture around manufacturing, supply chains and warehousing operations.

Reducing Costs

Six Sigma eliminates wasteful processes from a financial and resource perspective. The framework would have a company spend high up-front costs to replace an antiquated machine if its maintenance expenses over the next few years are unjustifiable. It would also engage in material recycling to save costs from sourcing virgin materials. 

There are countless perspectives to take in this regard, and Six Sigma offers insights into all of them so companies can alleviate budgetary burdens.

Compliance Is King

Yes, Six Sigma certifications are worth obtaining, regardless of what kind of business you own. If it is eligible, everyone must do their part in attempting to obtain them. It is one of the most comprehensive and well-regarded in the compliance space. It improves credibility and reinforces the idea these certifications are worth prioritizing. Many could justify cutting expenses toward these efforts in the coming years, but nobody can afford it — they are too critical.