ADVERNET is a Social Economy Enterprise established in 1997, the main service provided is a consultancy service for Quality, Environmental and Health & Safety management Systems.

ISO9001, ISO14001 – What are they? – Does my organisation need them? – And how do we get them?
 

Questions Frank Quinn, Manager of Social Economy Enterprise ADVERNET, is often asked, and with over 13 years experience providing assistance to a diverse range of Social Economy Enterprises, Private Companies and Public Sector groups they are questions he can answer.

ISO9001, ISO14001 – What are they?

ISO9001, ISO14001 are International Standards, ISO9001 for quality management and ISO 14001 for Environmental Management. To achieve ISO9001 certification an organisation needs to demonstrate control of the service or product delivery process, from the point where a Letter of Offer or Contract is agreed to the stage where delivery is complete. Meeting the requirements of ISO9001 also entails showing that the people involved are competent, all materials or services purchased or used as part of the service/product delivery process is checked and where problems arise how they are resolved satisfactorily. ISO14001 is concerned with the organisation’s impacts on the environment, how they attempt to remove or minimise such impacts, improve their environmental performance and how they demonstrate compliance with all Environmental Legislation. Frank says that in his experience Social Economy Enterprises have little difficulty in meeting the requirements of both Standards.

Does my organisation need ISO9001, ISO14001?

Many organisations obtain ISO9001 and/or ISO14001 to improve their overall management systems, or to demonstrate publically their Quality and Environmental commitment. Additionally in the current competitive marketplace many government agencies, public bodies, private companies and programme funders consider certification to ISO9001 and ISO14001 a requirement, or desirable, when selecting contractors or suppliers, and will add extra marks at the prequalification or tender stages.

How do we get ISO9001, ISO14001?

Frank says the process involves looking at your activities and processes, checking they meet the requirements of the Standards and normally documenting them – essentially a “Say what you do” approach. Internal audits or checks are conducted to ensure the processes are controlled. A UKAS approved certification body can then be contacted to conduct an independent audit after which the organisation will be informed if they will achieve certification. Frank stresses that to date no organisation he has assisted has ever failed to achieve certification, the most recent being LEDCOM, and ORTUS who were all recently awarded ISO14001 in addition to their existing ISO9001 certification and The NOW Project, recently awarded ISO14001 and ISO9001.

Frank can be contacted on T: 028807 57550,  Mobile: 07890173881, E:  This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it