Uncategorized

Win Global Customer & Consumer Trust with ISO FSSC 22000:2018 Food Safety Certification

by

Food production in Africa is second only to the oil and gas industry with South Africa in the lead as the most advanced food and beverage market on the African continent. Research by Frost & Sullivan estimates growth in this sector of between 4% and 7% by 2020.

South Africa’s food industry, however, faces diverse challenges that are holding it back from reaching its full potential. Food safety is one of these issues. The rapid spread of the deadly listeria outbreak reminds us that a similar crisis could easily strike again if there are slips in food safety and hygiene.

Download our FREE GUIDE: ISO FSSC 22000:2018 – How To Get Started, to find out more.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

Foreign competitors like McCain Foods have impressive ISO 22000:2018 food safety and quality management systems in place. Each food production site at McCain’s boasts around 3 000 routine quality controls every day, the type of assurance customers and consumers want. The iconic South African brand Nando’s that have made it big internationally, emphasises the importance of staff training. This investment pays dividends. David Beckham eats there, and they’ve received numerous food quality awards. Nando’s also enjoys lower than average employee turnover for the sector.

To compete more effectively, local food organisations will need to consistently offer cheaper, safer and higher-quality products. This necessitates improving processes and avoiding scandals.The ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems standards have been developed specifically to safeguard safety and quality in the value chain. The ISO FSSC 22000 Food Safety Certification Scheme is similar to ISO 22000:2018, but it includes additional requirements that strengthen the management system.

WHAT IS FSSC 22000?

The FSSC 22000 is an ISO-based food safety management system (FSMS) certification scheme that is recognised by the Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI). Recognition by the GFSI is a signal to other food manufacturers and retailers that your FSMS conforms to the best available and most current quality and safety requirements.

Version 4.1 of the Scheme was released on January 1, 2018, and certification audits are conducted to this version. These new additions bring the FSSC 22000 up-to-date with the requirement of the US’s FDA Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). The focus of the FSMA has shifted in emphasis from reacting to food borne illnesses to preventing them, which is precisely the aim of ISO’s Food Safety Management Systems standards. An organisation that plans to become certified, needs to develop a documented FSMS, which is a crucial component of the management system.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FSSC 22000 CERTIFICATION?

Manufacturers that are ISO 22000:2018 certified can obtain full GFSI recognised FSSC 22000 certification by meeting the requirements of the technical specifications (ISO 22003) for sector PRPs and additional FSSC 22000 scheme requirements. Other sector-specific PRPs are available for catering, farming and the packaging industry.  

What are PRPs?

PRPs are an important part of the ISO food safety management standards and audit schemes. A PRP addresses situations within the operation that ensure that hazards are controlled. PRPs are usually managed system-wide compared to Critical Control Points (CCPs), which are product or line specific. Well-designed PRPs provide a solid foundation for an effective Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) program.

The ISO 22000:2018 Food Safety Management Systems Standard defines PRPs, in Section 3.8, as follows:

“basic conditions and activities that are necessary to maintain a hygienic environment throughout the food chain (3.2) suitable for the production, handling and provision of safe end products (3.5) and safe food for human consumption.”

Food processors have three challenges when it comes to developing these programs:

  1. Developing and implementing effective programs.
  2. Maintaining those programs once they have been implemented.
  3. Ensuring that the programs are maintained and will stand up to auditor scrutiny.

We explore developing and managing PRPs, and how to Certify to the World’s finest Food Safety Scheme in our Guide: ISO FSSC 22000:2018: How To Get Started.

 

FSSC GLOBAL MARKETS PROGRAM

The FSSC 22000 Foundation launched the Global Markets Program in January 2017 to suit the needs of food manufacturers and their customers to achieve a conforming food safety system based on minimum food safety requirements.

The Program is based on the GFSI Global Markets Program, and organisations can achieve GFSI recognised certification in 3 steps: foundation level, intermediate level and GFSI recognised certification. The Program is suitable for small food manufacturing organisations like startups or medium-size organisations, especially in emerging markets like South Africa.

FSSC 22000 - QUALITY CERTIFICATION

A voluntary ISO 9001:2015 module has been added to the FSSC 22000 Scheme, making it possible to integrate quality management into the FSSC 22000 Food Safety Management System and combine certification.

What are the benefits of FSSC certification?

The FSSC 22000 Food Safety Certification Scheme assists organisations to:

  • Managing risks by providing robust food safety hazards management system.
  • Maintain current customers. Certified companies are asking suppliers to achieve certification.  
  • Large retailers and manufacturers are also asking for certification of their suppliers. Certification opens up a wider market for your products.
  • Certification prepares organisations to meet the requirements of regulators, clients and customers.

WHY WORK WITH RISK ZA?

We work with you to tailor training courses to the specific needs of your Food Safety Management System. Our experts can help you to comply with regulatory requirements and ensure the effective performance of your processes and systems. Contact Risk ZA on +27 (0) 31 569 5900, email info@riskza.com or visit www.riskza.com.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE GUIDE

Download our FREE Guide: ISO FSSC 22000:2018 – How To Get Started, to find out more.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

For more information or guidance on which ISO standard(s) and services would best suit the needs of your organisation, please email Risk ZA at info@riskza.com or contact us on 0861 Risk ZA / +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:

Share on facebook
Share on email
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

ISO 14001:2015 – Earth Stewardship through Environmental Management

by

When ISO 14001 was first published in 1996, Joseph Cascio, chairman of the ISO U.S.Technical Advisory Group, said: “The consequences of ISO 14000 are incredible and will contribute significantly to improved sustainable development. ISO 14001 is unlike ISO 9000 because quality management standards don’t require enterprises to account for the impact of all their activities on their surroundings.”

Our FREE downloadable guide Essential Steps To Implementing ISO 14001:2015 explores the steps necessary for a successful implementation.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

So why should an organisation care about ‘green’ issues and sustainability? Simply because: 

  • Your competitors are punting their ‘green’ initiatives.
  • Customers are more aware of environmental concerns.
  • It helps the bottom line profits.

ISO 14001:2015 clarifies the role of environmental management in contributing to sustainable development, and underpins the Triple Bottom Line. It adopts a systems perspective which assists organisations to focus on the future; and understand that: no business exists as an island; that concentrating on short-term economics can lead to chaos; and that to succeed and be profitable enterprises must embrace economics, environment, and societal concerns.

ISO 14001:2015 SUPPORTS SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

ISO 14001 provides a systematic approach to environmental management, which will contributes to an organisation’s long-term success and sustainable development by:

  • Preventing / reducing adverse environmental impacts.
  • Implementing environmentally sound practices and programs.
  • Coordinating environmental initiatives with interested parties.
  • Controlling how products are managed throughout their life cycle.
  • Mitigating the adverse impact of environmental threats.

What is an Environmental Management System?

An EMS provides management tools and  principles to help organisations integrate environmental issues into the behaviour of their daily operations. ISO 14001 is among the best-known and widely-used EMSs. Revised twice since 1996, this version was released in September 2015, and it helps organisations to manage environmental concerns holistically.

ISO 14001:2015 - An Improved Tool For Sustainability

ISO 14001:2015 contains the latest environmental thinking, and its additional requirements are grouped around five key areas:

  • Leadership;
  • Strategic context;
  • Interested party analysis & communication;
  • Risks & opportunities; and
  • Life cycle perspective.

ISO 14001 can be used to address issues such as:

  • Air pollution;
  • Water & sewage management;
  • Waste management;
  • Soil contamination;
  • Climate change mitigation & adaptation; and
  • Resource use and efficiency.

How does ISO 14001:2015 benefit an organisation?

Taking a strategic approach to improving environmental performance has many benefits. ISO 14001 delivers on this by emphasising that environmental policies and objectives must be aligned with an organisation’s strategic direction.

Using ISO 14001 organisations can:

  • Demonstrate compliance with regulations.
  • Increase leadership and employee participation.
  • Improve reputation and stakeholder confidence.
  • Improve efficiencies.
  • Include suppliers in business systems & encourage better environmental performance.
  • Apply life cycle thinking to products and services.

Social Responsibility

Opening up communication with stakeholders has enormous benefits. Engagement helps to inform decisions and ensure activity meets customer and industry requirements and expectations. ISO 14001:2015 is ‘outward-looking’ and an organisation must understand and respond to stakeholder needs and expectations.

Compliance Obligations

With ISO 14001, meeting compliance obligations becomes a formal process. Compliance obligations are a combination of statutory and regulatory requirements as well as stakeholder expectations that are accepted by the organisation as obligations. ISO 14001 provides a systematic approach to ensure obligations are identified, recorded and operationalised. The management arrangements to achieve conformance provide high levels of assurance the governance is maintain during changing circumstances.

Supply Chain Compliance

Compliance can make a huge difference to environmental performance. However, benefits can be thwarted if the supply chain is not environmentally aware and following good practices. ISO 14001 is clear that an organisation has responsibilities to control a supplier’s performance, but does not specify the goals and objectives that should be set. Once KPI’s have been established it is possible to assess suppliers’ environmental impacts and to review results.

Life Cycle Thinking Drives Innovation

Products have an impact on the environment at each stage of their life cycle from the sourcing of raw materials through to product manufacture, distribution, consumer use and disposal. Sustainability can improve if environmental management is adopted along with product-related environmental management. Although a life cycle assessment is not required by ISO 14001, the life cycle perspective is included to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts during life cycle stages, which may offer the greatest opportunity to reduce resource use and minimise pollution or waste.

Should I certify?

Compliance or certification to the ISO 14001 standard is not equivalent to sustainability, and certification is not a requirement. However, certification signals to stakeholders that an organisation has implemented the standard properly and met regulatory or contractual requirements.

SUSTAINABLE CORPORATE STEWARDSHIP

For leading manufacturers like Henkel and Unilever, among others, innovation plays a crucial role in their sustainability strategies. Innovation for these organisations centres around offering customers and consumers more value, better-performing products and services, while helping them to reduce their environmental footprint.

Henkel Argentina received the “Green Latin America Award 2017” in recognition of its process for treating solid bio waste by vermiculture. Sending zero waste to landfill by 2020 is a strategic objective guided by the organisation’s ISO 14001-based environmental strategy. 

Unilever is one of the world’s biggest buyers of fish. The organisation committed to sourcing all fish from sustainable stocks in 1996, and founded  The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) to help consumers choose sustainable fish products. ISO 14001 supports all Unilever’s sustainability programmes.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

Our FREE downloadable guide Essential Steps To Implementing ISO 14001:2015 explores the steps necessary for a successful implementation.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

For more information or guidance on which ISO standard(s) and services would best suit the needs of your organisation, please email Risk ZA at info@riskza.com or contact us on 0861 Risk ZA / +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:

Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
Share on email

ISO 9001:2015 – Moving Towards Certification of a Quality Management System

by

Quality is something every organisation strives to achieve, and it is often very difficult to attain. Issues concerning efficiency and quality come up almost daily in business, and the goal of ISO 9001:2015 is to embed a quality management system within an organisation to add value to processes, products and services. Once an organisation has implemented the QMS, regular internal audits become essential to identifying opportunities for improvement and meeting the requirements of the standard. Internal auditors are extremely valuable as they are familiar with an organisation’s management system and can significantly improve the bottom line.

Our FREE downloadable guide HOW TO AUDIT AN ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM explores the areas a typical Quality Management Systems audit would cover.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

Moving from procedure-based to process-based auditing

ISO 9001:2015 states that the organisation must monitor, measure and evaluate processes to ensure these achieve the Quality Management System (QMS) outcomes. This requires process-based auditing and necessitates a shift in thinking. The writers of the standard hope that by strengthening the process-based requirements, aligning the clauses to the PDCA methodology and the addition of risk-based thinking, audits will take place through a series of discussions and analyses, and focus on evaluating risk, the QMS processes, and mitigation of risk to determine whether customers are consistently receiving their expected outputs or services.

All QMS auditors, internal and external, must demonstrate competence in the concepts, tools and methods for risk management and use this knowledge to investigate and evaluate conformity and effectiveness of processes and QMS outcomes. Training should focus on the significant changes to the standard and highlight key areas such as the process approach, customer focus, interested parties, outcomes, and the integration of clauses when auditing a process.

How does Risk ZA assist in achieving such an outcome?

Risk ZA offers a multitude of ISO related courses – one of which is the ISO 9001:2015 – Developing and Implementing a QMS (Registered Lead Auditor Pre-requisite). This course takes you through the following areas of the standard and a QMS.

The purpose & objectives of a QMS

This includes policies, processes and procedures required for the planning and implementation of a QMS, how to integrate internal processes to provide a process approach for executing operational activities, and covers documentation requirements.

The High-level Structure: Annex SL, and the 10 clauses:

  1. Scope.
  2. Normative references.
  3. Terms and definitions.
  4. Context of the organisation.
  5. Leadership.
  6. Planning.
  7. Support.
  8. Operation.
  9. Performance evaluation.
  10. Improvement.

Identifying the context of the organisation

An auditor must understand what the organisation does and the influences this has on the business. Context of the organisation covers requirements that impact the business strategy and planning of the QMS, such as internal and external factors that impact the sustainability of the organisation. These may include technology, economics, social factors or values, capabilities and competence. These and other strategic factors need to be used to influence the structure, content and controls of the QMS.

Determining interested parties & their requirements

As part of the context of the organisation, ISO 9001:2015 places great emphasis on relevant interested parties, and their requirements, which are also used as input to the design of the QMS.

Customer expectations & satisfaction

Quality means meeting customer expectations and satisfying them. Conformance to customer requirements and achieving customer satisfaction are crucial concepts in managing performance.

The process approach

Managing and improving processes enhances the ability to meet customer requirements. A QMS is made up of processes that link, combine and interact with one another to deliver a product or service. Understanding these as a system allows the organisation to improve effectiveness and efficiency.

The Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology

Maintenance and continual improvement of processes is achieved by applying the PDCA methodology  at all levels within an organisation.  Actions to address risks and opportunities must be integrated into QMS processes using the PDCA cycle.

Risk-based thinking

Risk-based thinking prevents or reduces undesired effects and promotes continual improvement. It includes identifying opportunities and considering those that can or should be acted on. Top management must implement and promote a culture of risk-based thinking when planning the QMS.

Change management

ISO 9001:2015 focuses on change management more so than earlier versions of the standard. All changes must go through a defined change management process.

Support

What support mechanisms does an organisation need to meet its goals and objectives? Support includes competent resources, targeted internal and external communications, and documented information, to name a few.  

Operational planning & control

This addresses the operational part of the management system requirements, and includes in-house and outsourced processes. An organisation needs to “…plan, implement and control processes…”, determine risks and opportunities associated with these processes, and how to react to non-conformities and incidents.  

Internal audit

Internal auditing fits nicely into the “check” component of the PDCA cycle. It evaluates conformance of the QMS to planned arrangements to ensure that it will consistently meet customer requirements and that the management system conforms to the requirements of both the organisation and the standard.

Management review

This addresses the question of whether the management system is suitable, adequate and effective. Top management use this review to periodically revisit the performance of all elements that comprise the QMS. It is a strategic intervention that includes changes to the context of the organisation.

Improvement

Opportunities for continual improvement must be identified, corrective actions for non-conformities taken, and an organisation needs to retain controlled documentation of all improvement activities on a continuing basis.

DOWNLOAD OUR FREE GUIDE

Our FREE downloadable guide HOW TO AUDIT AN ISO 9001:2015 QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEM explores the areas a typical Quality Management Systems audit would cover.

DOWNLOAD FREE GUIDE

How to become more effective: building sustainable business

by
How to become more effective: building sustainable business
Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

Business owners and executives are facing a complex set of social, environmental, market, political, and technological changes. A substantive number of organisations and industries in South Africa have been experiencing rapid, massive, and sometimes devastating change over the last 10 years. This rapidly-changing environment requires flexible, innovative and sustainability-based management, supported by management systems that can accommodate them.

Understandably, organisations are reluctant to place sustainability at the centre of  business strategy, believing that costs outweigh the benefits. On the contrary, business experience points to the opposite effect – embedding sustainability can benefit performance and ensure survival.

The competitive advantage of stakeholder engagement

The aim of traditional business models is to create value for investors. Today, organisations are involved in multiple relationships, making them interdependent and reliant on each other for success. Sustainable organisations create value through engagement with stakeholders, which places them in a position to anticipate and react to changes when they arise.

An instance of the necessity for adapting to change is evident in South Africa. Everyone understands that development and economic growth are impossible without sustainable water supplies. Many public and private organisations still focus solely on improving water efficiency or implementing water-related corporate social responsibility projects. A great example present – while SABMiller works to improve water efficiency in its operations, the organisation’s water risk occurs beyond the factory gate.  To secure its water supply, SABMiller has formed key partnerships to understand shared water risk in Tanzania and South Africa.

Until recently, water stewardship was a fringe idea. However, organisations like Nestlé and Coca-Cola have emerged as influential water stewardship leaders, joining forces with the International Finance Corporation to form the 2030 Water Resources Group, which tackles water scarcity.

Good stakeholder relations can also avert disastrous conflict situations, which can severely disrupt operations. The Marikana tragedy of 2012 is a sobering reminder. Investors took a huge knock and responded by questioning whether the strike pointed to wide-spread labour relations problems in the Lonmin Group, and spelt the end for South African platinum mining.

Improving Risk Management

Global supply chains are vulnerable to many risks. A McKinsey survey revealed that 90% of organisations could point to ‘a specific event or risk’ – such as consumer pressure  – that triggered their commitment to sustainability. McKinsey reports that risk related to sustainability issues can be as high as ‘70% of earnings before costs’.

In the agriculture, food, and beverage sectors climate change can alter growing conditions, causing disruptions in supply. Nestle works with small scale cocoa producers in West Africa and other countries to improve crop yields, train farmers and monitor child labour practices.

Unlike traditional business risk, social and environmental risks manifest over a longer period, often affecting an organisation in multiple areas. These risks are largely outside the organisation’s direct control, and managing them may require investments for capacity building and developing adaptive strategies.

Fostering Innovation

Investing in sustainability can drive innovation. Redesigning products to meet environmental or social needs offers new opportunities. Unilever has embraced an end-to-end sustainability approach and has responded to water-scarcity by developing a dishwashing liquid that uses less water. Sales of the product outpace category growth in certain water-scarce markets.

Building Customer Loyalty

Today’s consumers expect transparency and honesty, and can choose from many sustainable, competitively priced products. In fact, in the food and beverage industry, a growing number of consumers are considering values beyond price and taste in their purchasing decisions.

Improving Financial Performance

Over and above the financial benefits that arise from competitive advantage and innovation, organisations are saving costs through better management of natural resources. Moreover, investors are paying attention.

By tracking environmental, social and governance factors, investors are seeing an overall improvement in financial performance. Dow Chemical has an ambitious environmentally-driven business model, which CEO Andrew Liveris  says is good for the earth and the bottom line.

ISO standards support long-term sustainable success

Sustainability can only be achieved by following a relentlessly process of continual improvement. ISO has developed a number of standards, each of which details approaches to achieving long-term sustainable success.

An organisation can thrive in any one of the following areas, by either implementing a standalone or an integrated Management System:

ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems (QMS)

ISO 9001:2015 focuses on continual improvement and provides management with the ability to improve by bringing together quality management system results and business performance results.

ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

ISO 14001:2015 focuses on continual improvement and promotes environmental sustainability.

ISO 45001:2018 Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems (OHS)

ISO 45001:2018 focuses on risk assessments related to workplace hazards with participation across the organisation and drives continual improvement.

ISO/DIS 50001 Energy Management Systems (EnMS)

ISO/DIS 50001 (pending a release of revision) focuses on continual improvement and assists organisations to integrate Energy Management into their efforts to improve Environmental Management.

For more information or guidance on which ISO standard(s) and services would best suit the needs of your organisation, please email Risk ZA at info@riskza.com or contact us on 0861 Risk ZA / +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:​

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google+
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Zero Waste To Landfill With ISO 14001:2015 – Waste Management

by
Waste Management
Share on facebook
Share on google
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

“People don’t understand waste,” says Chris Whyte, managing director of a Durban-based organisation that reclaims waste materials from landfills. “When people talk about climate change and issues of sustainability, they allocate a tiny sliver of the problem – 2% – to landfill,” he explains. “That’s because the measurements apply only to landfill gas emissions. But put landfill into perspective: we landfill 6 000 tons a day. That is 600 10-ton trucks, and that’s just Durban.”

Rapid urbanisation in South Africa – and globally – has resulted in increased waste production due to new commercial enterprises, accommodation, hotels, and restaurants. The pace of urbanisation is projected to be the fastest in low-income and middle-income countries, which will present challenges to governments to meet the needs of their growing urban populations.

A World Bank report in 2016 noted that worldwide municipal solid waste is growing faster than the rate of urbanisation, and these levels are expected to double by 2025. Alarmingly, the World Bank’s disposal data shows that almost half of global waste sent to landfill is organic material made up of paper, plastic, glass and metal. So, much of this waste could be recycled.

As it stands, almost all of South Africa’s solid waste (88%) is sent to landfill, or taken off-site for disposal by hazardous waste removal specialists. As the 2016 World Bank report highlights, global waste management efforts are far from stellar, but even so South Africa lags behind other countries and even its fellow BRICS countries in waste management.

pollution waste

Ede Ijjasz-Vasquez, a Senior Director at the World Bank Group comments that: “Without good solid waste management, you can’t build a sustainable and livable city. There are climate, health, and safety impacts, as well as important social considerations, from the inclusion of waste pickers to changing behaviour so people and societies are encouraged to reduce and recycle waste.”

The Future of Waste Management in Africa

Thanks to the Internet of Things (IoT) and technological innovations, smart African cities will be able to achieve zero waste and reduce municipalities’ operational costs by using more efficient waste collection systems. The smart waste collection technology industry is still in its infancy, but Navigant Research, a U.S. research company expects this type of technology to grow from $57.6-million in 2016 to over $223-million by 2025.

Nick Manny of Aurecon cautions, though, that it will not be possible for municipalities to go from the current landfill situation to smart technologies quickly because the technical, financial, institutional and social restrictions they face will not be easy to overcome. Waste management is therefore up to industry, waste management suppliers and experts working together to find solutions to the challenges that confront governments and municipalities.

Reaching for Zero Waste to Landfill Using ISO 14001

Waste management is the process of treating wastes, and it offers solutions for recycling and reusing materials and substances that do not belong in landfill or can be used for other purposes. Waste diversion from landfills is an important sustainability effort for organisations to strive towards as it demonstrates environmental stewardship, which a growing number of customers and other stakeholders are coming to expect.

Industry leaders like Walmart and Starbucks are in the process of rolling out waste diversion programmes as a key part of their Corporate Social Responsibility strategy. Their sights are set on achieving a zero waste to landfill milestone, starting at a facility-level and aiming globally. Subaru of Indiana Automotive is an indisputable trailblazer in the coveted zero waste to landfill management goal. For the past 13 years, Subaru and two of their manufacturing plants in Japan have sent zero waste to local landfills. Subaru’s coveted zero-waste to landfill achievement is guided by ISO 14001.

The Canon Group is one of the few organisations to achieve consolidated ISO 14001 certification covering all their operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. The organisation uses their Environmental Management System to apply environmental considerations to every aspect of the product lifecycle and at the end of their life, products are stripped down and re-used or recycled.​

Closing Thoughts

ISO 14001:2015 provides a framework and a structured approach to handling waste but does not prescribe the steps in waste handling, which means that every organisation can approach the process of waste management according to their own needs.

Training of all employees and contractors that have anything to do with the handling of waste is a necessary first step towards waste management. The ISO 14001:2015 Standard will provide your organisation with an effective waste management strategy to maximise resources and minimise environmental impact. ISO 14001 also has the flexibility to include changes to legislation, materials, prices and customer expectations that will repay your organisation’s investment in training and the time it takes to develop an effective strategy.

Zero Waste To Landfill With ISO 14001:2015 - Waste Management

For more information or guidance on which ISO standard(s) and services would best suit the needs of your organisation, please email Risk ZA at info@riskza.com or contact us on 0861 Risk ZA / +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:​

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google+
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

The taxing reality of Food Fraud on South Africa’s economy and consumer health

by
Risk ZA ISO 22000 Food Fraud

In early August, we created a post discussing the issue of food fraud. We spoke of how ISO 22000:2005 Food Safety Management Systems assists organisations in controlling various elements of the Food Supply Chain.

Carte Blanche recently aired a report about a popular South African butcher-chain that has been committing the illegal act of re-labelling food products. This report reinforced the importance of the issues faced by the food industry. Carte Blanche stated that the butcher-chain had been adjusting the sell-by dates on meat products and then proceeded to reshelve them. Risk ZA has decided to explore Food Fraud in further detail, looking into how the implementation of ISO 22000:2005 can curb this frightening reality.

 

What is Food Fraud?

Food Fraud is the act of purposely altering, misrepresenting, mislabeling, substituting or tampering with any food product, at any point along the farm to fork journey. This can occur in any phase of the process – in the raw material phase; with a particular ingredient in the final food product; or, in the packaging of the  food product. Well-known examples of Food Fraud would be Britain’s ‘Horsegate’ scandal in 2013, which exposed that horse meat was being used in a number of products, such as burgers and frozen lasagne. Other examples include honey that has been sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup; fish and chicken injected with brine; and, old, gray olives dipped in copper-sulfate solution to make them look fresh and green.

Food fraud is an intentional deception to consumers through any of the following, and more:

  • Dilution or additions to a raw material or food product
  • A misrepresentation of the material or food product
  • Intentional contamination through use of a variety of chemicals
  • A substitution of one product for another

The fraudulent tampering of foods is an issue of global proportions. It is estimated that Food Fraud can cost a legitimate food retailer a staggering R200 billion a year.

 

How can ISO 22000:2005 curb Food Fraud?

Food Fraud goes beyond the doctoring of ingredients – it can potentially claim lives. In China, powdered baby milk containing melamine lead to fatalities and thousands of infants falling ill.

It is for this reason that ISO decided to standardise food safety management requirements, on an international level.

ISO 22000:2005 assists companies in producing safe food and gaining the trust of its customers. The standard assists manufacturers in ensuring food safety, through traceability. It guarantees the origin of ingredients used in the products. ISO 22000:2005 requires transparency in and by organisations as product labelling must be explicit. An ISO 22000:2005 compliant company is committed to meeting high standards of food quality and safety.

ISO 22000:2005 – Food Safety Management Systems, deals directly with the management arrangements that an organisation must implement, in order to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards and potential risks. This ensures that products are safe for consumption. Organisations are also assured that their food production methods meet regulatory requirements and satisfy the demand for food quality, food safety and efficiency.

 

Revision to ISO 22000:2005

According to ISO, users along the supply chain have been facing new food safety challenges, since the first publication of ISO 22000 in 2005 – spurring a need for the standard to be revised.

The changes to this standard follow a similar pattern to that of the new ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 standards. Amongst the major proposed changes are the additions of the new High Level Structure, Risk-based thinking, the PDCA cycle and a clear description of the Operation Process. ISO 22000 was available for public consultation and voting, until 3 July 2017, whilst it existed in Draft International Standard (DIS) stage. It is expected to be released as an Final Draft International Standard (FDIS) version within the year, with the expected publication in June 2018.

 

The way forward

Whilst ISO 22000:2005 is a revolutionary standard that will assist in curbing the rise of food fraud, we as consumers still have to be vigilant when buying and consuming food products. Carte Blanche’s episode highlighted the need to properly check product’s labels and to confront the appropriate management about any possible food fraud that could be taking place.

Risk ZA offer a variety of courses for individuals and organisations wishing to introduce Food Safety Management systems and/or measures. Amongst our offerings are the following courses:

  • Awareness Level 1 English/Zulu/Xhosa
  • HACCP and PRPs
  • FSSC ISO 22000 Overview of requirements
  • Internal and Supplier Auditor, based on ISO 19011
  • Developing and Implementing a Food Safety Management System

Visit our website to see more information https://www.riskza.com/training/

Should you wish to understand more about Food Safety Management Systems or any of our courses, please contact our team by emailing info@riskza.com or by giving us a call on +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google+
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

Taking the lead in Quality Management

by
Taking the lead in Quality Management

We aim to be industry leaders in the field of ISO Management and we believe that the key guiding principle, of long-lasting success, is the mastering and understanding of business processes. Gaining the title of a Lead Auditor is amongst the most prestigious in the ISO market. Qualifying as a Lead Auditor demonstrates that you have an unmatched understanding and knowledge of the relevant ISO standards and competence towards enhanced business improvement.

 

What does being a Lead Auditor mean?

A Lead Auditor is a professional qualification for audit team leaders. A Lead Auditor can be employed by a certification body or appointed to perform internal and supplier audits within an organisation. Through proper training, a Lead Auditor will develop the knowledge and skills required to conduct a competent audit on any of an organisation’s management systems.

The benefit that this qualification brings to an organisation is invaluable, as a Lead Auditor encompasses the requisite skills and expertise to perform internal, supplier and third-party certification audits competently and accurately.

 

How will becoming a Lead Auditor be of benefit to my organisation?

Becoming a Lead Auditor will provide you with the skills and capacity to plan, conduct, report and follow-up on an audit against a given ISO standard. This level of competence is an extremely valuable resource in terms of assurance, in that it adds credibility to organisations who self-regulate.

In the field of Quality Management, a Lead Auditor is able to identify the purpose, aims and benefits of the Quality Management System within their organisation. A certified Lead Auditor possess the ability to grasp the application of risk-based thinking, leadership and process management.  

A Lead Auditor has an informed understanding of the latest audit techniques and a keen knowledge of how to apply these techniques appropriately and effectively, so as to improve the organisation’s processes and outcomes. An additional benefit of becoming a Lead Auditor is that it builds stakeholder confidence by managing processes in line with the latest requirements.

 

Becoming a Lead Auditor against ISO 9001:2015

Risk ZA has developed an ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor training course that is in line with the requirements of the Southern African Auditor and Training Certification Authority (SAATCA).

We are proud to hold the SAATCA registration number 001 for our ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor course. SAATCA is accredited to ISO 17024, ensuring that successful Learners gain the international credibility the scheme offers. The course is based on the requirements of ISO 19011 and ISO 17021-1, which means that delegates will gain the knowledge and skill required for certification body audits.

Should you wish to attend our SAATCA Registered ISO 9001:2015 Lead Auditor course, visit our website https://www.riskza.com/training-schedule-booking/ to see when the next course is scheduled.

For more information, contact our team by emailing info@riskza.com or give us a call on +27 (0) 31 569 5900.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google+
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn

The move from ISO 14001:2004 to ISO 14001:2015

by
taking control of our impact on the environemtn with iso

We as organisations are forced to look at the impact that our business processes have on our country and environment. Equally, to assure business sustainability we have to consider the risks the environment poses to the organisation.

When looking at consumption in South Africa alone, 90% of our energy is generated as electricity. This is generated from coal fired power stations which emit CO2 and SO3 – Greenhouse gases that cause Global Warming.

Organisations have the responsibility to reduce the impact that they have on the environment, which can be done through ISO 14001. Risk ZA breaks down the ISO 14001 and the latest update to ISO 14001:2015 from ISO 14001:2004, with the deadline for the transition being September 2018.

What is ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems?

The ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standards set out specific requirements for effective management of the business activities with consideration of environmental factors. It helps organisations effectively monitor and manage their resources and their impacts on the environment as well as the threats the environment poses to the organisation. This standard allows for the integration of management systems to simultaneously satisfy other management system standards, such as ISO 9001:2015 and also follows the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act) to ensure continual improvement.

 

What are the differences between ISO 14001:2004 and ISO 14001:2015?

The main changes between the 2004 version and the 2015 version is the move to compliance with the new High Level Structure (HLS), which creates a common framework between other management systems standards. This aids organisations to maintain consistency, apply common language across standards and align different management system standards.  As mentioned previously, the standard  follows the PDCA cycle (plan, do, check, act) to ensure easy integration into core business processes alongside other management systems (e.g. integrating with ISO 9001:2015).

Following this change is the increased importance of environmental management within the strategic planning processes of the organisation. Organisations will now need to have a greater understanding of the important issues that can affect, be it positive or negative, the management of its environmental responsibilities. Such changes now require greater involvement from top management and others in leadership roles, within the organisation. ISO 14001:2015 requires the addition of proactive initiatives to protect the environment from harm and possible degradation, through sustainable resource use by the organisation. ISO 14001:2015 also has expanded it’s operational control requirements and requires a risk-based approach for planning and controls, much like the new ISO 9001:2015 standard.

Amongst the many changes is also the addition of a communications strategy. ISO 14001:2015 now lays out explicit and more detailed requirements for both internal and external communications within the organisation, with regard to Environmental Management.

 

How can ISO 14001:2015 benefit my organisation?

ISO 14001:2015 can be used by any organisation that seeks to set up, improve or maintain an Environmental Management System to comply with its established policy and legal requirements. This standard is relevant to all organisations as each of us have an impact on the environment.

Implementing ISO 14001:2015 can help your organisation by:

  • Improving your organisation’s resource efficiency
  • Reducing waste in the organisation
  • Lowering potential liability
  • Accurately measuring the impact of the organisation on the environment
  • Gaining competitive advantage in supply chain design
  • Increasing opportunities for the business
  • Meeting legal obligations
  • Increasing stakeholder and customer trust
  • Managing environmental obligations with consistency

 

Transitioning to ISO 14001:2015

The release of the third edition of ISO 14001 has confirmed that its changes are the most significant seen since its initial release. These amendments dictate that a traditional approach to system design and auditing will simply not suffice. A reminder to all that the deadline for the transition to ISO 14001:2015 is September 2018. Risk ZA’s ISO 14001: 2015 Auditor Transition Training Course will provide the insight needed to understand what is required to satisfy ISO 14001:2015.

This 3-day course ensures that you:

  • Have a comprehensive knowledge of relevant elements of Environmental Management Systems
  • Develop capacity to support strategic Environmental Management arrangements
  • Provides an unrivalled understanding of the requirements and nuances of ISO 14001:2015.

To enquire about our public and inhouse training, you can email info@riskza.com or find our training schedule to see when the next courses are running: https://www.riskza.com/training-schedule-booking/

For those who are new to the standard and/or cannot attend the training, please visit our Online Learning page, where you can access details about our online ISO 14001:2015 Intro & Overview Self-Study: https://www.riskza.com/onlinelearning/

Putting quality first with ISO 9001

by
Risk ZA Blog ISO 9001

In 1987 ISO released its first quality management system standard with the ISO 9000 family. Fast forward to 2017 and we see the ISO 9000 family have gone on to become one of the most popular standard sets to date. Within the range of the ISO 9000 family is the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Standard, which is designed to help organisations consistently improve the quality of their products and services, ensuring that their products/services comply with the law and related regulations. This ensures that all products/services meet both the customers’ and organisation’s requirements.

 

What is ISO 9001 Quality Management?

A Quality Management System is a powerful business tool that assures consistency of business processes, by calling for management arrangements that align with the organisations purpose and strategic intent. A Quality Management System helps organisations of any size and type (public or private) coordinate and direct business activities, to meet customer and regulatory requirements. Through this, it also aims to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the organisation on a continual basis.

 

The Seven Principles of Quality Management

  1. Customer focus – This requires an organisation to understand the needs and requirements of both its existing and future customers. This can be achieved through aligning organisational objectives with customer needs and expectations. Once achieved, customer satisfaction needs to be measured as well as a keen management of customer relations to manage customer expectations.

  2. Leadership – This requires an organisation to recognise employee contributions and to empower employees. The organisation needs to establish a set vision and direction for the business, through setting challenging goals and often a remodeling of organisational values.

  3. Engagement of people – An organisation needs to ensure that the staff’s abilities are being used and valued. There needs to be an evaluation of employee performance, as well as an assurance of employee accountability. Organisation’s need to create an open environment for problems and constraints to be raised by employees.

  4. Process approach – An organisation needs to manage activities as processes by measuring the capability of activities and the link between those activities. Organisations need to evaluate and prioritise opportunities for improvement, as well as ensure an effective use of business resources.

  5. Improvement – Organisations need to align improvement activities by empowering people to make improvements, and thereafter measure that improvement consistently.

  6. Evidence-based decision making – Organisations need to ensure that the business data is accessible, accurate and reliable. Based on this, organisations need to use appropriate methods to analyse the data, and thereafter make informed decisions based on that analysis.

  7. Relationship management – By establishing good relationships for both the long term and short term, organisations can share their expertise, resources, information and plans with their partners. They can then identify and select suppliers to manage costs, optimise resources and create value by collaborating on improvement and development activities.

 

How can a Quality Management System help my organisation?

A quality management system will help:

  • Improve processes
  • Reduce waste
  • Lower costs
  • Facilitate and identify training opportunities
  • Engage with staff
  • Set organisation-wide direction

Quality Management Systems, by satisfying ISO 9001:2015, can provide organisations with an effective tool to ensure high quality and consistent improvement.

All organisations certified against ISO 9001:2008 are required to make the transition to the new ISO 9001:2015 version by 14 September 2018 – the deadline is fast approaching! In our previous blog Time to make the change, Risk ZA broke down the differences between ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 9001:2015 as well as how organisations can make the change over to the latest version.

Should you have any further queries on ISO 9001:2015, you can email us on info@riskza.com for more information.

Welcome to the new ISO/FDIS 45001 Occupational Health and Safety Management System Standard

by
Occupational Health and Safety Management System Standard

An exciting innovation in the ISO industry is about to emerge through the publication of ISO/FDIS 45001. The FDIS is expected to be released in late November, 2017. This is ISO’s first standard for Occupational Health and Safety Management Systems. A staggering 6300 people die each day, as a result of work related activities. Most recently, on 4th August 2017, a flooding incident at Alrosa’s diamond mine, in Russia, saw 9 miners go missing. The search has subsequently been halted as rescuers believe that no human could survive, trapped, for such a lengthy period of time.

Along with the issue of death, so too exists the burden of occupational injuries and diseases. Losses incurred by early retirement, staff absence, rising insurance premiums as well as  business interruptions, are impacts felt by all stakeholders, both within the organisation and the economy.

 

What is ISO/FDIS 45001?

To help alleviate issues amongst those listed above, ISO/FDIS 45001 helps organisations by providing a framework which aims to improve employee safety, reduce workplace risks and (perhaps most importantly) creates safer working conditions worldwide. In further detail it will provide specification for formal, systematic analysis including the management of risk, management of regulatory compliance and an evaluation of occupational health and safety performance within the organisation.

As global trade increases, stakeholders are expecting organisations to uphold the highest code of ethics in every aspect of their business, especially in the way they treat employees. ISO/FDIS 45001 will provide organisations with an internationally recognised standard to follow, promoting safer work practices within their organisations. Organisations that could use ISO/DIS 45001 would be businesses that deal with manufacturing and hardware, but ISO/FDIS 45001 can easily be used for service orientated organisations as well.

 

Who is it for?

As per iso.org: “ISO 45001 is intended for use by any organisation, regardless of its size or the nature of its work, and can be integrated into other health and safety programmes such as worker wellness and wellbeing. It can assist an organization to fulfil its legal requirements.”

ISO/FDIS 45001 is a fantastic opportunity for organisations to align their business’ strategic objectives with their Occupational Health and Safety Management System. This particular standard is designed to assist organisations around the world, to ensure the health and safety of the people who make their business possible.


What are the benefits of ISO/FDIS 45001?

ISO/FDIS 45001 is designed to be used as a tool, used by any organisation, in any industry, anywhere in the world. ISO/FDIS 45001 increases focus on improving occupational health and safety performance, within organisations, which will:

  • Reduce the high number of work related injuries, disease and deaths
  • Identify and help eliminate occupational health and safety risks
  • Improve occupational health and safety performance and effectiveness in the organisation
  • Demonstrate corporate responsibility and meet supply chain requirements
  • Protect brand reputation, through a reduction in the number of deaths and injuries
  • Motivate and engage staff through consultation and participation

 

What are the latest developments with ISO/FDIS 45001?

At the moment the standard is currently under development by a committee of Occupational Health and Safety experts. The standard will follow the same management approaches as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, lending to the fact that it will not only be easy to implement but will also integrate well with other systems.

The next of several iterative stages in drafting this standard is for the purpose of approval. The Final Draft International Standard (FDIS), when published in November, will see the representatives of ISO/PC 283 vote for the content to be published. Should the vote be in favour of the publication, ISO/FDIS 45001 is anticipated to be released during the first quarter of 2018. Those organisations already conforming to OHSAS 18001:2007 should take note that ISO 45001 is intended to replace OHSAS 18001 and will therefore need to adapt their management systems to comply.

This certainly is an exciting time in the ISO industry and a great opportunity to help reduce injuries, disease and death in organisations around the world.

You can share this blog on your preferred social media platform:

Share on facebook
Facebook
Share on google
Google+
Share on twitter
Twitter
Share on linkedin
LinkedIn 
uncategorized-risk-za-group