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IMS Alerts tip n°1!
How to keep up to date on new ISO standards

ISO 9000 and ISO 14000 are two series among more than 15 000 ISO standards that provide benefits and solutions for just about every business sector and area of technology. Can you be absolutely sure that you are not missing out on International Standards that could be helping your organization? Don't you think it might pay off to visit the online catalogue of ISO standards on the ISO Web site? Probably, you've heard the expression, "One good idea can change your life!" Definitely, one good ISO standard could change your business - for the better! Check out the ISO catalogue now!

And to keep up to date on new ISO standards, go to this page, bookmark it and make a date to visit it weekly. It includes links to predefined searches that will provide you with valuable information such as ISO standards published this week, last week, this month, last month, since the start of the year... and many other time savers.

IMS Alerts tip n° 2 !
There's an ISO near you - ISO's national members!

ISO is a network of the national standards bodies of some 150 countries. Most probably there's an ISO member for your country that is your privileged contact for obtaining ISO standards, information on ISO and its work and on your country's national standards. ISO's members are listed on the ISO Web site with full contact details. Make use of them - they could prove vitally useful to your business!

Abstract of ISO Management Systems
May-June 2005

Here's a guide to the many good things you will find in the May-June 2005 issue of ISO Management Systems. To get the full story and all the benefits of insight from ISO experts and the users of ISO standards, subscribe now!

Viewpoint
ISO 9000 helps Pioneer cultivate productivity and confidence in global agriculture
by Dean Oestreich

Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., a DuPont subsidiary, is one of the world’s largest agricultural seed research and production companies, marketing in nearly 70 countries around the world. It has benefited considerably from its deployment of ISO 9000. In fact, International Standards for quality management systems, as well as standards for testing, food processing and food products, promise to play an increasingly critical role in feeding the world. ISO 9000 has strengthened Pioneer seed production operations. More importantly for our customers, this means that no matter where in the world a particular seed product is produced, it will consistently meet their requirements. Today, Pioneer has certified its quality management systems for seed production and seed quality testing worldwide, covering operations at 112 locations.

Special Report
Working with ISO 9001:2000 and without certification
by David Beardsley

Examples of ISO 9001:2000 implementation without certification have rarely been publicized. This report concerning a local government authority is therefore an exception. It describes the specific challenges that public authorities face in improving performance and innovative solutions such as inter-authority auditing. The author writes, "I work in the public sector. Our environment is very different to the retail, manufacturing or service industries. One size fits all does not apply within the public sector! Local government authorities are all different in size, location, demographics and political make-up. Despite this, ISO 9001:2000 can be readily applied to any organization, large or small. What matters is how it is applied. While there is a clear and consistent message from the majority of our stakeholders for consistent, cost effective quality services that meet published standards, we have no drivers for certification to ISO 9001:2000 or ISO 14001:2004".

ISO Insider
Good response to online survey on ISO 14001 and small businesses

Numerous small and medium-sized enterprises (SME’s) have responded to the first phase of an online survey carried out by ISO to gather feedback that it will use to increase the value to SME’s of implementing an environmental management system based on its ISO 14001 standard. “The survey has attracted more than 2 100 respondents so far and 70 % of them have been SME’s – which is a higher figure than expected,” Lennart Piper, leader of the ISO group responsible for the survey, told ISO Management Systems. To encourage the maximum number of participants in the survey, it is available in ten languages: Czech, Danish, Dutch, English, French, German, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.

What does ISO 9001:2000 mean in the supply chain?
by Nigel H Croft

A reasonable expectation of customers of organizations that claim to have an ISO 9001:2000-based quality management system should be that the product they receive meets their requirements. But does this mean there is an absolute “guarantee” that all the goods and services provided will always meet the customers’ requirements? How can a purchaser be sure that its supplier really does have a quality management system that meets ISO 9001:2000 requirements and that is relevant to the products it is providing? Where does product certification fit in? What should customers do if they are not happy with the performance of their suppliers? It was with these questions in mind that the ISO 9000 Advisory Group developed a short information brochure, ISO 9001:2000 – what does it mean in the supply chain?

New standard for ensuring credibility of greenhouse gas claims
by Geoff Visser

Claims made about reductions of greenhouse gas emissions may have political and financial implications, in addition to environmental ones. Ensuring their credibility is vital. ISO is combining its environmental and conformity assessment expertise to develop tools for verifying and validating such claims. As the primary source of voluntary International Standards, ISO is well positioned to provide tools in support of greenhouse gas initiatives.

ISO 9001:2000 guidelines for local government

An international workshop to develop guidelines making it easier for local government authorities to implement quality management systems based on the ISO 9001:2000 standard was scheduled for 22-23 May 2005 in Veracruz, Mexico. The latest version, ISO 9001:2000, is even more suitable for implementation by service providers, whether in private or public sectors, and the development of guidelines specifically for local government authorities will further encourage the spread of quality management systems where they can make a positive difference to the lives of the citizens served by those authorities.” The Veracruz workshop was being hosted by the ISO member for Mexico, DGN (Dirección General de Normas).

‘Dynamic’ launching of work on ISO 26000 – future guideline on social responsibility

“Dynamic!” That was how the Brazil-Sweden leadership team of the ISO Working Group on Social Responsibility (WG SR) described its first meeting to launch the development of the future ISO 26000 standard giving SR guidelines, for publication in 2008. The meeting, held in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, was the “kick-off” of ISO’s first venture into the area of SR and, fittingly for a new initiative, achieved a high attendance and set a fresh benchmark for innovation in stakeholder participation. The WG SR meeting was attended by 43 ISO member countries (including 21 developing countries) plus 24 organizations with liaison status, all together represented by 225 experts. They were joined by many observers from ISO members or from international organizations, for a grand total of more than 300 delegates.

Busy TC 176 meeting in Kuala Lumpur
by Katie Altoft

The 22 nd plenary meeting of ISO/TC 176 Quality management and quality assurance, held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, was opened by Wan Abd Rahman, Chairman of the Malaysian Standards and Accreditation Council 1) and Dr. Jamaludin Mohd Jarjis, hosts of the event, supported by SIRIM QAS, who welcomed over 260 delegates from 34 countries and 14 liaison organizations. TC 176 made further progress implementing its Horizon 2010 Strategic Plan via the process approach, identifying key processes and appointing process teams to conduct three studies validating the TC 176 process model, including:

• product development – mapping processes in the creation of ISO 9001:2000;
• strategic issues – identifying processes applicable to the social responsibility and management system standards issues, and
• new work items – reviewing processes in developing new TC work.

International
German industry and ISO 14001
What importance do top companies in Germany, one of the world’s most environmentally conscious countries place on ISO 14001? Senior managers of Bombardier Transportation and Degussa AG, and BDI – the Federation of German Industries – return favourable verdicts.

BDI: Standards add value, competitiveness and investment security
by Dr. Klaus Mittelbach

The BDI (Bunderverband der Deutschen Industrie e.V – the Federation of German Industries), is “an association of associations” acting as the umbrella organization for 36 industrial sector associations and groups of associations in Germany. It represents the interests of more than 100 000 enterprises employing some eight million people. "Standards such as ISO 14001 provide the general public with important information, and define requirements for production processes, set comparable quality criteria, or establish management system guidelines. Thus, by promoting understanding, standardization and compatibility, they contribute towards rationalization and a high level of quality for products and services. Standards support product, service and management innovation in enterprises by creating objective and internationally recognized parameters, targets and yardsticks for business activity."

Bombardier Transportation: Using ISO 14001 to integrate business and environmental objectives
by Dr. Michael Schemmer

Bombardier Transportation, of Berlin, Germany, is a leader in the rail equipment manufacturing and servicing industry, producing passenger rail vehicles and total transit systems. Today, the company follows multi-site approaches covering whole business entities when certifying to ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004. Its business management system is integrated in the sense that quality and HSE (Health, Safety and Environment) aspects are an integral part of each and every process. Consequently, auditing of business processes includes quality, environmental, health, and safety aspects.

Degussa: ISO 14001 – a tool for implementing ‘Responsible Care’ in the chemical industry
by Dr. Jochen Rudolph

Degussa AG, of Düsseldorf, Germany, describes itself as the world’s leading specialty chemical company, operating through five divisions – Construction Chemicals, Fine & Industrial Chemicals, Performance Materials, Coatings & Advanced Fillers, and Specialty Polymers. The German chemical industry, in company with other industries, has contributed greatly to the successful development and adoption of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Drawing on their experience, chemical industry experts have helped mould these standards into flexible and efficient management tools.

Different approaches to integrating management systems
by Jeff Omelchuck

Integrating quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems may be a challenge, but the effort can pay off in the foundation for a comprehensive business management system. This article compares different management system implementation approaches, from totally separate to partially integrated, to fully integrated. An IMS results when an organization uses one formal MS to manage multiple aspects of organizational performance. The beginning of MS integration can be seen when financial or health and safety controls begin to creep into a quality management system (QMS).

Inside look at ISO 14001:2004 and outlook for environmental management
by Dick Hortensius

One of the ISO experts who drafted ISO 14001:2004 shares his personal view of the modifications to the standard and what they reveal about the future evolution of environmental management, with a focus on the product chain, regulatory compliance and compatibility with ISO 9001:2000. This article examines some main issues that were discussed and the most important shifts in the focus of ISO 14001. He says that the three most important clarifications in ISO 14001:2004 are related to:

• strengthening the focus on environmental management of the product chain;
• compliance with legal and other requirements, and
• improved compatibility with ISO 9001:2000.

Standards for Services
Mediation as a management tool for resolving disputes
by Steven van der Minne

Mediation is a service aimed at helping parties who are in conflict to reach a solution. The future ISO standard ISO 10003, Quality management – Guidelines for dispute resolution external to organizations, addresses the mediation process. NEN, the national standards institute of The Netherlands, itself offers a mediation service. ISO is currently developing a suite of three standards that when used in combination will constitute a complete customer complaints management system. The three standards provide an integrated framework for enhanced customer satisfaction through prevention of customer problems (ISO 10001), complaints handling (ISO 10002) and dispute resolution (ISO 10003). What do when the customer is not satisfied with a product or service and the complaints-handling process has not resulted in a satisfactory outcome either? The future ISO 10003 is the standard that gives guidelines for mediation by an external, independent “third party” if complaints cannot be resolved internally using ISO 10002.

IMS Alerts tip n°3!
Widen your horizons - check out ISO Focus !

IMS Alerts tip n°1 told you that there is a big, wide world of more than 15 000 ISO standards. Did you know that there is a sister publication to ISO Management Systems that every month puts the spotlight on the benefits that ISO's work brings to a specific business sector or technology? Check out the latest issue of ISO Focus that carries a special feature on the use of ISO standards by the automotive industry!

IMS Alerts tip n°4!
The menu is not the meal  

Naturally, having seen the above "menu" of ISO Management Systems May-June 2005, you know the magazine will give you plenty of food for thought - and for action. Probably, the above abstract is already causing you to become aware of how some of the information and ideas contained in the full articles can help you and your business. The more you think about what you've learned from the menu, the more you'll be sure that you now need to order "the full meal". Subscribe now to ISO Management Systems !