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ISO Management Systems
January - February 2005

Benefits

Special Report

Business benefits
What will an EMS do for my organization?

This article gives examples of the benefits of implementing ISO 14001 and other environmental measures, including significant contributions to the bottom line – millions of US dollar savings in some quoted examples.

ISO 9001:2000 raises standards, cuts process cycles, saves money

Meixoeiro Hospital's Sterilization Centre, Spain, has raised sterilization standards, eliminated many costly re-sterilization cycles, and saved money - and can put these benefits into hard figures.

View point

International standardization – a value creator

François Ailleret, Chairman of AFNOR, the French national standards institute, and Honorary CEO of Electricité de France (EDF): “International standardization is an extraordinary tool for creating value.. There will be a demand for general standards that are not limited to management system standards.”

ISO Insider

• ISO publishes improved versions of ISO 14001 and ISO 14004
• TC 207 plenary and workshop attract largest attendance yet
• ISO handbook on integrated use of management system standards
• Suppliers’ declarations given added weight by new ISO/IEC standard
• Standard for ‘one-stop accreditation’ to boost cross-border trade
• ISO and IEC to help harmonize conformity assessment practices and facilitate world trade

International

Competing German spas cooperate on common QMS to cut costs and boost benefits

Despite being potential competitors, a number of independently managed small and medium-sized German suppliers of medical spa and rehabilitation services have nevertheless teamed up on an innovative project to cut the costs of ISO 9001:2000 implementation by developing a joint QMS.

Standards for services

• Service standards – for or against?

As promised when the new layout of IMS was recently unveiled, our updated and improved content will this year include coverage of standards for services. This perspective from France, one of the innovators in the field, sets the context and describes the brakes and the accelerators.

• New ISO standard for the market research industry

Market research is a fast growing global industry, worth some USD 18,9 billion in 2003. Recognition of its services will be aided by a new ISO standard, ISO 20252, that will standardize the requirements for market research professionals and organizations.