The creators of isology®

It’s been a busy year here at Blackmores! Somehow, we managed to fit in the time to publish 37 new ISO Show episodes.

It’s been a mix of knowledge sharing, top tips, advise and stories from our very own consultants and clients – and we’re looking forward to sharing even more with you next year!

We thought it’d be good to end this year on a look back at 2022 and highlight 5 of the most listened to episodes of the ISO Show across its many platforms.

Join Mel as she shares some snippets from our top 5 most popular episodes this year.

You’ll learn

• What are the most listened to episodes of the ISO Show for 2022?

Resources

• ISO Show Archive
• Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:30] The top 5 episodes of 2022 have been selected based on which episodes have been listened to the most.

[01:00] #1: 98 What is a Management Review? This is an episode that appeals to a more general audience as Management Review is a requirement of many ISO’s. This was the 1^st of a 3-part series and explains the basics of what a Management Review is and what it typically includes. 

[02:47] What is a Management Review snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

[05:40] #2: 100 How to get the most out of your Management Review – Part of the Management Review series – this episode includes Rachel Churchman, a Managing Consultant here at Blackmores. The episode explored various ways in which you can make your Management Review both more engaging and successful in achieving tangible outcomes.  

[06:55] How to get the most out of your Management Review snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

[13:20] #3: 106 What are the Sustainable Development Goals – This is a 2-part series which explores the 17 SDG’S and how ISO Standards can meet certain goals. In both episodes, Mel gives specific examples of the many ISO’s that align with the SDG’s.

[15:08] What are the Sustainable Development Goals snippet – Full episodes available in the ISO Show Archive  – Part 1 / Part 2

[22:08] #4 and #5: 109 What’s new with ISO 27002:2022? / 110 What are the 11 new controls in ISO 27002? – Both of these episodes shortly followed the release of ISO 27002 – A guidance document for ISO 27001. While not certifiable, it did give us an insight to the changes in ISO 27001 that were published later in the year. Episode 109 summarises how ISO 27002 works in relation to ISO 27001, along with a very brief summary of the changes. Episode 110 goes into more detail on each of the 11 new controls – and features our very own Managing Consultant, Steve Mason. 

[24:38] What are the 11 new controls in ISO 27002 snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

That’s it from us for 2022! We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and New year – See you on the other side in 2023 😊

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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The Sustainable Development Goals have been established by world leaders with the hope that we can work together towards a better world by 2030.

The last two episodes provide an overview of all 17 Goals and related ISO Standards that you could align with to meet these goals. But how do you put this into practice? How do you go about aligning your Management System to the SDG’s?

Today, Mel explains the role ISO Implementation plays in working towards a better future and shares 5 actions you can take to align your businesses Management System.

You’ll learn

• How ISO Implementation can help you align with the SDG’s
• Why it’s important to show support for the SDG’s  
• 5 Practical actions you can take to align your Management System with the SDG’s

Resources

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• ISOlogy Hub
• Blackmores
• Carbonology

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:46] A reminder to watch the 2 previous episodes to learn about each of the 17 SDG’s

[00:52] The importance of ISO’s and how they can help work towards a better future, including alignment with the SDG’s   

[01:24] Find out what SDG’s align with certain ISO’s on the ISO.org website  

[02:19] Recommended action: Look at what your currently certified to and what other ISO Standards of interest that you could adopt to enhance your Management System

[04:40] If you need assistance with aligning to the SDG’s or want to implement an ISO – Blackmores can help, and we have resources available on the isologyhub

[05:30] Action 1: Leadership Commitment – Have you made a declaration of commitment to the SDG’s? Where have you displayed this commitment?

[07:10] Action 2: Management Review – Include discussions around your SDG commitment within a Management review. Make sure any actions are noted in the meeting minutes.

[08:31] Action 3: Context of the Organization – Consider actions related to SDG’s in SWOT and PESTLE’s  

[10:10] Action 4: Objectives – Set out clear key performance indicators to achieve your commitment to select SDG’s. Can be short or long term.

[11:20] Action 5: Operational Controls – Put controls in place that actively work towards achieving objectives related to the SDG’s  

Just a reminder, we’re offering 6 months free access to the isologyhub for anyone who signs up to an ISO Support Plan!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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The world is facing a crisis: poverty, hunger, inequality and climate change are just some of the issues we need to address.

In 2015, world leaders came together to create 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which aim to tackle these issues, to build a better world by 2030.

What you may not be aware of is the fact that ISO Standards play a big part in the journey towards a better future. Many commonly used ISO Standards already meet certain goals, with more in development.

Today, Mel explains what the SDG’s are, and how businesses can align themselves with the SDG’s with related ISO standards.

You’ll learn

• The 17 sustainable development goals set by the UN.
• How to align your business with the SDG’s.
• How the SDG’s affect our day-to-day lives.
• The ISO standards that can help you meet the SDG’s.
• Details of the first 9 SDG’s and the ISO standards that relate to them.
• Where the term ISO came from.

Resources

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• What is ISO 20400 – Sustainable Procurement
• How to avoid anti-bribery fines – ISO 37001
• Need support with revamping your Management System? check out our ISO Support Plan
• Need guidance and support with ISO Standards? Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:48] What the sustainable development goals are.

[02:29] When the SDG was established and what it’s agenda is.

[03:17] An overview of the 17 SDG’s.

[04:48] Where the term ISO came from.

[09:05] How ISO 20400 and ISO 37001 relate to the goal of ‘No Poverty’.

[11:25] The ISO standards related to the goal of ‘Zero Hunger’ including ISO 22000, ISO 26000 and ISO 20400.

[13:05] How ISO 13845 can relate to the goal of ‘Good health and well-being’.

[13:53] The first-ever management standard on education ISO 21001.

[15:23] How ISO 26000 can help improve gender equality.

[17:40] The ISO standards for water management that relate to the UN’s goal of ‘Clean water and sanitation’ including ISO 24518, ISO 14001 and ISO 24521.

[19:48] The increase in development of ISO standards in the area of Affordable and clean energy’ including ISO 50001 and the ISO 52000 series of Standards.

[21:37] How international standards promote the goal of ‘Decent work and economic growth’ including ISO 45001, ISO 37001, ISO 9001 and ISO 44001.

[27:48] How international standards promote the goal of ‘Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure’ including ISO 56002 and ISO 56003

Just a reminder, we’re offering 6 months free access to the isologyhub for anyone who signs up to an ISO Support Plan!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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Has your Management System been left to collect dust? Hidden away so that no one except a select few can access and update it ahead of Surveillance Audits.  

If this sounds familiar, then it’s time to revamp your Management System to ensure it’s incorporated with your core vision and values and encourages engagement from employees on all levels.

Today, Mel takes you through 5 steps that will help to rejuvenate your Management System, including key content considerations, the design and alignment with your company culture.

You’ll learn

• How to identify what’s essential for your Management System
• How you can incorporate your Unique way of Working
• How to take a collaborative approach to revamping your Management System
• Key considerations for the look, feel and accessibility of your Management System
• How to align your Management System with your company culture, strategy and goals

Resources

• Need support with revamping your Management System? check out our ISO Support Plan
• Need guidance and support with ISO Standards? isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:57] What is essential from an ISO perspective

[01:22] How having too much in your Management System can lead to a lack of compliance

[02:20] Remember – If an ISO Standard states ‘shall’ – you must fulfill this requirement

[02:55] How to establish what’s essential to your business – including your way of working

[03:53] Different ways you can add value to your Management System    

[05:25] An example of how Blackmores have added value with our Client Success Journey

[07:15] Why collaboration is so important when revamping your Management system

[08:52] How a Quality Circle can assist with a collaborative approach

[10:15] How you can align your company culture, strategy, values and goals within the Management System

[11:32] Why it’s important to share the Management system and any related updates  

[12:38] Key considerations for the look, feel and accessibility of the Management System

[14:05] Examples of different ways you can display and share your Management System

[15:36] Consider how easy your Management System is to access and navigate 

[17:12] Consider different methods of communicating the Management System – i.e. Audio, video, visual, flowcharts ect  

Just a reminder, we’re offering 6 months free access to the isologyhub for anyone who signs up to an ISO Support Plan!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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It’s not uncommon to see a businesses Management System left to collect dust, either because it’s not fit for purpose or simply a carbon copy of an ISO Standard.

Sound familiar?  Do you think your business and your employees deserve better?  Your ISO Management System should represent your businesses way of saying – “This is what we stand for, this is our vision, values and processes.”

Today, Mel explains why it’s so vital to ensure your Management System is fit for purpose, and give some examples of where you can add value and reduce risk.

You’ll learn

• Pitfalls of an archaic Management System
• Why you should consider revamping your Management System  
• How you can update your Management System
• Guidance on what should be included in a Business Management System
• Examples of what could add value or reduce risk for your Management System
• How you can update the look and feel of a Management System

Resources

• Need support with revamping your Management System? check out our ISO Support Plan
• Need guidance and support with ISO Standards? isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:03] Examples of poor quality Management Systems Mel’s come across  

[02:19] The importance of having a bespoke Management System

[03:33] How out-of-date Management Systems can be detrimental

[04:40] Latest offering: A free Management System review and consultation – Simply contact us

[05:05] Why it’s important to continually update your Management System   

[06:25] How initiatives / functions can get overlooked if they’re not referenced in your Management System 

[07:38] Guidance on what should be included within your Management System to add value and reduce risk

[08:01] Examples of how a Social Media Policy / Process could be included and how it adds value

[09:45] How we at Blackmores follow our Social Media Process, record results and use the captured data

[11:10] How you can add risk mitigation to your Management System  

[12:35] Other reasons why your Management System may be ready for a revamp

[13:10] Guidance on how you can improve the look and feel of your Management System

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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What’s in a name?

Is your ISO Management System just called a ‘Management System’ or is it named to reflect your companies culture and brand?

Sarah Ball, QHSE Consultant shares her views and tips on the power behind a name.

A name is people’s first impression of your Brand, System etc, it sets the tone for how people interact with it. So, it’s best to give it the time and thought necessary to make sure it makes the right impact.

Today, Mel and Sarah discuss why the naming  of a Management system is important and share some great examples.

You’ll learn

• The definition of a Management System
• Why naming your Management System is so important
• How certain Management System names can dissuade engagement
• Guidance on how to select a Management System name
• Examples of unique Management System names
• How getting a Management System name and format right can help share a businesses core vision and principles

Resources

• Blackmores
• Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:05] How a Management System without a name can be detrimental

[02:39] A reminder of the definition of a Management System

[03:03] Why naming a Management System is so important to a business  

[04:41] How including ‘Management’ in the name can alienate people from engaging with the System  

[06:57] Guidance on selecting a Management System name  

[09:30] Some examples of unique Management System names Sarah has come across  

[11:18] Examples of some names and Acronyms we use at Blackmores  

[12:01] Important considerations when creating acronyms – including taking account of any existing relevant industry related ones

[13:25] Why naming the Management System should be a collaborative effort

[14:54] Why the format of a Management System is important   

[16:09] How getting the Management System name and format right can help share a businesses core vision, principles and culture  

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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This episode Mel is joined by the CEO and Founder of SalesEnabla, and part-time Adventurer Matt Garman to talk about creating an awesome Sales Process.

Sales are an intrinsic part of any business, and while you may be happy with your current way of working, there is a lot you can do to optimize your process to increase the quality of your leads.

Today, Mel and Matt dive into Matt’s book ‘Learning the Ropes’ to explain the four pillars of Sales and how you can use these as a basis to improve your Sales Process.

You’ll learn

• Matt’s previous endurance challenges and preparing to undertake the World’s toughest row – 3000 miles across the Atlantic  – The Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge
• Why Matt wrote ‘Learning the Ropes’
• Matt’s past experience in Sales and his main pain points
• The four pillars of Sales – Vision, People, Process and Management
• Why creating a Process for sales is so important
• The importance of the ‘Discovery’ meeting
• What does a good Discovery look like?
• Other key qualities needed for an awesome Sales Process
• What is SalesEnabla and how can companies use it

Resources

• OceanDadVenture
• Learning the Ropes Book
• SalesEnabla

In this episode, we talk about:

[03:02] Matt’s past adventures and his latest challenge ‘Ocean Dadventure’

[06:42] How Matt’s epic challenge is supporting two incredible charities -Prostate Cancer UK and WOLO (We Only Live Once) foundation

[08:45] The reason why Matt wrote ‘Learning the Ropes’

[09:07] Matt’s past in Sales and his takeaway from experience

[11:50] An explanation of the four pillars – Vision, People, Process and Management

[17:00] The purpose for creating a Sales Process or ‘Playbook’– and why it’s especially important for smaller businesses

[18:28] The importance of having an effective ‘Discovery meeting’ to ascertain the viability of opportunities

[19:27] What a good ‘Discovery meeting’ looks like

[21:15] What skillset and mindset are needed for an awesome Sales Process

[23:30] An explanation of SalesEnabla and how it can be utilised 

[25:49] How to avoid a high turnover in sales representatives

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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This episode is the final part of our 3-part series on Management Review, and this time Mel is joined by Rachel Churchman to explain how to best conduct Management Reviews and what’s best to include in them.

Rachel Churchman is a Managing Consultant at Blackmores where she assists clients to implement, maintain and continually improve their UKAS certified ISO Management Systems.

Mel and Rachel discuss the different ways to conduct a Management Review, how to improve the Management Review process, and who should be involved in your Management Review.

You’ll learn

• The purpose of a Management Review.
• Different ways to approach your Management Review.
• The importance of using data.
• Who you should involve in your Management Review.
• How to deal with non-conformities and corrective opportunities.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[07:30] The purpose of a Management Review.

[11:15] The Management Review carried out at Blackmores and the issues we came across.

[13:06] The ways Covid has shifted from being viewed as a risk to an opportunity.

[14:14] The importance of reviewing your company’s subscriptions in your Management Review.

[15:30] The benefits of involving more people in your Management Review.

[17:52] Why data analysis is so essential in a Management Review.

[22:35] The importance of considering your outputs as well as your inputs in your Management Review.

[24:47] Areas you should monitor and measure in your Management Review.

[30:53] The most beneficial ways to review your objectives.

[34:43] How to deal with non-conformities and corrective opportunities at Management Review.

[37:20] Types of resources you should review in your Management Review.

[41:50] Our top tips for Management Review.

[47:24] The three different ways to conduct a Management Review and the benefits of each one.

For members of the isologyhub, we have a few Management Review templates available for download

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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This episode is part 2 of our 3-part series on Management Review, explaining how to conduct Management Reviews and what you should include in them

Today, Mel looks at the three different ways you can deliver a management review, what you need to consider when planning a management review and the key aspects of what to include in your management review report.

You’ll learn

• How to plan your management review.
• What information you need to include in your management review.
• The different styles of a management review.
• Key aspects of what to include in your management review report.
• How frequently you should have a management review.
• How to inspire confidence when chairing a management review meeting.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:30] What you need to consider when planning a management review.

[03:20] The different ways to deliver a management review.

[06:10] Facilitating a management review and emphasising continual improvement.

[06:47] Different inputs you can include in the management review.

[07:45] Chairing a meeting and how to inspire confidence during management review meetings.

[08:55] Key aspects of what to include in your management review report.

[10:05] The purpose of a management review.

[10:34] The importance of transferring agreed actions into deliverable continuable improvement.

For members of the isologyhub, we have a few Management Review templates available for download.

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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This episode is part 1 of our 3-part series on Management Review, explaining exactly what Management Review is and how most companies carry them out.

Today, Mel looks at what the Standards require from a Management Review, the different areas Management Review addresses, and how companies can carry out a Management Review for the first time.

You’ll learn

• What a Management Review is.
• How to get started with a Management Review for the first time.
• Why is it so important?
• How to do Management Review the right way.
• Best practice dos and don’ts.
• What the Standard requires from a Management Review.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:44] Which ISO standards have a requirement for Management Review.

[02:50] Why Management Review is important.

[03:53] Different areas Management Review addresses.

[04:26] The importance of being flexible with your objectives and when to look for trends.

[05:40] The main reason for carrying out a Management Review.

[06:10] What the Standard requires from a Management Review.

[06:55] What you should include in your Management Review.

[08:08] What the Standard says about inputs.

[09:42] How often you should review your objectives and trends.

[11:18] How the Standard helps you understand what the outputs of your review should look like.

For members of the isologyhub, we have a few Management Review templates available for download.

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

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This episode is Part 6 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the sixth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Offset’.

David explains what companies can do to offset emissions, how offsetting works in relation to PAS 2060, and the importance of picking the right Offset provider.

You’ll learn

• Different types of Offsetting.
• How Offsetting works in relation to PAS 2060.
• How long Carbon Offsetting Credits last.
• What to consider before buying an Offset.
• The importance of picking the right Offset provider.

Resources

• UK Woodland Carbon Code
• United Nations Offset Platform
• The Gold Standard
• Greenhouse Gas Protocol
• ISOlogy Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:43] The five steps before you go down the route of Offsetting.

[02:12] Why Offsetting is a controversial topic.

[03:03] How Offsetting works in PAS 2060.

[03:41] What Offsetting is and how Carbon Credits work.

[04:59] Credible Offsetting schemes in the UK.

[07:58] Key considerations you need to consider when buying a Carbon Offset.

[10:48] How PAS 2060 helps companies prove they really are carbon neutral.

[12:20] How Carbonologists help their clients know which schemes meet the requirements of PAS 2060 and which don’t.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

If you’d like to book a free consultation with our Carbonologist, David Algar, feel free to book a slot Here.

And lastly, don’t forget to grab your ‘Getting Started with Carbonology’ Checklist here:

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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This episode is Part 5 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the fifth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Re-quantify’.

David explains why it’s important to recalculate your emissions after measures have been put in place from the Reduce stage, what to do if you’re not hitting your targets, and how the ‘Re-quantification’ stage can help your public image.

You’ll learn

• What ‘Re-quantification’ is.
• Why ‘Re-quantification’ is so important.
• Ways to identify how specific areas of your business have performed.
• What to do if you’re not hitting targets.
• How to follow a carbon reduction plan while in a state of growth.
• How the ‘Re-quantification’ stage can help your public image.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[01:05] The seven steps of carbonology.

[01:32] Why it’s so important to ‘re-quantify’.

[02:31] The real purpose of the ‘re-quantification’ stage.

[05:16] How to feel if you’re not hitting your targets.

[05:50] The importance of consistency, accuracy, and transparency in ISO 14064 and PAS 2060.

[07:20] How to follow a carbon reduction plan while in a state of growth.

[08:34] The key outcomes and deliverables in your ‘Re-quantification’ stage.

[09:30] Our free carbon neutral checklist.

Download your free Carbonology Checklist here:

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

Stitcher | Spotify|YouTube|iTunes|Soundcloud

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This episode is Part 4 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

This time, our resident Carbonologist David Algar is talking through the fourth step of the Carbonology process, ‘Reduce’.

David explains how we can put our Carbon Reduction Plan into action so we can see clear tangible results in our reductions, and the benefits this brings to organisations and their employees.

You’ll learn

• How the ‘Reduce’ phase in the Carbonology process works.
• How to monitor how successful your initiatives are.
• The importance of communicating your reduction plan to your staff.
• How to get your staff excited about your carbon reduction plan.
• The value of externally communicating your commitment to carbon reduction.
• How having a sustainability group can help your business.

Resources

• Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme
• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[03:05] The ‘reduce’ phase of the Carbonology process.

[04:36] The need to make your staff aware of your carbon reduction plan.

[05:13] How to best manage communications with staff around carbon reductions.

[06:36] How a carbon reduction plan can be beneficial for an organisation and their staff.

[07:26] How to best monitor the success of your initiatives and the benefits this has.

[11:11] The benefits of reducing your carbon footprint rather than offsetting it.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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This episode is Part 3 of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

Our resident Carbonologist David Algar is back to talk through the third step of the Carbonology process, Commitment.

David explains how organisations can identify the type of targets to put in place, the importance of having a launch and communications plan, and shares some popular ways organisations can reduce their carbon emissions.

You’ll learn

• How organisations can set targets for their Carbon Neutrality.
• Why it’s important to make a formal commitment.
• Popular ways organisations reduce their carbon emissions.
• The benefits of changing your vehicles from diesel to electric.
• Some of the incentives to achieve emission reductions.
• The importance of having your staff involved with your plan.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:19] How to begin the commitment stage of Carbonology.

[04:00] Why organisations need a plan to achieve PAS 2060.

[05:27] Popular ways organisations can reduce their carbon emissions.

[06:40] The approach you need to take when setting targets.

[09:30] Typical targets organisations can put in place.

[11:31] The importance of having a launch and communications plan.

[12:06] The typical outcomes and deliverables organisations will be provided.

[13:31] The expectation of businesses to have a carbon footprint management plan.

[14:19] The importance of having your staff involved with your plan.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

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• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
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This episode is the second of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

We’re joined by our resident Carbonologist David Algar to talk through the second step of the Carbonology process, Quantify.

What does the Quantify Step entail?

Calculating your emissions : This will be carried out for Scope 1 2 and 3 emissions.

• Scope 1 refers to sources you own, and are direct emissions from combustion or fugitive emissions from systems that contain GHGs, so gases that have escaped from somewhere they shouldn’t have such as an AC system.
• Scope 2 are emissions from imported energy, this refers to electricity for most organisations but can also include steam, heating and cooling. For ISO 14064 and PAS 2060 you’ll need to quantify 100% of the Scope 1 and 2 emissions within boundaries
• Scope 3 refers to all other indirect emissions from sources you don’t own or necessarily have control over. For example business travel in vehicles your staff own. Scope 3 makes up the majority of emissions for most organisations and is generally more complex to gather data for.

What information do you need to quantify your emissions?

You’ll need to collect and process data. This can be:

• Activity or financial data on a specific source. Common examples include utilities bills, meter readings and expense reports for business travel or fright
• Interviews and surveys. For instance a survey to better understand how staff commute to work, or the proportion of staff that work from home.

Why is Transparency so important?

There are 6 key principles of ISO 14064, but one David is particularly mindful of is Transparency.

• Ultimately your work will be made publicly available, and not everyone may agree with your methods, but you’ll need to record all estimates, assumptions, exclusions, and uncertainties associated with your methods. As well as generally being good practice, being transparent allows the end user of the work you produce to make informed decisions with a reasonable degree of confidence.

So what’s the purpose of quantification?

As well as giving you a total footprint for a specific time period, calculating your carbon footprint will enable you to do a few things:

• Firstly you’ll be able to see what are the most emission-intense areas of your organisation, i.e. where the emissions are coming from, whether this is a specific location, or activity or even department

• Secondly, by using this information you will be able to prioritise the areas that need to have their emissions reduced. This will form the basis of your Carbon Footprint Management Plan which we will go into more detail on in the next few episodes.

What are the Outcome and Deliverables?

One outcome of this exercise is a GHG Inventory. This is a requirement of ISO 14064 and put simply, is a big list of categorised emission sources, and the specific GHGs they produce. Here you’ll also list all emission conversion factors you used to turn activity data into tonnes of specific GHGs.

Another useful outcome is that you’ll be able to instantly and credibly respond to any tenders that require you present green credentials. As we’ve mentioned in previous podcasts, in the UK it is now a requirement for most large public sector contracts for the tendering organisation to outline its emissions.

Being able to easily present your carbon footprint to a potential tender could help in winning new business, particularly if you’ve completed this in line with an international recognised standard

Join us next week as we move onto the next step, Commit.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

David Algar is also available for a free Carbonology consultation until the end of March – Book your slot Here

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
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This episode is the first of our 7-part mini-series explaining our Carbonology service, a 7 step methodology to help companies become Carbon Neutral.

We’re joined by our resident Carbonologist David Algar to talk through the first step of the Carbonology process, Define.

David explains why the define stage is so important, what it entails, and how it works.

You’ll learn

• The seven steps in Carbonology.
• The importance of defining your carbon output.
• How to get a better understanding of your emissions.
• The recommended approach to define the subject and boundaries.
• How to write the introduction for your QES.
• How to become carbon neutral.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:38] What the seven steps of Carbonology are.

[03:08] The first step to becoming carbon neutral.

[03:52] How the define stage in Carbonology works.

[04:42] What Carbonology boundaries in an organisation may look like.

[06:20] The importance of identifying the people involved with Carbonology work.

[07:00] The type of people that are normally involved with managing the Carbonology standards in a business.

[08:25] How organisations can determine the selection of the subject.

[09:49] Why it’s important to clearly define the subject and your boundaries.

[10:33] The recommended approach to define the subject and boundaries.

[12:17] The outcomes and deliverables that are provided through the define stage.

[13:35] Who the Qualifying Explanatory Statement has to be shared with.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 14064, PAS 2060, or another standard – Contact us!

David Algar is also available for a free Carbonology consultation until the end of March – Book your slot Here

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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This episode, we’re joined by Paul Robinson our Managing Consultant at Blackmores to talk about ISO 50001 – the Energy Management Standard.

Paul gives us some guidance and advice on how to audit and implement this standard effectively and how you can make improvements in your energy management.

We also talk about some common techniques to reduce energy consumption, how to increase a buildings energy efficiency, and how to monitor if equipment is being used in line with good practice.

You’ll learn

• How to make improvements in your energy management.
• How to implement the energy management standard ISO 50001.
• The purpose and benefits of carrying out internal audits.
• Common techniques to reduce energy consumption.
• How to increase a buildings energy efficiency.
• Why everyone should switch to LED lights.

Resources

• isology Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:25] The purpose and benefits of carrying out internal audits.

[03:31] Benefits data centres have had as a result of auditing.

[04:45] How an organization can set up a robust audit programme.

[07:23] The impact a building’s design has on its energy efficiency and how this can be improved.

[10:16] The importance of monitoring systems and the power of automation.

[11:59] How to know which maintenance companies to work with.

[13:13] How to know if equipment is being used with good practice.

[15:26] The benefits of raising opportunities of improvement to management.

[17:59] Common opportunities for businesses to improve their energy management.

[21:24] Evidence you expect to see when carrying out an ISO 50001 audit.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 50001 or another standard – Contact us!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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We’re diving further into sustainability and best practices today as Mel is joined by Kit Oung who is a leading energy consultant with a wealth of experience spanning the last 25 years.

Kit is an energy and resource efficiency practitioner, consultant, trainer, and author on the subject of energy and resource efficiency; operational excellence, and triple bottom line.

Notable engagements include: designing regulations in the UK (energy and climate change regulations); Sharjah, UAE (mandatory Health and Safety awareness), and Singapore (waste regulation); drafting guidebooks on integrated management systems (ISO), energy efficiency (UNEP), ISO 50001 (ISO/UNIDO) and promoting of good governance in energy, environment, and health safety in India, Zambia, UAE, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Nigeria.

Kit is the author of Energy Management in Business: The Manager’s Guide to Maximising and Sustaining Energy Reduction (Gower, 2013), and coauthor of Best Practices and Case Studies for Industrial Energy Efficiency Improvement (UNEP, 2016). He also assisted in the technical review of ISO 50001: Energy management systems – A practical guide for SMEs (ISO, 2015).

Kit serves on IChemE’s Congress, IChemE’s Energy Community of Practice, IChemE’s annual sustainability awards judging panel, UNIDO’s global energy management leadership awards judging panel, and take part in developing National, Regional and International standards. He chaired ISO 14002-2 (current), ISO 50002 (current), PAS51215, EN16247-3, and participated in the development of ISO 14001 series, ISO 50001 series, and EN16247 series of standards.

Today, we’re looking at how to make energy sustainability strategies actionable, what the drivers for energy sustainability are, and how we can gain and maintain management commitment in sustainable energy practices. We’ll also have a sneak peak into Kit’s upcoming book: People, Planet, Profit: Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Business Strategies (Which you can pre-order! Link available under Resources)

You’ll learn

• The importance of leaders, managers and engineers all playing their parts in sustainability strategies.
• What needs to be in place for sustainability strategies to be actionable.
• How the drivers for energy sustainability differ in different geographical locations.
• The extent of the destruction of our forests and seas and why we aren’t doing anything about it.
• Different low cost fuel saving technologies.
• How to gain and maintain management commitment in sustainable energy practices.
• How to break down your energy consumption and make it visible
• The psychological benefits of celebration.

Resources

• Pre-order: People, Planet, Profit: Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Business Strategies
• Start with Why
• Get in contact with Kit Oung

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:12] Kit’s experience in working with energy management and sustainable initiatives.

[05:48] Key aspects that need to be in place for a sustainability strategy to be actionable and have real influence on a company’s products and services.

[10:40] A case study of how British Airways has integrated sustainability into their business structure.

[15:15] The main drivers of sustainability practices in the Middle East.

[17:12] What inspired Kit to write his new book – People, Planet, Profit: Environmentally and Socially Sustainable Business Strategies

[21:20] Low cost technologies businesses can use to reduce their energy consumption.

[23:48] The three elements you need in an organisation to effectively control your energy consumption.

[25:40] How to gain and maintain management commitment.

[28:30] The importance of understanding every aspect of an organisation’s processes and the hidden costs around waste materials.

[32:34] The importance of measuring consumption of resources and benchmarking.

[34:16] How to break down your energy consumption and make it visible.

[38:26] How external providers can help companies with the technical aspect of the data.

[40:48] How to break down implementation barriers in companies.

[47:03] The psychological benefits of celebration.

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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Today we’re joined by the Director of Morgan Green Advisory, Hayden Morgan.

Hayden is an independent consultant with a mission to enable a sustainable, lower-carbon future.

He has been pioneering sustainability within the finance sector for almost 25 years, and provides award-winning insights and solutions, focusing on transitioning to beneficial outcomes.

Today we talk about sustainable finance and the work Hayden is doing with leading experts from over 25 countries to develop the new global sustainability standard for financial organisations ISO 32210…

You’ll learn

• What sustainable finance is and how it works.
• The best way to get involved with the ISO 32210 standard.
• The need for a standardised label for sustainable infrastructure.
• The benefits of implementing the new ISO 32210 standard.
• When ISO 32210 will be available for organisations to implement.
• The rise of climate risk strategies in financial markets.

Resources

• Morgan Green Advisory
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[02:24] How Hayden got involved in working in global sustainability.

[04:05] The work Hayden’s been doing on the new sustainable finance standard.

[04:56] How you can get involved with the new ISO 32210 standard.

[06:48] Hayden’s involvement advising the world bank around the development of a label for sustainable infrastructure.

[10:42] The pilot projects taking part in a sustainable infrastructure label.

[11:51] What sustainable finance is.

[12:39] The principles of the ISO 32210 standard and how it complements other requirements.

[15:30] The implementation guidance for ISO 32210’s principles.

[17:09] The best practice resources that will be available to help people implement the standard.

[18:17] The benefits of implementing the ISO 32210 standard.

[22:16] The plans for the standard and the expected launch date for the ISO 32210 standard.

[23:41] The sustainable integration work and climate risk strategies Hayden works on at Morgan Green Advisory.

If you need assistance with implementing ISO 32210 or another standard – Contact us!

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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We’re joined again by Paul Robinson, Managing Consultant at Blackmores. Last week Paul summarised the importance of energy management and introduced us to ISO 50001. This week, he delves deeper into the individual clauses of the Standard to break down what’s required in a typical Energy Management System.

What you’ll learn:

• The main clauses and requirements of ISO 50001
• Examples of ISO 50001’s application in other Businesses based on Paul’s experience

What are the main clauses of ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 has been aligned with the Annex SL format since 2018 so that it may be more easily integrated with other ISO Standards. The clauses are as follows:

• Clauses 1, 2 and 3 – These are all explanatory clauses, starting with the scope, then Normative References and lastly Terms and Definitions.

• Clause 4 – Context of the Organisation: Here you would define the scope and boundaries of your energy management system and understanding the processes affected. This includes looking at your energy inputs and outputs. You’ll also address any energy issues that affect you and interested parties involved.

• Clause 5 – Leadership: This refers to Top Management commitment, which is necessary if you want your energy management system to be successful. They will need to provide resources required to implement an energy policy, and to define roles and responsibilities.

• Clause 6 – Planning: This is a central pillar behind every Energy Management System as it talks about strategic and tactical considerations. This includes high-level issues, the needs and expectations of interested parties and the risks and opportunities associated with them in an energy context. This clause also includes an Energy Review, which will help you build a picture of your energy sources and current consumption. From that you can start setting your Objectives and Targets and actions going forward using energy baselines and energy performance indicators established from the Energy Review.

• Clause 7 – Support: This clause talks about provision of resources, competencies, awareness, communication and documented information required for energy management.

• Clause 8 – Operation: This is where operational controls are defined to help you manage your energy effectively. It also covers design and procurement, which means procuring of energy, consuming assets and having effective processes in place to ensure energy is a key consideration when making infrastructure changes.

• Clause 9 – Performance Evaluation: ISO 50001 is very data driven and clause 9 states the requirements for monitoring and measurement of your energy use, which will be used to demonstrate your improvement in energy efficiency. This clause also covers Internal Audits and Management Review to ensure the Management System is performing effectively.

• Clause 10 – Improvement: This clause talks about taking opportunities that drive continual improvement in the Management System, but also recognizing that sometimes things go wrong. It also addresses significant deviations and a structure to investigate and correct those deviations to keep the management system on track.

What can go wrong?:

Based on his experience, Paul highlighted some issues he’s seen in existing Management Systems:

• Not aligning an Energy Management system with Company Objectives
• Lack of financial resources
• Having the Management system built and run by only one person – This becomes a single point of failure
• Confusion in responding to energy deviations – lack of communication of a process to correct non-conformities
• Rushed creation – Energy Management Systems created in a short span of time may not be properly embedded into the business and can lead to the issues listed above.

That’s it from Paul this week! For further information on ISO 50001, visit our Standards page Here. We also have an ISO 50001 Handbook available to members of the isologyhub, sign up here to grab a copy.

If you’re just getting started with ISO, we do have a free ISO Blueprint available for download to help you to plan, create, launch and get certified to ISO Standards.

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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Today we’re joined by Paul Robinson, Managing Consultant at Blackmores. Paul is here to introduce the Energy Management Standard, ISO 50001, why it’s important and give you an overview of its basic structure.

What you’ll learn:

• Why energy management is so critical in the current climate crisis
• The main purpose of ISO 50001
• A summary of the clauses within ISO 50001

Why have an Energy Management Standard?

There’s a big focus on trying to maintain global warming to that 1.5 degrees increase. Right now, we’re failing on that. In order to get this back on track we need to consider our current energy consumption. During COP26 we heard a lot about phasing out coal power, unfortunately there are some countries who are resistant to that and as a result have had the requirements watered down. Regardless, energy use continues to rise as does the demand.

Energy Management is particularly relevant for organisations who want to measure their impact and put measures in place to reduce their environmental footprint.

Why is it so important to restrict Global Warming to 1.5 degrees?

It’s literally the difference between survival. We’re at a tipping point now, failing to stick to this 1.5 degrees will result in rising sea levels and rising temperatures. Paul shares his experience working in Cyprus where it’s not uncommon now for the temperature to reach 45 degrees. This isn’t sustainable and it will get to the point where it’s difficult for humans to survive if we keep going at this rate. 

What is the main purpose of ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 includes continually improving energy performance, energy efficiency, energy use and energy consumption. Building an energy management system will help you to understand, monitor and measure your use of energy, and like most other ISO’s, continual improvement is at the heart of ISO 50001. Key factors it addresses are energy performance, energy efficiency and energy consumption.

What are the main clauses of ISO 50001?

ISO 50001 went through it’s latest revision in 2018, aligning it with the Annex SL format that many other ISO’s use. The clauses are as follows:

• Clauses 1, 2 and 3 – Explanatory clauses

• Clause 4 – Context of the Organisation

• Clause 5 – Leadership

• Clause 6 – Planning

• Clause 7 – Support

• Clause 8 – Operation

• Clause 9 – Performance Evaluation

• Clause 10 – Improvement

That’s it from Paul this week! Join us next week as Paul breaks down each clause of the Standard and how it can be applied. For further information on ISO 50001, visit our Standards page Here. We also have an ISO 50001 Handbook available to members of the isologyhub, sign up here to grab a copy.

If you’re just getting started with ISO, we do have a free ISO Blueprint available for download to help you to plan, create, launch and get certified to ISO Standards.

We’d love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here’s how:

• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
• Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one.

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This week Mel and Darren delve into the different factors that can impact on workers Mental Health:

Aspects of how work is organised:

Remote and isolated work

• Working in locations that are far from home, family, friends and usual support networks
• Working alone in non-remote locations without social/human interaction
• Working in private homes

Workload and work pace

• Work overload or underload
• High levels of time pressure
• Continually subject to deadlines
• Machine pacing
• High level of repetitive work

Working hours and schedule

• Lack of variety of work
• Shift work
• Inflexible work schedules
• Unpredictable hours
• Long or unsociable hours
• Fragmented work or work that is not meaningful
• Continual requirements to complete work at short notice

Job security and precarious work

• Uncertainty regarding work availability, including work without set hours
• Possibility of redundancy or temporary loss of work with reduced pay
• Low-paid or insecure employment, including non-standard employment
• Working in situations that are not properly covered or protected by labour law or social protection

Social Factors at work:

Interpersonal relationships

• Poor communication, including poor information sharing
• Poor relationships between managers or others that workers interact with
• Interpersonal conflict
• Harassment, bullying, victimization
• Lack of social support
• Unequal power relationships between dominant and non-dominant groups of workers
• Social or physical isolation

Leadership

• Lack of clear vision and objectives
• Management style unsuited to the nature of the work and its demand
• Failing to listen or only casually listening to complaints and suggestions
• Withholding information
• Providing inadequate communication and support
• Lack of accountability
• Lack of fairness
• Inconsistent and poor decision-making practices
• Abuse or misuse of power

Organizational/workgroup culture

• Poor communication
• Low levels of support for problem-solving and personal development
• Lack of definition of, or agreement on, organisational objectives
• Inconsistent and untimely application of policies and procedures, unfair decision-making
• Recognition and reward
• Imbalance between workers’ effort and formal and informal recognition and reward
• Lack of appropriate acknowledgement and appreciation of workers’ efforts in a fair and timely manner

Career development

• Career stagnation and uncertainty, under-promotion or over-promotion, lack of opportunity for skill development

Support

• Lack of support from supervisors and co-workers
• Lack of access to support services
• Lack of information/training to support work performance

Supervision

• Lack of constructive performance feedback and evaluation processes
• Lack of encouragement/acknowledgement
• Lack of communication
• Lack of shared organisational vision and clear objectives
• Lack of support and/or resources to facilitate improvements in performance
• Lack of fairness
• Misuse of digital surveillance

Civility and respect

• Lack of trust, honesty, respect, civility and fairness
• Lack of respect and consideration in interactions among workers, as well as with customers, clients and the public

Work/life balance

• Work tasks, roles, schedules or expectations that cause workers to continue working in their own time
• Conflicting demands of work and home
• Work that impacts the workers’ ability to recover

Violence at work

• Incidents involving an explicit or implicit challenge to health, safety or well-being at work; violence can be internal, external or client initiated, e.g.:
• Abuse
• Threats
• Assault (physical, verbal or sexual)
• Gender-based violence

Harassment

Unwanted, offensive, intimidating behaviours (sexual or non-sexual in nature) which relate to one or more specific characteristic of the targeted individual, e.g.

• Race
• Gender identity
• Religion or belief
• Sexual orientation
• Disability
• Age

Bullying and victimization

Repeated (more than once) unreasonable behaviours which can present a risk to health, safety and well-being at work; behaviours can be overt or covert, e.g.

• Social or physical isolation
• Assigning meaningless or unfavourable tasks
• Name-calling, insults and intimidation
• Undermining behaviour
• Undue public criticism
• Withholding information or resources critical for one’s job
• Malicious rumours or gossiping
• Assigning impossible deadlines

Work environment, equipment and hazardous tasks

Work environment, equipment and hazardous tasks

• Inadequate equipment availability, suitability, reliability, maintenance or repair
• Poor workplace conditions such as lack of space, poor lighting and excessive noise
• Lack of the necessary tools, equipment or other resources to complete work tasks
• Working in extreme conditions or situations
• Working in unstable environments such as conflict zones

How can we identify psychological hazards in our workplaces?

There are several ways that the organization can identify psychosocial hazards, this can include (but not limited to):

• Through reviews of job descriptions
• Analysing tasks, schedules and locations
• Consulting with workers, clients and other interested parties
• Analysing performance evaluations, standardized questionnaires, audits, etc.

Further Resource:

Download a copy of our ISO 45003 Whitepaper here:

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• Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin
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The Importance of Mental Health:

• Mental health can influence how we think and feel about ourselves and others as well as we interpret events.
• It affects our capacity to learn, communicate and to form, sustain and end relationships, influencing our ability to cope with change, transition and life events
• Good mental health is as important as good physical health to our life and wellbeing
• Work plays an important part in our health (both physical and mental). People who are in work are, overall, healthier and happier. But sometimes work can have a negative impact on our health
• At work we should aim to create an environment which fosters good mental health and eliminates or minimises a work environment which can have a negative impact on mental health.

Who’s most at risk?

Identification of who could be harmed or at risk of harm psychologically can be complex, with varying factors, including (but not limited to):

• Age
• Personality and psychosocial factors
• Sleep
• Medical condition of oneself or other(s) close to the individual
• The activity – type, frequency and duration
• Relationships (work and non-work)
• Financial
• Lifestyle

There is no single way to manage and reduce stress, what works for one person, may not work for another.

What are the negative outcomes for employees?

• Poor health and associated conditions
• Cardiovascular disease, musculoskeletal disorders, diabetes, anxiety, depression, sleep disorders, and associated health behaviours
• Substance abuse, unhealthy eating
• Reduction in job satisfaction, commitment, and productivity

What are negative outcomes for the organisation?

• Includes increased costs due to absence from work
• Turnover
• Reduced turnover or service quality
• Increased recruitment and retraining costs
• Workplace investigations and litigation
• Damage to the organisation’s reputation

If we get mental health right – what’s the upside?

• Improved job satisfaction
• Improved worker engagement
• Increased productivity
• Increased innovation
• Organisational sustainability can be achieved

What is ISO 45003?

ISO 45003 has been published to provide guidance on the management of psychosocial risks and promoting well-being at work. Intended to be used together with ISO 45001 as part of an occupational health and safety (OH&S) management system, the guidelines are suitable for all sectors and types of organisations.

It defines Psychosocial risk as ‘combination of the likelihood of occurrence of exposure to work-related hazard(s) of a psychosocial nature and the severity of injury that can be caused by these hazard(s)’.

ISO 45003 is a guidance standard only. It is intended to complement the requirements in ISO 45001 and guide organisations on how to address OH&S issues relating to psychological health within their general OH&S management system.

What are the aims?

Therefore, it is critically important for the organisation to eliminate hazards and minimise OH&S risks by taking effective preventive and protective measures, which include measures to manage psychosocial risks. Psychosocial hazards are increasingly recognized as major challenges to health, safety, and well-being at work.

What are the psychosocial hazards?

• Psychosocial hazards relate to how work is organized, social factors at work and aspects of the work environment, equipment, and hazardous tasks.
• Psychosocial hazards can be present in all organisations and sectors, and from all kinds of work tasks, equipment, and employment arrangements.
• Psychosocial risk relates to the potential of these types of hazards to cause several types of outcomes on individual health and safety, well-being and on organisational performance and sustainability.
• It is important that psychosocial risks are managed in a manner consistent with other OH&S risks, through an OH&S management system.

What are the signs of exposure to Psychosocial risk?

• Changes in behaviour
• Social isolation or withdrawal, refusing offers of help or neglecting personal well-being needs
• Increased absence from work or coming to work when ill
• Lack of engagement
• Reduced energy
• High staff turnover
• Low quality performance or failure to complete tasks/assignments on time (presenteeism)
• Reduced desire to work with others
• Conflicts, lack of willingness to co-operate, and bullying
• Increased frequency of incidents or errors

What are the considerations in risk assessments?

At work, many situations (basic through to complex) are risk assessed, however, many assessments fail in relation to causes of psychological problems.

• Is the work the issue, or is it perceived that the work is causing or making a situation worse?
• The actual cause may be different or a combination of factors, inside and outside of work.
• The HSE defines stress as ‘the adverse reaction people have to excessive pressures or other types of demand placed on them’, and states:

Every employer has a legal duty to assess and protect employees from work-related stress under the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999.

• Stress is a major cause of sickness absence in the workplace and costs over £5 billion a year in Great Britain.

How does ISO 45003 support ISO 45001?

It is recognised that psychological health, safety and well-being are not always fully addressed within OH&S management. The standard is designed to help organisations better understand and address these aspects of OH&S management so that their system covers all aspects of health and safety, not just those that

Further Resource

Download a copy of our ISO 45003 Whitepaper here:

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One of the first steps towards becoming more sustainable is knowing where you currently stand in terms of your emissions. Calculating this may seem like a mammoth task, especially if you have multiple sites or assets such as company vehicles to keep track of.

David Algar joins Mel today to discuss how to calculate your Green House Gas (GHG) emissions, starting from Establishing boundaries through to number crunching and quantification.

What is the first step when embarking on quantifying your GHG emissions?

• One of the first steps is getting leadership commitment – This allows for quicker decision making and the allocation of roles and responsibilities, which really helps with the data collection
• Once you have this leadership commitment, the next steps is to start establishing boundaries.

So how do you define your boundaries?

• There are 2 ways you define your boundaries as specified in ISO 14064-1:
• The first are your organisational boundaries, you’ll need to outline which facilities are included within the quantification. It is not as simple as just saying ‘everything’, you’ll need to specify which sites, buildings, factories etc
• You can define your organisational boundaries via the control approach, so what facilities do you have financial or operation control over? Or the equity share approach, where you account for your portion of emissions and removals from facilities
• The next step is defining your reporting boundaries. This refers to activities and specific sources of GHGs.
• Emission sources are split up into 3 categories; Scope 1 – direct emissions from combustion, or leaks, normally at sources you own , Scope 2 – indirect emissions from imported energy, and Scope 3 – all other indirect emissions, these will be from sources you don’t necessarily own or have much control over such as staff commuting, supply chains or emissions from the use of products you manufacture
• Depending on your organisation, Scope 3 will account for somewhere between 60-80% of your total emissions.

How would you recommend going about collecting to data?

• ISO 14064-1 wants you to have primary data, i.e. data you have collected yourself.
• Some of the most common sources of the information you’ll need to quantify your emissions include, utilities bills, expense claim, meter readings.  
• What some organisations are doing is sending out simple surveys to staff to gather information on commuting habits or the mix of home and office working.
• In the real world all the information you need isn’t going to be available, or at least it won’t be available in the way you would like.
• it’s important to have someone dedicated managing data collection as this may involve multiple sites or international locations.
• Ideally, you’d start setting a framework to use when going forward and to make sure you can collect the relevant data each year.

Selecting a base year

• If this is the first time you have quantified your emissions, it will automatically become your base year.
• This will be the year you compare future emissions against, and track reductions against, whether they are absolute, or intensity based, such as tonnes of CO2e per employee or product sold
• You may have to re-visit your base year calculations if new data or more accurate methods arise. A base year review may also be required if there has been a change in organisational boundaries due to a merger or acquisition.

The Number Crunching

• At the end of the process, we want to see our levels of emissions for each of the Kyoto gases, this will allow us to see emissions as tonnes of CO2 equivalent when each gases’ global warming potential has been taken into account.
• Some gases can have global warming potentials 200 times or 1,000 times or even over 20,000 times stronger than CO2 on its own, hence why even the smallest leak of can be important, say, from an air conditioning system.
• We calculate emission from specific sources by using conversion factors.
• In the UK we are very lucky to have emission conversion factors published publicly by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy every year going back to 2002
• Other countries release conversion factors too, so if you have sites round the world, you should be able to find factors that can be applied. This may involve converting some units though.
• The data isn’t always going to be available in the ideal format, so you’ll need to spend a bit of time on Google identifying rates for specific areas and years if you don’t have anything else to go on.
• Liaising with landlords and facilities management is always a good idea, not only to collect data, but to help with implementing initiatives that can reduce emissions in the future  

Estimates, Assumptions, Uncertainties and Transparency

• You’re going to have to make some assumptions as you go.
• In line with ISO 14064-1 you’ll need to be as accurate as possible even if this means someone going through individual lines of expenses to estimate flight distances based on ticket costs or coming up with a system to represent your supply chain.
• Another important aspect of ISO 14064-1 is transparency. The best way to manage this is to simply make all your calculations visible, this way they can be reviewed and sense-checked but others.
• For each emission source you’ll also need to assign it a level of uncertainty. For instance, expense claims are usually highly accurate as they show mileage from one location to another, and sometimes even record the specific vehicle, you could say this has an uncertainty of 2-5% for instance.
• At the other end of the scale calculating the emission from the life cycle of your products has a high degree of uncertainty as you don’t know how a customer will use it, how long it will last, how it will be disposed of or if it will even be used at all. This could have an uncertainty of 30-40% for instance
• A positive outcome of managing all these uncertainties is that you will have a framework going forward for calculating specific sources.

Managing your Emissions Going Forward – Applications of Quantification

• Ironically it is often the biggest emission sources that businesses have the smallest amount of control over, but there will usually be some action that can be taken to reduce them.
• Quantifying emissions is also one the first, and arguably the most essential steps towards achieving carbon neutrality, as you can’t get very far without knowing your emissions.
• PAS 2060 is the standard we use at Blackmores as part of our Carbonology service to help businesses achieve carbon neutrality, this is supported by quantifying emissions in line with the ISO 14064 methodologies we’ve mentioned In previous podcasts.
• Developing and implementing a carbon reduction plan to reduce emissions over subsequent reporting periods is another application of your GHG quantification and is an important part of working towards carbon neutrality.

Further resources:

Free Webinar – Targeting Carbon and Supporting Net Zero – hosted by Alcumus, David Algar will feature as a guest to help you understand your Carbon Footprint and provide a roadmap towards Carbon Neutrality. Register Here.

We also have more information about our Carbonology service available Here.

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