Blackmores ISO Consultancy Service: The creators of isology®

After 5 years of hosting the ISO Show, Mel Blackmore will be taking a step back as she focuses on her sustainability related endeavours.

She’s passing the baton onto our new host – Ian Battersby. Ian is a Senior isologist at Blackmores, and while relatively new to the team, he has a wealth of Standard and ISO related knowledge to share with you all.

Today we Introduce Ian Battersby as the new host for the ISO Show and learn about his background in Standards and ISO.    

You’ll learn

• Taking a step back
• Introduction to Steph Churchman
• Introduction to Ian Battersby
• What Standards has Ian worked with?
• What Sectors has Ian worked in?

Resources

• Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:30] Join the isologyhub – To get access to a suite of ISO related tools, training and templates. Simply head on over to isologyhub.com to either sign-up or book a demo.

[02:05] Episode summary: After 5 years of the ISO Show, Mel Blackmore is handing the hosting baton over to Ian Battersby   

[02:25] Interim host – Ian will be the main host going forward, but there will be additions from Blackmores’ Communication Manager – Steph Churchman.

You may recognise her from recent episode such as:

• Top 10 Reasons to use ISO 42001 AI Management
• Top ISO Standard Trends in the Data Centre Industry

Steph will be sharing findings from our own research, standards updates and conducting interviews with our isologists.

[03:35] An Introduction to Ian Battersby – Ian has been working for Blackmores since August 2023. Although he is meant to be part-time, he’s had a very busy first few months here!

Ian began working in British Aerospace, specifically manufacturing, in 1984. He later decided to return to university to study electrical and electronic engineering, which was promptly dropped.

His return to BAE lasted a few years before he moved onto the civil service for the Department of Health, working with them to conduct safety investigations and helped to create a broader risk profile.

When he moved to work with the NHS, firstly, with the litigation authority setting up governance and risk standards and then as a risk manager.

Surprisingly, after moving up a few levels, he decided to move onto run a restaurant! A Curry House to be specific, but after a year of rather stressful work that ended up costing a lot more than expected, he returned to work within the construction industry which is where he became more involved with ISO Standards.

From there he went onto work in manufacturing of high pressure pumps for a while before moving onto an organisation who rant he estate for the Department of Work and Pensions.

In the end, Ian left them due to being unable to live the life he wanted to live.

[05:15] What Standards has Ian worked with? – He started with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 (now ISO 45001).

[06:00] Digital Nomad – Ian currently splits his time between Leeds in the UK and Malaga in Spain.

Having a lot of experience working remotely in previous industries, this leap didn’t impede on his work in any way.

[07:15] What other Standards has Ian worked with? – He has assisted with ISO 44001 (Collaborative Business Management), but admittedly it was not his favorite ISO Standard to work with. It’s one of the rare instances in ISO where the Standard doesn’t quite align with others.

[08:00] What Sectors has Ian worked in – Ian’s extensive work history has afforded him the opportunity to work in a number of sectors, including:

• Construction and Fit out
• Manufacturing
• Estate Management
• Private enterprise
• Healthcare / NHS
• Facilities

With this list growing at a rapid pace since his introduction at Blackmores!

[09:45] What’s a big challenge that Ian’s had to overcome in the past? – In terms of ISO, it has to be Leadership. Ian’s found that to always be an issue within businesses attempting to implement ISO Standards.

A good looking Management System will only go so far without leadership commitment.

While working in facilitating Standards for an organisation, you won’t be implementing the whole system yourself. It’s more a case of delivering through others, the organisation controls and delivers their own processes and improvements, and so it’s imperative that Leadership are also embedding and encouraging these actions.

Ian will be going more in-depth on this topic in a future episode.

If you’d like to book a demo for the isologyhub, simply contact us and we’d be happy to give you a tour.

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 | Mailing List

Can you believe we’ve been publishing the ISO Show for 5 years now! We certainly can’t!

The ISO Show began back in 2019, following a trip to Cumbria by the host Mel Blackmore. She was, and still is, an avid fan of podcasts and while listening to a few of her favourites on the 4 hour trip, she got to wondering if there were any podcasts about ISO Standards.

As it happened, there wasn’t at the time, and so the idea for the ISO Show was born. Not more than a few months later the first episode went live, and the rest is history.

For the past 5 years, we’ve had the honour of sharing our team’s combined 18 years of knowledge, including amazing insights from our clients and industry experts along the way.

Today Mel Blackmore will reflect on the ISO Show so far and share it’s next evolution as we introduce a new host.  

You’ll learn

• Why was the ISO Show created?
• Why is Mel taking a step back?
• What will be the focus for the future?
• An introduction to the new host(s)

Resources

• Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:30] Join the isologyhub – To get access to a suite of ISO related tools, training and templates. Simply head on over to isologyhub.com to either sign-up or book a demo.

[02:05] Episode summary: After 5 years of the ISO Show, it’s hitting a turning point as we introduce a new host.  

[02:25] An amazing journey – It’s been an amazing 5 years of digging deep into some of the most pressing issues we’ve faced, sharing tips and dispelling myths about ISO Standards.

We’ve explored a lot of topics over the years, including:

• Sharing our ISO 22301 (Business Continuity) knowledge when COVID hit, to help people with future and current response plans.
• Transitioning to new versions of Standards, such as ISO 27001:2022
• Interviewing leaders within the ISO space, such as Kit Oung, who helped to develop the UK’s current energy and climate change regulations.

[04:05] Mel’s sustainability journey – why she’s taking a step back as host – Mel’s made it no secret that her passion lies with Sustainability Standards. This podcast has helped to amplify their importance within our space, but she wants to take this a step further.

Going forward, Mel will be dedicating herself full-time to researching the crucial role of carbon standards in achieving Net Zero emissions by 2050.

[05:00] An evolution for the ISO Show – All this to say, the ISO Show isn’t going anywhere, rather we are introducing a new main host – Ian Battersby!

[05:05] Who is Ian Battersby? – Ian is a senior Isologist here at Blackmores. Ian brings a wealth of knowledge, expertise and a passion for helping businesses raise their game with ISO standards.

He’s a bit of a digital nomad, splitting his time between working from Span and England, he works part-time at Blackmores.

So he is very much involved in the day-to-day understanding of challenges of ISO Management, This includes the frustrations that businesses face and also how ISO standards support the achievement of greater productivity and profitability.

Ian will be introducing himself fully on the next episode 😊

[06:25] Thank you for making the ISO Show such a success! – We’ve now got a few thousand subscribers, with a global reach, we honestly never expected to have so many listeners when we started.

So whether you’re a regular or occasional listener, thank you for being here with us, we truly hope that our knowledge has helped you on your own journey to continual improvement within your own organisation.

[07:25] A long journey – A lot has happened over the past 5 years. In addition to being the CEO of Blackmores, Mel has also developed the isologyhub – an on-line learning platform which helps to raise awareness and understanding of ISO Standards.

She has also founded Carbonology – a sister company that specialises in carbon related Standards, which will be where focuses her main efforts over the next few years.

[07:44] Stepping back – but not gone – While you will be hearing less from Mel, she won’t be completely absent. She will be joining us at least once a month to explore how ISO Standards are shaping the landscape of Net Zero.

She will be sharing her journey to achieve net zero based on academic research, including primary and secondary research on how the various carbon related standards support the Sustainable Development goals and achieving net zero.

This will primarily be diving into Standards such as ISO 14064 (Carbon Verification) and ISO 14068 (Net Zero), in relation to how they support the Sustainable Development Goals, help to create a level playing field, providing transparency, reliability, accountability and without a doubt, credibility.

[09:20] Why the focus on sustainability? – Mel will be studying a masters by researching the role of Carbon Standards Verification in contributing to achieving Net Zero.

This focus hasn’t appeared out of the blue. Mel founded Carbonology with the goal of tacking Net Zero, one business at a time. They’ve already had great success over the past few years’ but there’s still so much more to do when it comes to understanding Greenhouse Gas emission verification, carbon removals, reductions and offsetting.

[10:10] Another big thank you – The ISO Show has been running for the past years with the assistance of Blackmores Communication Manager – Steph Churchman.

Starting from humble beginnings of recording using a mic housed in a shoebox, to being stuffed in a cupboard to combat our offices’ terrible acoustics. We’ve thankfully since upgraded our set-up to something much more comfortable.

Along the way we’ve experienced our fair share of technical issues, as you can’t really go 5 years of recording without something going wrong. However, there wasn’t much we couldn’t work around in some way or another.

As Steph has helped in researching topics we’ve discussed over the years, she will also be joining Ian on hosting the ISO Show in future episodes.  

[12:45] On to the next chapter – It’s not goodbye from Mel, but rather see you later. We’ll be bringing you all along on this next chapter of the ISO Show, so make sure you subscribe to stay up-to-date with our latest episodes.  

If you’d like to book a demo for the isologyhub, simply contact us and we’d be happy to give you a tour.

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 | Mailing List

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.

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

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud |

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:

Stitcher | Spotify |YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud |

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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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.

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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:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud |

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
• Carbonologyhub

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:

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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
• Carbonologyhub

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

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
• Carbonologyhub

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:

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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
• Carbonologyhub

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!

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 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
• 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 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
• Carbonologyhub

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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

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

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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.

Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud

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.

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

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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.

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

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud

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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