The creators of isology®

The demand for tangible sustainability action is becoming more pressing as we inch closer to our 2030 and 2050 Net Zero targets.

However, that is still quite a way off, and many businesses are dragging their feet when it comes to taking action. Sure, some may have an ESG Policy or mention it on their website, however that term is starting to become synonymous with green washing due to poor implementation in many cases.

So, what can you do to make a difference right now?

In this weeks’ episode Mel explains the principle of Parkinson’s law, how ISO Standards can help to tackle climate change and how you can achieve Net Zero in just 90 days.

You’ll learn

• What Parkinson’s Law is
• How can ISO standards help tackle climate change
• The 3 reasons why businesses are behind on achieving net zero
• How you can achieve Net Zero in just 90 days using the Net Zero Planner

Resources

• Carbonology
• Register for EMEX here
• Grab a copy of our Net Zero Planner

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:25] Come visit the Carbonology stand at EMEX! – EMEX is a free exhibition to learn about carbon management, ESG and sustainability. It takes place at ExCeL London on 22nd – 23rd November 2023 – Carbonology will be at Stand G38. Come grab a free Net Zero Planner while you’re there! Register your place here.

[02:10] Episode Summary – Today we’ll be talking about why we need to act now rather than in a decade or two, how ISO Standards can play a critical role in tackling climate change and using the Net Zero Planner to help you set achievable objectives to work towards Net Zero in just 90 days.    

[02:55]  We need to act now rather than later! – Our 2030 and 2050 targets are very far away, which results in businesses not doing much to address them in the meantime.

They might have an ESG policy or they might have something referencing ESG on their website, but are they actually taking action right now to make that happen? In many cases, no. Which is where Parkinson’s Law comes into play.

[03:40] What is Parkinson’s Law? Parkinson’s Law is the idea that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. This may mean you take longer than necessary to complete a task or you procrastinate and complete the task right before the due date.

Parkinson’s Law is the old adage that work expands to fill the time allotted for its completion. The term was first coined by Cyril Northcote Parkinson in a humorous essay he wrote for “The Economist” in 1955.

Lets say you are given a task to complete a report in 3 weeks, chances are if you were given the task to do in 1 week – you’d make it happen.

Parkinson’s Law says that the perceived importance and difficulty of a task will grow in proportion to the amount of time given to finish it.

[05:30] Is it possible to achieve Net Zero in 2024?: Yes! Carbonology® been turning around projects to help businesses to build net carbon neutral in less than three months –  so why can’t you?

[06:05] The Net Zero Planner –  The Net Zero in 90 days planner gives you a pathway to follow to achieve Net Carbon Zero.

Each day focuses on a specific task, enabling you to make step by step progress to achieve your goals.

Your Net Zero Planner provides the foundations for not only achieving Net Zero but also achieving verification to Carbon standards along the way. Grab a copy here!

[08:25] What role do ISO Standards play in tackling climate change? Standards have a critical role in helping meet climate goals. Particularly when there is an influx of greenwashing across industries.

The international standards for carbon verification (ISO 14064) and carbon neutrality (PAS 2060, due to be ISO 14064 in 2024) support the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) and create a level playing field, providing transparency, reliability, accountability and without a doubt, credibility.

[10:00] So why are businesses struggling to achieve Net Zero? there are three reasons why businesses are behind on achieving Net Zero:-

• Time and resources have not been dedicated.
• Lack of focus and structure
• Lack of knowledge on what to do

The Net Zero Planner will help to address these challenges.

[11:15] Carbonology is there to support you – Some of the tasks in the planner may be tricky – quantifying your emissions for example, this is always going to be challenging.

Carbonology is there to support you, either with consultancy or digital resources via the Carbonologyhub. If you need some extra assistance, simply contact them.

[11:55] How can the Net Zero Planner help you? –  First and foremost, Net zero is not going to happen, unless you prioritise your time.

This starts with designing your ideal week. Imagine how would you structure your week if you had 100% control. What does your ideal week look like?

Remember, What gets scheduled gets done.  Sticking to a plan takes discipline, but imagine if every business dedicated 2 hours a day for 3 months, we’d be achieving net zero well before 2050!

By setting aside 2 hours a day to complete a Net Zero task, you and your team will be well equipped to put your planning in place and achieve Net Zero accreditation! Of course, not every week will be aligned with your ideal week, but it’s a guide that you can refer back to.

 [13:00] Making progress with the Net Zero Planner –  It’s imperative you review progress on a weekly and monthly basis and at the end of the 9O days. This will help to drive momentum when you see what you’ve achieved and also provide a reality check if you need additional support or time.

The weekly, monthly and quarterly review provides an opportunity to look back at your progress and allows you time to reflect on what went well, and where you’ve been having challenges which may result in making decisions to address any shortfalls.

 This could include allowing more time for a specific task the following week, delegating responsibilities internally or outsourcing activities i.e. carbon quantification or verification.

It’s recommended that you schedule this review and reflection time in your calendar i.e. 1 hour on a Friday afternoon or at the end of the month. In addition to the structured planner pages, there are blank pages for expanding on your ideas and taking notes.

[15:25] Special Deal! –  The Net Zero Planner is available for Amazon at a reduced price of £7.99 until the 15^th December 2023. The Standard price will be £14.99. If you’re at EMEX on the 22^nd or 23^rd November 2023, we have 100 free copies to give away!

Lastly, if you have an questions or would like to learn more about how Carbonology can help you, feel free to book a call in via David’s Calendly.

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 episode’s:

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud |

Happy New Year! We at Blackmores hope you all managed to have a break over the holiday season and are gearing up for many challenges and successes in 2023.

As a reminder, we signed off last year by highlighting the top 5 podcasts as dictated by you, the listeners.

Before we dive into a brand-new year full of top tips, expert advice with industry leaders and client interviews, we’d like to take a step back and let the host share her reflections on 2022.

Join Mel as she shares her personal top 5 ISO Show episodes from last year.   

You’ll learn

• What are Mel’s top 5 episodes of 2022?

Resources

• ISO Show Archive
• Isologyhub

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:30] A reminder to listen to our last podcast, covering the top 5 podcasts as dictated by the listeners.

[01:21] #1 Episode 102 – What’s in a name? This episode features our Senior Isologist, Sarah Ball, as she explains the importance of giving a meaningful name to your Management System. 

[03:40] What’s in a Name snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

[08:01] #2 Episode 94 – The 7 Steps of Carbonology_ Reduce – Part 4 of the 7 Steps of Carbonology series, featuring our Carbonologist, David Algar. This episode delves into the creation and communication of a carbon reduction plan, and the benefits of reducing your footprint rather then relying on offsetting alone.

[10:14] The 7 Steps of Carbonology – Reduce snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

[16:48] #3: Episode 117 PMC’s journey and ongoing success with ISO 27001– This is an interview with Philip Bailey, the Managed Services Director at PMC Retail, talking about their ISO 27001 journey. Philip shares his lessons learned and gives some top tips for anyone considering implementing the Information Security Standard  

[17:58] PMC’s journey and ongoing success with ISO 27001 snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive 

[24:00] #4: Episode 100 How to get the most out of your Management Review – Featuring Rachel Churchman, Managing Consultant here at Blackmores, this episode explores how added value can be gained from doing a Management Review. Mel and Rachel discuss various ways you can conduct a Management Review and what should be your key inputs and outputs.   

[26:14] How to get the most out of your Management Review snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive   

[30:41] #5: Episode 108 How to align your Management System with the Sustainable Development Goals– Following on from the Sustainable Development Goals summary episodes, Mel shares how you can align your Management System right now without the need for any ISO certification.  

[32:37] How to align your Management System with the Sustainable Development Goals snippet – Full episode available in the ISO Show Archive 

We look forward to bringing you even more amazing content in 2023, so stay tuned! 😊

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 episode’s

Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube | iTunes | Soundcloud

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

In 2015, world leaders came together to create 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG’s) which aim to tackle various social, economic and environmental 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.

This is part 2 of our 2-part series on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and the ISO standards that support them. 

Today, Mel explains the 7 remaining SDGs, the ISO standards that relate to them and how organisations can meet these goals…

You’ll learn

• The ISO standards that relate to the sustainable development goals.
• How to align your business with the SDG’s.
• The ISO standards that can help you meet the last 7 SDGs.
• Details of the final 7 SDGs and the ISO standards that relate to them.
• How we define what best practice is.
• How ISO standards are developed.

Resources

• United Nations Sustainable Development Goals
• ISOlogy Hub
• Blackmores

In this episode, we talk about:

[00:46] The Sustainable Development Goals set out by the UN.

[02:27] How ISO 9001 and 14001 relate to the SDGs.

[02:56] Goal 10 (Reduced inequalities) and how ISO 26000 (Guidance for social responsibility) relates to it.

[06:04] Goal 11 (Sustainable cities and communities) and the series of standards ISO 37101, ISO 37120, ISO 37122, ISO 37123, and ISO 22301 that can help meet this goal.

[07:50] Goal 12 (Responsible consumption and production) and the related standards ISO 14020 Series, ISO 15392, and ISO 20245.

[10:42] Goal 13 (Climate Action) and the standards that help with climate change and greenhouse gases ISO 14001, ISO 14064, ISO 14067, and PAS 2060.

[14:14] Goal 14 (Life underwater) and the 250 sustainability-related Standards dedicated to Shipping, port waste management and protection of marine life.

[15:30] Goal 15 (Life on land) and the related standards ISO 14001 and ISO 38200.

[16:27] Goal 16 (Peace, justice and strong institutions) and the standards that support this goal ISO 37001, ISO 37301, and ISO 37000.

[18:18] Goal 17 (Partnerships for the goals) and it’s relevance to ISO Standards.

[19:43] How ISO standards are developed.

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