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2011

AFCOM Report Finds Data Centers Lack Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plans

13 Sep 2011

Data center association AFCOM reported on 13 Sep 2011 that more than 15 percent of data centers have no plan for business continuity or disaster recovery. According to the report, its objective is to help data center managers define and develop effective plans for their areas of responsibility within the data center. Two-thirds of data centers have no plan or procedures to deal with cybercrime.

The report says that many data center providers do not regard business continuity and disaster recovery separately despite each aspect requires its own plan. AFCOM defines a disaster as "an unexpected event that causes significant disruption to mission critical or core business services or functions."

The report also urges companies to take all risks seriously, and to have an action plan for every risk, no matter the likelihood of the event happening.

AFCOM says a key component of the disaster recovery plan is to understand how critical infrastructure and systems would be replaced in the event of damage. This, according to the report, requires detailed planning with key vendors or holding spares at different locations, for example. The report says 50 percent of data centers have no formal plan for replacing damaged equipment after a disaster.

ISO 14001 not necessarily reduce Industry Pollution

14 Jul 2011

Companies with environmental standard ISO 14001 certification may emit just as much air pollution as non-certified companies, according to a recent study. The results suggest companies see ISO 14001 as a way to appear environmentally responsible rather than to actively improve their environmental credentials.

ISO 14001 is a globally recognised and popular environmental standard. The standard was created in 1996 to help companies create their own environmental management system and performance measures to reduce their impact on the environment. It can also help companies meet regulatory requirements and save costs by streamlining processes and reducing waste.

ISO 14001 has been criticised for not specifying clear mechanisms or targets to encourage companies to reduce the pollution they create. In addition, little work has been done to demonstrate the actual effect of ISO 14001 certification on an organisation's environmental performance.

However, the researchers caution that the sample they studied only includes those industries that are covered by Spain's IPPC Law and included on the Pollutant Release and Transfer Register. Further work is required to establish whether the measure of atmospheric pollutants they used is adequate to assess the effect of ISO 14001 certification.

New edition of ISO/IEC 17021 aims to raise level of Management System Certification

1 Feb 2011

The second edition of the International Standard ISO/IEC 17021:2011 sets new requirements for the auditing of management systems and for auditor competence in order to enhance the value of management system certification to organisations worldwide.

The new requirement is intended to increase trust in certificates issued attesting conformity to management system standards (MSS) such as ISO 9001 (quality management), ISO 14001 (environmental management) and ISO 22000 (food safety management). As such certification to these management system are developed to establish confidence between business partners, between organisations and their customers. It is also used to qualify suppliers in supply chains, and as a requirement to tender for contracts.

The new requirements emphasize on the competency of the auditors who carry out certification and how they are managed and deployed. Certification bodies complying with the new edition will be able to ensure competent audit teams with adequate resources, following a consistent process and reporting audit results in a professional manner.

Workplace Safety is more significant than you realise

18 Jan 2011

Workplace safety is often neglected by most people. Millions, if not billions of dollars are lost yearly due to workplace accidents. In fact by observing basic workplace safety rules goes beyond keeping ourselves out of trouble and saving costs for the company.

The most immediate effect of workplace accidents is loss of productivity due to absenteeism from work. Another disadvantage would be expensive insurance premiums charged or insurance applications maybe rejected due to multiple claims. Thus, making it difficult for company to stay in business if their employees aren’t insured.

Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), an american government body responsible for workplace safety rules audit the company to make sure they are following industry safety standards if too many accidents took place. This can be time consuming, and expensive if there are extensive changes to be made.

A major benefit of staying accident-free is that it can boost productivity tremendously and reduce operating costs at the same time. This also boosts employees’ morale where they work better as a team to keep each other safe.

2010

ISO 26000 is not for certification, it’s a guidance standard on Social Responsibility

30 Nov 2010

ISO reinforces that ISO 26000 is not able to be and may not be used for certification. ISO indicates that it will take action against claims of certification to the standard.

ISO 26000 is not a management system standard and specifically does not contain requirements against which an organisation or its management system could be audited and certified. ISO 26000 provides guidance on what social responsibility is and how organizations can operate in a socially responsible manner.

ISO 26000 explicitly states that it is not intended or appropriate for certification, and any certification would be a misuse of the standard.

Therefore, Certification Bodies are strongly urged not to promote or provide certification to ISO 26000 and Accreditation Bodies and Certification Bodies are requested to report any misuse or need for certification, to the ISO Central Secretariat.

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) will help the small-guys compete

26 Nov 2010

Small-enterprises offer an avenue for untapped CSR potential.90% of the world's business comes from SMEs and they employ about 50% of the world's population. The kind of change they are capable of is community-based, continued investment to uplift their key stakeholders. Change at the grass-root level is what every ethical business dreams of and this is where small enterprises stand to gain enormously.

One of the biggest CSR activities that a small-business can do is to keep business within the community. With this I mean, to think about where supplies are coming and what consumers are looking for. By engaging in this circle of minimal distance, you are reducing transportation carbon footprints and developing relationships by engaging your local stakeholders.

Enterprises need to educate its staff about CSR in order to achieve its primary objective of cost savings and not merely on improving the profile of your business. Being about to exercise more CSR measures enable small enterprises to remain competitive by keeping their costs low.

Cloud computing ISO Standards in the Pipeline

18 Aug 2010

Interest on cloud computing has been growing rapidly within the International Standards Organisation (ISO) community. Cloud computing provides economies of scale and can be used to develop, deploy, and maintain business critical systems quickly and easily.

An international study group is presently looking at Standards for cloud computing. When developed, these Standards will help to address cloud computing challenges including data location and recovery, security, availability, reliability and portability. It is through Standards New Zealand that this country contributes to the development of international Standards, such as the new cloud computing Standard, by participating in ISO committees and running mirror committees locally.

Standards New Zealand is scoping a New Zealand cloud computing Standard to ensure the country is recognised as a secure environment to host cloud computing services. Key issues in cloud computing are sovereignty, privacy and portability, and in understanding these requirements this country could be considered a favourable place to host services for an international audience.

ISO to develop sustainable event standard in run-up to 2012 Olympics

5 Jan 2010

During the organisation of events, substantial waste and negative impacts were generated. A new standard (ISO 20121) will identify key sustainability issues like venue selection, operating procedures, supply chain management, procurement, communications, transport, and others.

The standard will accommodate to the unique needs and nature of the events sector with an innovative and flexible approach geared to producing results. It will be applicable to any organization or individual (whether clients, suppliers or event managers) working with all types of events (exhibitions, sporting competitions, concerts, etc.).

It is expected that the standard will increase transparency through the event management industry. ISO 20121 is expected to be finalized in 2012 to coincide with the London Olympics.

2009

Quality Management System Standard ISO9001:2008

5 Jan 2009

After 8 years, the quality management system standard ISO 9001 was reissued on 15 November 2008. For existing GIC clients, it is compulsory for conversion. There are no new requirements in the 2008 version. The changes are the addition to the footnotes for some of the clauses that enable better interpretation of requirements. We advise you to study the revised standard so that you can consider adjusting any of your existing processes that can improve the effectiveness of your system.

If you are a new client applying to GIC for ISO 9001 certification, your certificate will state ISO 9001:2008 once you have successfully passed the initial audit. It is valid for three years from date of issue.

If you are an existing client; GIC auditor will explain the changes on your next surveillance visit.

If you are an existing client due for reassessment, your new certificate issued will state ISO 9001:2008.

Certificates issued by any certification body on the previous ISO 9001:2000 standard will not be recognised after November 2010.

2008

New International Accreditation Rules

11 Sep 2008

Guardian Independent Certification (GIC) has to comply with the international standard ISO 17021 in carrying out audits and providing certification to our clients. GIC is already accredited by two major internationally recognised bodies; the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and the Joint Accreditation Service of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). ISO 17021 is a new standard that all certification bodies have to comply by 15 September 2008. It will replace the obsolete Guides 62 and 66. We are pleased to announce that GIC has achieved the required level of conformance during the audit in May 2008. Our current approval status can be verified by viewing UKAS and JAS-ANZ websites.

If you are considering to seek for certification, you should always check if the certification body is accredited for the scope of your products and/ or services. The certification body must also comply with the latest standards set by the accreditation bodies. Thus, you can be assured of the authenticity of your certification.

Interview with GIC Iran by International Register of Certificated Auditors (IRCA)

8 Aug 2008

An Environmental Geologist by profession, Dr. Jahangir Asadi is actively involved in research, training, documentation and promotion of ISO Standards in Iran. He joined the Institute of Standards as Expert responsible for the QMS documentation of Iranian Accreditation Body for about 8 years. He is currently is the head of GIC Iran providing certification services for industries in Iran.

During his interview, he shared information on what inspired him to use mobile phones as tools for establishing and auditing management systems, possible ways to view and access documents on a mobile phone satisfactorily. He also highlighted the main advantages and disadvantages of using mobile phones rather than computers or laptops, and the environmentally friendliness aspects of mobile phone usage and more.

To know more about this cell phone technology application to management systems, please visit the IRCA website at www.irca.org/inform/issue18/JAsadi.html for the full details of the interview content, or contact Dr. Jahangir Asadi at jahangir@gic-iran.com for any query.

Accreditation for Occupational Health and Safety

2 Apr 2008

There have been a number of high profile cases in the last few years when companies experienced difficulties due to some failure of their health and safety systems. Not only does this lead to bad publicity, it can incur the company with heavy fines or compensation. Companies need to take precautions to prevent such circumstances. More companies now opt to have their system independently assessed and certified by an accredited certification body instead.

Guardian Independent Certification (GIC) is pleased to announce that GIC has obtained accreditation, after stringent evaluation by internationally recognised Joint Australian and New Zealand Accreditation Service, to deliver certification for Occupational Health and Safety. Clients who have applied for this certification have confidence in their system’s compliance and effectiveness. It will be thoroughly examined and assessed by our experienced auditors that that they comply to the relevant national and international standards required.

In additional, if a client wishes to operate an integrated management system including quality, environment and safety, GIC is able to offer accredited certification in each of those fields.

World Meeting in Singapore

7 Mar 2008

In February, GIC HQ hosted a world meeting in Singapore for our overseas GIC Agents. This was an opportunity to discuss and agree on the changes that are taking place in 2008 due to the introduction of new accreditation rules set down in international Standard ISO17021. This is a standard that all Certification Bodies have to follow and will be fully implemented by 15 September 2008.

GIC has been planning the transition for nearly a year now and have been in contact with our accreditation bodies - UKAS and JAS-ANZ to ensure that our system will fully comply and at the same time be effective and efficient.

Our existing clients will not notice too much difference when our experienced GIC auditors go about their sampling activities at the clients’ premises during surveillance. For new clients, the initial certification audit will be split into two distinct phases, namely first stage audit and second stage audit. The purpose of this change is to make the whole process more transparent. It also enhances the value of certification in order to give your customers greater confidence in the quality of your products and services.

2007

Congratulations to GIC-Vietnam and GIC-Italy

1 Nov 2007

GIC Vietnam has been assessed and was successful in obtaining a certificate of accreditation based on ISO/IEC Guide 62:1996 with accreditation No VICAS 005 dated 1 Feb 2007 issued by Bureau of Accreditation (BoA). BoA is part of the Directorate for Standards and Quality (STAMEQ) of the Vietnam Government. GIC Vietnam is one of five organisations carrying out management system certification accredited by BoA in Vietnam.

GIC Vietnam has also become one of only four organisations in Vietnam accredited by STAMEQ to conduct assessments of Vietnam Administration Organisations to ISO 9001: 2000. The certificate No is 160/TDC-DGPH.

As part of the GIC internal audit programme in October 2007, GIC Vietnam team was audited by the GIC HQ Scheme Manager Roger Coasby. The objectives of the audit are to ensure consistency of standards and effectiveness of operation. Feedback from the audit and from GIC clients in Vietnam was very positive.

GIC Italy gained the recognition from the Italian accreditation body – SINCERT to perform ISO 9001:2000 quality management system assessments for the construction industry sector (EA 28) within Italian territory on 16 October 2007. The accreditation demonstrates the competence, independence and adequacy of GIC Italy to fully comply with the European norms UNI CEI EN 45011 and UNI CEI EN 45012.

We congratulate GIC Vietnam and GIC Italy on obtaining such prestigious recognition and success in their certification business.

Announcement of New Accreditation Rules

8 Oct 2007

An important change that is taking place over the next twelve months will be the introduction of ISO17021. This standard is applicable worldwide to all certification bodies who offer accredited certification services. The existing standards and guides were established in 1996 and are used by accreditation bodies as the benchmark to assess GIC and any certification body. The main changes are better qualification and selection of auditors, introduction of a two-stage audit, duration of audit based risk and complexity of operation and greater transparency of operation to avoid conflict of interests. The effect of the change on our existing customers will not be major and will be addressed up during our routine surveillance visits and re-certification audits.

GIC expands into Malaysia and Bangladesh

8 Oct 2007

As part of the GIC business objective to have a broad geographic network, we are pleased to announce the recent inclusion of two new GIC offices located in Johor Bahru, Malaysia and Dhaka, Bangladesh. They will be providing local services and support to our customers at these locations. Their contact details can be found under the Contact Us tab on this website. All GIC Offices operate according to a common set of procedures that aim to provide professional and friendly certification services. The procedures have been assessed and agreed by internationally recognised accreditation bodies.

GIC meets the needs of Singapore’s Construction Industry

8 Oct 2007

In order to establish a wider presence in the Singapore, GIC has recently applied for accreditation to the Singapore Accreditation Council (SAC) for provision of quality management and occupational health and safety certification services to the construction industry. GIC is equipped with extensive experience of conducting assessments in this area. This accreditation is an independent proof of our competency to provide value-added certification in this booming industry.

GIC China Office

20 Jun 2007

GIC obtained its official approval from the Certification and Accreditation Administration of the People’s Republic of China (CNCA) to operate in China on 21 November 2005. To date, CNCA has only approved 13 UKAS accredited certification bodies and GIC is among big names such as LRQA (Lloyds), SGS, DNV, TUV and BVQI which are operating legally in China. The approval signifies the capability of GIC to meet stringent requirements of CNCA in terms of credibility, integrity, competency and resources availability.

Since 2005, GIC China has gained a firm foothold in China. It has extended its services to Northern, Eastern and Southern regions of China.

China is one of the fastest growing economies in the world and corporations all over the world have outsourced their manufacturing function to Chinese companies. GIC can be at your service should you have companies operating in China which requires certification by internationally recognised management system standards.

2006

GIC gains JAS-ANZ Accreditation

20 Jun 2006

Following an in-depth assessment of the company organisation and certification processes in 2006, GIC was granted accreditation by the Joint Accreditation Service of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). This accreditation covers provision of quality management systems, environmental management systems and food safety management systems certification services. For full details of the GIC’s schedule of approvals and product codes, please log on to JAS-ANZ website. JAS-ANZ is a member of the International Accreditation Forum and is recognised in the Pacific region as the leading accreditation body.

GIC anticipates gaining additional approvals for occupational health and safety management system certification services soon.
All GIC locations worldwide are covered by this accreditation.

This more recent accreditation builds on our existing accreditation with UKAS that GIC has held since 1995.