BUSINESS STANDARDS
is the quarterly magazine of BSI Group, highlighting the vital role that standards play in today's business environment. Regular features include interviews with leading business figures, as well as news on the latest developments in management systems and standards.
Three times the standard for Fuji Xerox recycling efforts in China
01 Sep 2009
Topics: Quality management, ISO 9001, Environment, ISO 14001, Health & safety, OHSAS 18001, China
Fuji Xerox's integrated recycling centre in China has achieved simultaneous certification from BSI for ISO 9001 Quality management, ISO 14001 Environmental management and OHSAS 18001 Occupational health and safety. Even more impressive, it achieved certification to these three standards within a year of the facility opening.
Environmental issues, including recycling, are growing in importance within China, both for business and for the government. Certification to these three standards was pursued in connection with the design, implementation and monitoring of the organization's environmental management system (EMS).
Fuji Xerox built its recycling centre in Suzhou, China and it was opened in January 2008. It is a recycling hub for the company's China operations. When it was first launched, the company announced that the centre had been constructed "with the aim of achieving 'zero landfill', 'no pollution' and 'no illegal disposal'" - a "three zeros" approach. Certification on the three standards was intended to play a major part in this approach.
The Suzhou facility handles recycling for all Fuji Xerox multi-function devices, printers and cartridges manufactured and sold across China (except Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau). The issue of recycling multi-function devices and associated products has risen up the agenda across the world. Europe has led the way with the introduction of the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Directive, which mandates how businesses, government organizations and individuals dispose of unwanted electrical equipment.
Working with the world
China, while not covered by WEEE, is a major manufacturer of electrical goods to companies across Europe as well as North America. It has also attracted some critical attention for its environmental record, so all eyes are on multinationals operating in the country and the impact they have on the natural environment as well as the population. Fuji Xerox, as a major player in the market, has been one of the leading players in improving and expanding its environmental management systems.
The company's management has attempted to standardize its environment management systems and the Suzhou plant offers clear evidence of that effort. The recycling plant uses a quality assurance system that is constantly monitored and tested, as laid down by the ISO family of standards. Independent audits are carried out on a regular basis to ensure that best practice is followed and that improvements are built into the system.
ISO 14001 in particular goes a long way towards helping organizations manage the handling of toxic chemicals, carbon emissions and beyond. At the Suzhou facility, Fuji Xerox sent in a team of experts to analyse the plant's environmental footprint and set about, with the help of BSI, ensuring compliance with ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 as well as local environmental laws.
These standards have also led to Fuji Xerox standardizing the procedure for the separation and measurement of waste products, improved the plant's IT network to record and document all risk factors and mitigation processes, as well as identifying sources of hazards by evaluating the manufacturing environment, production method and facilities.
Fuji Xerox Eco-Manufacturing (Suzhou) made the decision to turn to BSI for certification because BSI Group is a leading global independent business services organization that has provided standards-based solutions in more than 120 countries since 1901. It is well known for its work on standards and certification, which is why some of the companies that co-operate with Fuji Xerox have been using BSI for certification for a long time.
Overall, it is hoped that the Fuji Xerox's integrated recycling centre will become a beacon for other, similar facilities in China. And given the speed with which Fuji Xerox managed to achieve certification to the three standards, the signs are that the measurement and monitoring of environmental impact and management is firmly at the top of the agenda.
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Photography: Wikimedia Commons. Some conditions apply.
Business Standards © 2009. Editorial produced by Caspian Publishing in association with the British Standards Institution. Editorial opinions expressed on are not necessarily those of BSI Group or Caspian Publishing. Neither Caspian Publishing nor BSI Group accept responsibility for advertising or editorial content, nor for that appearing on linked third-party websites. Reproduction in whole or in part is forbidden without written permission from BSI Group or Caspian Publishing.
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