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.

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Al Semman Farm in the UAE achieves HACCP certification

18 Jun 2009
Topics: Food safety, HACCP, UAE

Al Semman Farm, one of the two quail producers in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and member of UAE-based Liberty Investment Company, has achieved HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points) certification.

HACCP is a standardized system designed to help guarantee the safety of a food product. It is recognized worldwide and became mandatory in the UAE in 2009. HACCP takes every step of the process into consideration, from feed and water to air quality. To achieve certification to HACCP, one must prove in practice and theory that the product that is being produced will in no way do harm to the people consuming it.

Accenture goes global with certification to ISO 14001

10 Jun 2009
Topics: Environment, ISO 14001, USA, Canada, South Africa, Euruope, South America, Asia

Accenture, the global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing company, has achieved certification to ISO 14001, reflecting its ongoing commitment to environmental issues as well as the quality of its environment management system (EMS).

A revolution in international food safety standards?

02 Jun 2009
Topics: Food safety, PAS 220, ISO 22000, BRC

Safety in the food supply chain is of paramount importance. And yet there hasn't been a single, universally accepted, end-to-end food safety standards-based solution in place: until now. Oliver Cann finds out more.

Mind the gap

02 Jun 2009
Topics: Environment, ISO 14001, Health & safety, OHSAS 18001, Entropy Software

For GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of the world's best-known pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, compliance issues add complexities that most industries never have to face. Having the right tools in place to collate and manage the data and to help keep things looking healthy is critical.

Finding the right materials

02 Jun 2009
Topics: Construction, Sustainability

In June 2008, the Strategy for Sustainable Construction was launched in the UK. This was a joint industry and government initiative that was "intended to promote leadership and behavioural change, as well as delivering benefits to both the construction industry and the wider economy", according to the UK government.

Continuity doesn't change

02 Jun 2009
Topics: BS 25999, Business continuity

Businesses everywhere are being battered in the recessionary storm and their resilience to unexpected interruptions may be faltering as a result. Hector Nairn reviews the case for business continuity management (BCM) during the downturn.

Giving good governance

02 Jun 2009
Topics: Information mgt, Information security, ISO/IEC 27001, Data protection, BS 10012

Headline writers have had a field day with the growing number of security breaches in both the public and private sectors involving personal information. John Lamb asks: what's being done to protect our data?

KJO Hospital and BSI Egypt achieve a world first

29 May 2009
Topics: Integrated mgt, PAS 99, Quality management, ISO 9001, Environment, ISO 14001, Health & safety, OHSAS 18001, Egypt

Al-Khafji Joint Operations Hospital (KSA), along with its ISO certification partners, BSI Egypt, have together realized a major milestone, becoming the second medical facility and the first hospital in the world to be registered to PAS 99 Integrated Management System Specification.

EDS Earns ISO 20000:2005 Certification

05 May 2009
Topics: IT service mgt, ISO/IEC 20000, USA, Americas

EDS, an HP company, a leading global technology services provider, has achieved certification to ISO/IEC 20000:2005 Information Technology ? Service Management (ITSM). This followed an in-depth audit by BSI Americas.

BSI: world leader in greenhouse gas emissions verification

27 Apr 2009
Topics: GHG, Environment, ISO 14065

BSI has received accreditation to ISO 14065 for Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission verification services from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

ISO/IEC 27001 certification for Absolute Software

23 Mar 2009
Topics: Information security, ISO/IEC 27001, Canada, Americas

Absolute Software, the Vancouver-based provider of computer theft recovery, data protection and secure IT asset management solutions has achieved certification to ISO/IEC 27001 Information security management for its production of IT operations for customers.

Tenzing Managed IT Services: Taking information security seriously

16 Mar 2009
Topics: Information security, ISO/IEC 27001, Canada, Americas

Tenzing Managed IT Services has become one of the first Managed IT Services companies in North America to achieve certification to ISO/IEC 27001, the international standard that defines the requirements for an Information Security Management System (ISMS).

Jardine OneSolution | HK: better IT service

11 Mar 2009
Topics: IT service mgt, ISO/IEC 20000, Hong Kong, China

Jardine OneSolution | HK (JOS) has achieved certification to ISO/IEC 20000 IT Service Management from BSI in Hong Kong, for its provision of information technology services. It reached this landmark in just six months, demonstrating rigorous discipline in its efforts to maintain the highest standards of excellence.

India's biggest mobile phone firm earns certification to ISO/IEC 27001

06 Mar 2009
Topics: Information security, ISO/IEC 27001, India

India's largest mobile phone firm, Bharti Airtel, has been awarded certification to ISO/IEC 27001 Information security mangagement by BSI in India. Certification covers 300 locations spread over the entire country.

Companion Driver System takes the fast track

20 Feb 2009
Topics: Healthcare, CE mark, USA, Americas

In January 2009, BSI performed an Onsite FastTrack Review of the European CE Marking application for the Companion Driver System, with a view to completing the CE Marking review process in 45 working days.

Microsoft Convergence® 2009: First certification to BS 8901 Sustainable Events Management in the US

13 Feb 2009
Topics: BS 8901, Microsoft

Microsoft Corporation has achieved Phase 1 certification to BS 8901:2007 standard, for its upcoming Microsoft Convergence® 2009 event set for New Orleans, Louisiana, in March. Certification was awarded to Microsoft Corporation by BSI Management Systems America.

The fast track to CE Marking

06 Feb 2009
Topics: Healthcare, CE mark

BSI is now offering a new Speed-to-Market programme for class III medical devices needing CE Marking design dossier reviews.

You've got mail

30 Jan 2009
Topics: Mail screening, Security, PAS 97

In the weeks following the 9/11 attacks, letters containing small quantities of anthrax spores were received by a number of media outlets, as well as by the offices of two US Senators. The attacks killed five people, infected 17 others and created a climate of fear.

ISO 9001: quality revisited

30 Jan 2009
Topics: Quality management, ISO 9001

In November 2008, ISO published ISO 9001:2008 - the fourth and latest edition of the quality management system requirements standard. How has it changed? Hector Nairn reports.

Take care

30 Jan 2009
Topics: Health & safety, OHSAS 18001

Most businesses and public organizations will have some form of health and safety protocol in place, but those going above and beyond the basics are reporting significant benefits, says Nick Ryan.

Building a solid foundation

30 Jan 2009
Topics: Environment, ISO 14001, Integrated mgt, Entropy Software

The building trade is under pressure to deal with environmental issues, but British Gypsum is taking their response even further.

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Primark's ethical auditing agenda

Primark, one of Europe's largest clothing retailers, has selected BSI's Entropy Software™, the web-based supply chain audit, compliance and performance management system, as part of its ethical trade strategy.

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Getting in the door

According to UK law, public buildings need to be accessible to all. Factors such as disabilities must be taken into account and adjustments made for existing buildings. Access for those with disabilities must be considered for structures being designed or improved, and when planning improvements to existing buildings. BS 8300:2009 Design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people. Code of practice gives recommendations for the design of new buildings and their access points to meet the needs of disabled people.

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ISO 9004: dispatches from Tokyo

In February 2009, the 26th meeting of ISO/TC 176 was held at the Tokyo International Forum in Tokyo, Japan.

On the agenda was the revision of ISO 9004, which provides guidance on how organizations can continually improve their quality management system. The standard, which is now titled Managing for the sustained success of an organization - A quality management approach, is nearing completion and many comments were reviewed during the meeting.

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Customer is king for ABTA

ABTA (The Association of British Travel Agents, representing over 5,500 travel agencies and 900 tour operations in the UK) has joined forces with BSI Management Systems UK to produce a guide on implementing an effective complaints handling process - Dealing With Complaints: Complaint Handling.

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Assess yourself

Every year, organizations around the world experience some disruptions to their operations. The reasons can be innocent, from staff illness to weather conditions, but they can also be more severe, from industrial accidents to criminal activity. Whatever the disruption, organizations are under pressure to maintain business as usual. For most, this is helped by the implementation of a business continuity management system (BCMS).

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Question: Why is risk management important to business?

First, there's more to risk management than just managing risk. Most organizations will talk about risk assessments, but the question is: what are they assessing? If you don't know what the threats are, then how can you conduct an effective risk assessment?

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