ISO 14001:2015

ISO 14001:2015 sets out the criteria for an environmental management system and can be certified to. It does not state requirements for environmental performance, but maps out a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system. It can be used by any organization regardless of its activity or sector. Using ISO 14001:2015 can provide assurance to company management and employees as well as external stakeholders that environmental impact is being measured and improved.

The benefits of using ISO 14001:2015 can include:

• Reduced cost of waste management
• Savings in consumption of energy and materials
• Lower distribution costs
• Improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the public

ISO 14001:2015 and SMEs

Small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) also benefit from ISO 14001:2015. However, implementing an environmental management system in SMEs can be challenging. The publication ISO 14001, Environmental Management Systems - An easy to use checklist for small business, will help SMEs to achieve the benefits of implementing an environmental management system based on ISO 14001.

ISO 22000

The ISO 22000 family of International Standards addresses food safety management. The consequences of unsafe food can be serious and ISO's food safety management standards help organizations identify and control food safety hazards. As many of today's food products repeatedly cross national boundaries, International Standards are needed to ensure the safety of the global food supply chain.
ISO ISO 22000:2018 sets out the requirements for a food safety management system and can be certified to. It maps out what an organization needs to do to demonstrate its ability to control food safety hazards in order to ensure that food is safe. It can be used by any organization regardless of its size or position in the food chain.
The purpose of ISO 22000 is to provide a practical approach to ensure the reduction and elimination of food safety risks as a means to protect consumers. ISO 22000 is intended to help organizations:

• Embed and improve the internal processes needed to provide consistently safe food
• Provide confidence to the organization and the management team that the organization's practices and procedures are in place and that they are effective and robust
• Provide confidence to customers and other stakeholders (through the ISO 22000 certification process) that the organization has the ability to control food safety hazards and provide safe products
• Provide a means of continual improvement that ensures that the food safety management system is reviewed and updated so that all activities related to food safety are continually optimized and effective
• Ensure adequate control at all stages of the food supply chain to prevent the introduction of food safety hazards

ISO 27001

The ISO 27000 family of standards helps organizations keep information assets secure. Using this family of standards will help your organization manage the security of assets such as financial information, intellectual property, employee details or information entrusted to you by third parties. ISO/IEC 27001 is the best-known standard in the family providing requirements for an information security management system (ISMS).

What is an ISMS?

An ISMS is a systematic approach to managing sensitive company information so that it remains secure. It includes people, processes and IT systems by applying a risk management process. It can help small, medium and large businesses in any sector keep information assets secure.

Benefits of ISO 27001

• Keeps confidential information secure
• Provides customers and stakeholders with confidence in how you manage risk
• Allows for secure exchange of information
• Allows you to ensure you are meeting your legal obligations
• Helps you to comply with other regulations (e.g. SOX)
• Provide you with a competitive advantage
• Enhanced customer satisfaction that improves client retention
• Consistency in the delivery of your service or product
• Manages and minimises risk exposure
• Builds a culture of security
• Protects the company, assets, shareholders and directors

ISO 13485

ISO 13485:2003 specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organization needs to demonstrate its ability to provide medical devices and related services that consistently meet customer requirements and regulatory requirements applicable to medical devices and related services.
Most global medical device market regulators require manufacturers to implement a quality management system (QMS) as part of their product registration effort. In most countries, ISO 13485 certification is the preferred or required method of meeting QMS requirements.

ISO 13485 benefits

Here is what medical device manufacturers can hope to gain from having an ISO 13485 certification:

• Access to markets that recognize or require the certification including Canada and Europe
• Reduce operational costs by highlighting process deficiencies and improving efficiency
• Increase customer satisfaction by consistently delivering quality products and systematically addressing complaints
• Proven commitment to quality through an internationally recognized standard
• Adds transparency to the way complaints, surveillance or product recalls are handled

HACCP

HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) is an internationally accepted technique for preventing microbiological, chemical and physical contamination along the food supply chain. The HACCP technique does this by identifying the risks, establishing critical control points, setting critical limits, and ensuring control measures are validated, verified and monitored before implementation.
The effective implementation of HACCP will enhance the ability of companies to: protect and enhance brands and private labels, promote consumer confidence and conform to regulatory and market requirements.

Who can use HACCP?

All businesses involved in the food supply chain from producers to retailers can use HACCP. Enterprises include, but are not restricted to, those linked with:

• Meat & Meat Product
• Spices & Condiments
• Cereals
• Fruits & Vegetables
• Dairy Products
• Fish & Fishery Product
• Nuts & Nut Product
• Bakery & Confectionary
• Hotels

Benefits of HACCP

HACCP provides businesses with a cost effective system for control of food safety, from ingredients right through to production, storage and distribution to sale and service of the final consumer. The preventive approach of HACCP not only improves food safety management but also complements other quality management systems. The main benefits of HACCP are:

• Saves your business money in the long run
• Avoids you poisoning your customers
• Food safety standards increase
• Ensures you are compliant with the law
• Food quality standards increase
• Organises your process to produce safe food
• Organises your staff promoting teamwork and efficiency
• Due diligence defence in court

Although the main goal of HACCP is food protection, there are other benefits acquired through HACCP implementation, such as:

• Increase customer and consumer confidence
• Maintain or increase market access
• Improve control of production process
• Reduce costs through reduction of product losses and rework
• Increase focus and ownership of food safety
• Business liability protection
• Improve product quality and consistency
• Simplify inspections primarily because of the recordkeeping and documentation
• Alignment with other management systems (ISO 22000)

GMP

Good manufacturing practices (GMP) are the practices required in order to conform to guidelines recommended by agencies that control authorization and licensing for manufacture and sale of food, drug products, and active pharmaceutical products. These guidelines provide minimum requirements that a pharmaceutical or a food product manufacturer must meet to assure that the products are of high quality and do not pose any risk to the consumer or public.

Good manufacturing practice guidelines provide guidance for manufacturing, testing, and quality assurance in order to ensure that a drug product is safe for human consumption. Many countries have legislated that pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers follow GMP procedures and create their own GMP guidelines that correspond with their legislation.