I've been a RAB-Certified ISO Auditor for Environmental Management Systems since 2003 auditing management systems in companies large and small, complex and simple. From Fortune 200 organizations with multiple sites under one certification to eight-person offices in leased high-rise office space, I've seen systems that are highly focused on acheiving and maintaining compliance with permits and systems that are cemtered on controlling costs by controlling waste, to systems that have no waste, no permits and are organized around community education and outreach.
I've seen world-class systems that are simple and elegant, highly organized, effectively monitored and consistently return cost savings to the bottom line. And I've seen the opposite too, systems that really have no clue, are unfocused, disorganized, perform minimally to keep their certificate and all the others in between.
Are you getting what you want from your system? Your auditor cannot tell you how to do anything and consultants will charge you an arm and a leg. But what if you just want to ask a frank question and get a frank, practical answer? Ask me. I've started this blog to de-mystify ISO systems and provide a service which is missing; practical advice and good tips.
Confidentiality is important in my line of work, and so is objectivity. I protect the organizations for whom I have served as an auditor by not disclosing their names or any identifying details of their systems. I track and report the names of organizations for whom I consult to the registrars for whom I serve as an auditor so that I am not assigned, and do not accept work as an auditor with an organization for whom I have been a consultant.
One more thing - I am not an expert in any thing. I do not offer any advice on legal matters, that is way above my pay grade. I know the ISO14001 standard best, the ISO9001 standard second and other ISO standards after that. All I have to offer is my opinion. You have to pass it through your own evaluation system and judge for yourself if it is worth taking or not.
Saturday, September 11, 2010
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