S+B is one of the UK’s leading specialists in the design, manufacture and installation of innovative furniture systems for laboratory and educational environments.
Value of management systems
S+B understand how important it is to have control of their product and service processes to ensure consistency for their customers as well as to minimise any adverse impacts on the environment.
This meant that they already had mature quality and environmental management systems in place that had served them well for a number of years with regards to their supply chain demands and environmental risk management.
The perfect opportunity to integrate management systems
With recertifications due, S+B saw this as the perfect opportunity to not only update their systems but integrate them before their transition audit by their Certifying Body.
Streamlining in this way would mean more workable and less time-consuming process management (both quality and environmental), internal auditing and management reviews for S+B staff.
Although the advantages of integration were clear, it was acknowledged by the client that getting there would be a complex and time consuming process, with lots of new knowledge required. There was also the added pressure that came from needing to integrate and transition the systems in just five months. S+B therefore needed consultant
support from someone with the relevant knowledge and experience, and who could also work well under this time pressure.
Management system support
Oleh, an experienced Sustainable Business Services consultant with Groundwork, was chosen by the client to work with management on the development and implementation of their integrated management system.
After evaluating their existing systems, Oleh formulated a project proposal complete with costings that would get S+B to the position of being transition ready with a certifiable integrated quality and environmental management system. Oleh revised, or developed where necessary, any required system documents such as quality and environmental procedures. He also developed an integrated management system manual that explained the interactions of all the processes that made up the system.
Integrated and certified
With Oleh’s support and his excellent working relationship with S+B’s management, S+B passed their certification audit in just five months and now have an integrated quality and environmental management system that is certified to ISO 9001 and 14001: 2015. This complements other certifications that the company holds – including
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC); Furniture Industry Sustainability Programme (FISP); and Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) – which all help to demonstrate their commitment to Environmental Sustainability.
“Groundwork were approachable, efficient and knowledgeable – we couldn’t have asked for better service. Their consultant was good at explaining the ISO 9001 and 14001 requirements in an integrated management system. They developed our system procedure documents and manual and steered us expertly and helpfully towards certification. They also offered to go the extra mile when pressed against the time frame and were always on hand when we needed them. Using a consultant cuts a lot of worry and pain out of the process particularly as someone with the right knowledge and expertise is on hand to enable things to happen the right way.”
Jim Burgess, Operations Manager, S+B
NOTE: Oleh has now retired so is no longer working as a Sustainable Business Service consultant, please see Our Team page for more information on our consultants.
