ISO Quality Services Ltd – February Newsletter

What’s in this issue?

Congratulations to our Newly Certificated Clients

How can I prove my environmental commitment?

Are you hoping for tender success?

We’ve been named a Top 100 Apprentice Employer

Meet the Team: Get to know Kay

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As we enter 2016 most businesses have a sense of environmental responsibility. Businesses are now actively looking for ways to reduce or counteract their business impact on the environment.

In recent reports it is now estimated that by 2050, on our current course, there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans.

Taking control of your environmental impact is now often listed on a tender invite and in many cases is a government requirement as part of ESOS for organisations fitting their specifications. Customer and supplier demand for environmental initiatives is also on the rise.

How can ISO help?

There are many ISO certifications but the main standards that examine your environmental impact are the ISO 14001 and ISO 50001. Most smaller businesses will be looking towards firstly attaining the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard. This standard examines your environmental awareness and designates a dedicated environmental manager.

The ISO 50001 Energy Management System can be attained by smaller businesses who are concerned about managing their energy output. An energy management system will aid the implementation of an Energy Management Policy as well as making all personnel more aware of the impact of their actions in relation to energy management.

For larger companies having an accredited ISO 50001 certificate can provide compliance with the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme Regulations (ESOS). However, we would recommend that a company has at least an ISO 9001 Management System before implementation.

To discuss which standard could assist your business in your environmental targets for 2016, contact our team directly on 01905 670303.

Often our clients approach us to achieve recognised certifications to support the growth of their business. Many are also looking towards tender applications and see the value of having this accolade to strengthen their bid.

Whether you are ISO certified will have a big impact on the outcome of your tender bid, with ISO 9001 now an essential ingredient for success. ISO 9001 tells the company or tender body that your company has the correct quality structures in place to be considered.

The popularity for many other standards including ISO 14001 and ISO 27001 has also increased in recent years as environmental targets and information security become more prevalent for businesses nationwide.

To respond to these needs we have formed an exclusive partnership with bid and tender specialists Thornton & Lowe. This partnership ensures we are helping our clients with access to resources and expertise to give them the best possible chance at winning their tender.

Here are this month’s top tips from Thornton & Lowe when approaching a tender contract:

It’s easy to see a bid/tender and think “Yep, let’s go for that”, without any further thought. This is a common approach but, in our opinion, not the right approach. We have had a number of clients approach us who have not given a second thought to their chances of actually winning the bid!

Your Bid/No Bid process can be as complex as you want it to be. At the very least, you need to consider:

• Can we deliver the service/requirement asked for within this bid AND can we evidence it?
• What is our relationship like with the buyer?
• Who else will be bidding and what do we know about them
• Can you deliver to the buyer’s budget?
• Ask yourself, do you have the resources to complete the bid – and if not how will you acquire them?

Are you currently working towards a tender opportunity? Need help to improve your application? Thornton & Lowe are running a PPQ Workshop in Birmingham on 24th February, find out more.

Thornton & Lowe will also be running an ITT Workshop on 25th February in Birmingham for those with tender experience, but who are looking to improve their bid strategy.

If you would like to discuss ISO certification in order to begin bidding for tenders, then please contact us directly on 01905 670303 or email info@isoqsltd.com.

The team here at ISO Quality Services Ltd is celebrating after being recognised in the fifth Top 100 Apprenticeship Employer list.

The list was announced at the National Apprenticeship Awards, which took place on 26th January in London.

The Top 100 List, compiled annually by the National Apprenticeship Service and sponsored by City & Guilds, recognises excellence in businesses that employ apprentices.

It showcases the breadth of employers who now offer apprenticeships, and we are proud that our organisation is on such a prestigious list.

Apprentices are hugely important to our organisation’s development and we are delighted that everyone’s hard work and dedication has been recognised.

Other well known names on the list include Jaguar Land Rover, IBM, National Grid, Unilever and Lloyds Banking Group.

We currently employ two Apprentices, Kerrie and Ross, who have joined the Marketing and Finance team respectively. You can read their Apprentice Blog here.

Three of our previous apprentices, Mike, Natalie and Emily, are continuing to work with the company since completing their apprenticeships and being offered full time positions.

You can read about the awards finalists and the other companies on the Top 100 list here.

While it is our job to find out lots about you and your business requirements, we thought that you might like to get to know us a little bit better. Each month we will introduce you to a member of our team, giving you opportunity to learn more about each of us!

Get to know Kay!

This month you can find out all about Kay Garnett, our Finance Manager!

What is your role in the office?
My role is Finance Manager and I am responsible for the day to day running of the Finance department, implementing future plans and managing the team. The department provides a support service to the business, clients and suppliers and we aim to maintain an effective and efficient service.

What is your favourite thing about working at ISO QSL?
I really enjoy working with a lively and vibrant team and the training and development opportunities available. There are plenty of developmental projects on the go to get my teeth stuck into, the most recent being the implementation of our new financial system, and I always find my role interesting and challenging.

Why did you choose this profession?
I have always loved logic and puzzles and maths was always my favourite subject at school. I chose to take this further and do a degree in Industrial Mathematics at Birmingham University and accountancy seemed a natural progression from that point.

Tell us something in the office nobody knows about you
This year it’s a personal goal to pass my Advanced Driving Test – we’ll see how I get on in the next few months, as I only tolerate driving as it’s a necessity to my lifestyle.

If you could go back in time, what is one piece of information you would give your younger self?
I would have purchased Apple shares in the late 70’s and now be living in a warmer climate.

Tell us about some of the goals on you life to-do list
Reaching the summit of Snowden – last time I tried we were about 100 metres short of the summit and couldn’t make it due to the fog. Walking the South Downs Way. Doing a 50k challenge walk for my favourite charity.

How would you describe yourself in 5 words
Quirky sense of humour. Determined.