AS9100-Risk-Based Thinking in the Airline industry – It’s about time.

The airline industry statistically has one of the best safest records. AS9100 defines the framework for a quality management system for aerospace parts manufacturers across the globe. Over the past decade there have been several airline accidents however, that have brought the safety of airlines to the forefront. In a most recent case of the Boeing 737-max a software glitch was identified as the cause. As investigations proceed the general consensus is that this glitch should have been previously identified.

Risk generally is associated with ‘uncertainty’ or ‘negativity’. This changed with ISO 9001:2015 and the onset of risk-based thinking that now asks companies to consider the opportunities for improvement that may arise out of taking a ‘calculated’ risk. Further in AS9100, that is built on ISO 9001, there are requirements for consideration of strategic risks and operational risks and the need to take action to address each. The impact of coronavirus or a similar pandemic is a great example of a strategic risk that can affect business continuity.

Risk-based thinking in the AS9100 standard promotes customer focus within an organization. While risk-based thinking has been inherent in previous versions of the standard with preventive action, the new standards address risk at each stage of the PDCA cycle thus enabling the entire As9100 management system at each stage as a preventive tool.

The aerospace and automotive industry are leaders in the implementation of Failure mode and effects Analysis (FMEA) and the Plan-Do-Check-Act Cycle (PDCA) of process management.  Originally adopted by the military in the 1950’s, FMEA later was embraced by the auto and aerospace industries.  The FMEA process identifies risks that can then be addressed using mistake proofing and problem solving with a team approach.  FMEA can be used for either product or process. When used properly it can be a very effective at addressing risks. FMEA is a great core tool that can be applied to address the AS9100 clause 8.1.1 operational risk requirements.

AS9100 asks top management to take accountability for the quality of products and services produced by their organization; keeping a customer focus at the core of all they do.  The influence of end users, customers and the companies marketing department on the product’s design needs to be constantly reviewed. At each stage of the requirements gathering, design & development and manufacturing stages of the AS9100 system there are potential risks. As such doing a single FMEA may not be sufficient but may require a review of the FMEA at periodic intervals as a change in inputs to the process/product may change the associated risks or identify new ones.

Management wants to encourage continuous improvement and innovative recommendations by all stakeholders, but changes must be reviewed.  Whenever a change is made to a AS9100 certified product or service, that change should follow the PDCA Cycle approach, the same way it was done when the product was first introduced.  This will reduce the number of recalls, and the risk of injuries to end users of the products.

A single non-conforming product that goes out of the organization into the market results in an intangible loss for no value can be put on the loss of reputation. It only takes a single incident! Starting with risk appreciation at the Plan stage of the PDCA cycle and then throughout the rest of the cycle, with a focus on customer satisfaction, will help the aerospace industry improve by preventing non-conformities before they occur as well as hopefully, improve their As9100 certified products.

ISO 14001-Benefits for Maritime Companies

Environmental accidents in the maritime industry get quick media attention. ISO 14001 does not guarantee that maritime accidents will not happen. It does, however, get organizations to consider their operations from a life cycle perspective of minimizing the impact of their operations on the environment.

The maritime industry has for a while now been governed by the requirements of MARPOL. MARPOL has 6 annexes and as of date all six annexes are in force. The six annexes cover the requirements for prevention of pollution of the marine environment by oil, noxious liquid substances, harmful substances in packaged form, sewage, garbage and air. However, MARPOL does not address the lifecycle operations of the shipping business. From an ISO 14001 perspective this would need to encompass the need for recycling of ships once they are done with their life.

The French Aircraft carrier Clemenceau is a good example of a vessel that faced major issues with being scrapped. Having sailed all the way to Alang, India it was denied entry and had to transit back to French Waters. It was denied access to Alang owing the Asbestos used on the vessel and the potential harm it would have on the scrap workers at Alang. MARPOL also does not address the operations as managed from operations ashore and the environmental impact of the operations of supporting the ships.

ISO 14001 encompasses the entire operations of the company if within scope and encourages organizations to look at all their operations from a lifecycle perspective. This essentially means that when designing office spaces and building ships companies need to start thinking about how they will dispose of waste from the processes in a responsible manner to the environment. Environmental sustainability is a new buzzword and demonstrating commitment to the environment, to stakeholders, through implementation of an internationally recognized standard ISO 14001.

ISO 14001 need not run independent of the existing management system that most maritime companies have conforming to the ISM Code. The requirements of ISO 14001 as with the MARPOL requirements get incorporated into the one management system on which the company operates. ISO 14001 as with other ISO standards is a voluntary standard. As such companies must choose to implement an environmental management system conforming to ISO 14001. Many leading maritime companies have already done so. QMII’s ISO 14001 training is delivered in multiple formats such as executive overviews, internal auditor and lead auditor. The training is also provided in an instructor-led online format and QMII’s instructors, having a maritime background, bring a unique skill set to the class in connecting the requirements of the standard through real life experiences.

What is a Quality Management Systems (QMS)?

Quality Management Systems (QMS) are today extensively a part of an organization. If the TM (top management) is committed, it uses the ISO 9001 based management system to meet customer requirements, ensure customer focus and provide desired outputs. Where the TM/ leadership is immature, they often may implement a quality management system to get the ISO 9001 certification. This decision to have a QMS certification without effective implementation is a waste of money and resources. It is not worth the paper the certificate is on. Or perhaps it is, because having that ISO 9001 certificate may be the passport to win a contract or run a business.

Failed management systems (MS) invariably have a lack of management commitment or worse a leadership who do not understand the cost of not having quality. Such quality management systems are aligned to ISO 9001, but for easy auditing written to the clause structure of the standard. Such systems are written for auditors, who then audit it effortlessly as they can see the system written to the clause structure of the ISO 9001. Leaders forget that MSs should be designed for implementation by their employees.

Organizations do not work to clauses of the ISO 9001. They use the clauses to design a better MS. The organizational structure of any organization takes its direction from the policy (clause 5.2 of the ISO 9001). The policy leads the organization and its functional departments to convert the policy into measurable objectives (clause 6.2 of ISO 9001). These functional division of the organization work to achieve their objectives by functioning per their key and support processes. A quality management system based on ISO 9001 requires the system to work using a process-based management system approach. The idea is to be systematic about working so that customer requirements and expectations are analyzed before being accepted. Once accepted, the organization with the efficient interaction of its processes produces the desired outputs meeting the requirements and specifications as the case may be, and also ensures, where applicable that the statutory directions are met.

ISO 9001:2015 emphasizes customer focus not only in clause 5.1.2 but throughout the standard to ensure that the Quality Management System based on ISO 9001 appreciates the risks in the context of the organization and consistently produces confirming products and services. It is important that customer focus is maintained throughout, integrity of the quality management system always maintained and if for any reason a non-conforming product is produced then such non-conforming product or service is handled in a manner that the customer is never sent such a product.

For this reason QMSs based on ISO 9001 or for that matter any ISO standard, or an industry specific standard like AS 9100 or say a MS based on ISM Code (for maritime safety) and so on, should work using the accepted PDCA (Plan Do Check Act) cycle. Processes are designed, documented or undocumented to ensure that a good preparation is made at the Plan Stage. Any good QMS interprets the clauses of ISO 9001 for its QMS using clauses 4, 5, 6 & 7 to appreciate the risk and make a good plan before going to the do stage. The implementation of executing the inputs to convert them into desired outputs is done using ISO 9001 clauses under 8.

Any quality management system based on ISO 9001 has to sustain its processes delivering the final product or service by designing them well, resourcing them and monitoring them. Therefore, a strong objective check stage is required to conduct internal audits and to analyze data so that the information provides inputs for better resourcing. Clauses 9 and 10 of ISO 9001 address the check and act phases synonymous with monitoring and decision making by leadership before the next cycle of the PDCA cycle is implemented. The act stage is a vital stage associated with the leadership wherein a management review of the performance of the quality management system is conducted.

For the quality management system to deliver what ISO 9001 is designed around, is only possible if the leadership is genuinely committed to not just have a QMS based on ISO 9001, but uses it to make decisions. The business system and the QMS should be married in a strong unbreakable bond.

 

Eight steps for a successful internal audit program

Internal audit programs play an important role in ensuring the success of the system. ISO standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001,  ISO 45001 provide the framework for management systems to function using a process-based approach, to achieve customer and other stakeholder’s requirements. Organizations certified to ISO standards, strive to be compliant, efficient and remain certified. Successful systems have Top Management (TM) / Leadership that are committed to and engaged with the system. They ensure regular internal audits and conduct management reviews (MR) to assess the continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the system. They further ensure that their decision-making process uses the inputs from the MR to ensure objective resourcing and support for efficiency.

External third-party audits too add value to this system, provided the auditors remain objective throughout the audit. Over the years QMII has come across instances where Non-Conformities (NC) were issued without the requirement being clearly stated or the evidence did not substantiate the requirement not met. However, these NCs are rarely challenged by organizations for “fear” of upsetting the auditors. Changes are further implemented to the system as a part of corrective action based on these findings. At times when the management is disconnected from the working system they often are surprised by the NCs presented at the closing meeting.

Is there, as a result, a case for preparing the organization for both internal audits and external audits? In well-functioning systems the organization should never have to prepare for an internal audit. The systems are designed to drive success and not for auditors or to get through audits without any NCs. NCs are, after all, an opportunity for continual improvement of the system and should be embraced, provided they are objective and not subjective to an auditor’s experience or opinion. An organization can and must respect a good NC and use it to drive correction and corrective action (CA). After all CA is NC driven. The organization/ auditee should be happy to receive a NC for risk(s) not appreciated.

I do however think that there are steps organization can take to build employee confidence in the  system, including the confidence to challenge the auditor when a NC is not clear or incorrectly given. Here are eight steps an organization can do to have its employees get that confidence for internal audit and subsequently for external audits:

  1. Conduct orientation on the process-based management system (PBMS) approach in general, and introduction to the highlights of the specific standard (e.g. ISO 9001:2015). This ensures that the basics of system approach and the internal management system are clear to all personnel.
  2. All TM must do a short training to be aware of the ISO standard, the main clauses and the benefits of the management system. This awareness leaders workshop (ALW) brings the confidence in the system, its implementation and continual improvement. This leadership awareness further encourages engagement of all personnel to use the system and increases buy-in.
  3. On regular basis, in day to day work and meetings refer to the management system. Ensure Quality, environment, safety, security, social responsibility, compliance are topics of discussion at periodic intervals. Even the middle and lower management e.g. supervisors should be encouraged to use the  system and engage others to do so. Management may have to support others in their roles of leadership at relevant levels.
  4. More than just following processes, all personnel must feel free and confident to challenge the process, make suggestions, raise NCs and submit innovative ideas. A participatory approach to system implementation is very cost effective. Let employees voice their concerns. Once they confident of their process and their system (with the fundamentals of the ISO Standard/other requirements built-in) the fear of audits will reduce.
  5. Put in place an aggressive internal audit program. When an outside (third party) auditor raises a NC, the organization does RCA (Root Cause Analysis) of the NC, but rarely does it challenge its Internal system and ask how the internal audit program missed the NC raised by the third party? Internal audits must be objective and strict and must raise all NCs.
  6. NCs must be tracked diligently and addressed within the time frame the organization has set for itself. TMs must stay involved by asking on the progress to the CA process. Overdue NCs must be investigated and TM must ask during the MR why the concerned department did not address it in time. Encourage PSW (Problem Solving Workshops) so teams can look at complex, inter-departmental NCs. Encourage use of tools as Causal Analysis and FMEA (Failure Mode Effect and Analysis).
  7. Creating a lesson learned data base has many advantages. It acts as a historic record for new joiners to learn of past occurrences. Additionally, it has great participatory value connecting each future task as a driver of improvement based on the past. The collective intelligence of the organization is available to the organization and does not vanish when individuals leave the organization.
  8. Some additional points for ISO 9001/ ISO 45001/AS9100 audit preparation:
  • Answer audit questions to the point. Do not volunteer information not sought.
  • Do not be reluctant to ask for your manager/ supervisor to support you if you are not clear on the question.
  • Have the confidence in your professionalism to ask the auditor for the requirement based on which the auditor is planning to raise a NC.
  • Be aware of risks associated with their process and actions taken to address them.
  • Explain the risks in the context of the organization and the context of what the employee does to them.

ISO 9001 certification decline – Does quality still matter?

ISO 9001 certification have seen a decline in the past two years per data from ISO. Some say that the standard has gotten too complicated with the introduction of organizational context, risk-based thinking and the removal of mandatory documented procedures. Even a few of QMII’s clients had considered letting their certification lapse as conformity to the new standard was perceived as too complex.

To certify or not

Let us begin by looking at the purpose of ISO 9001. ISO 9001 provides a framework for organizations looking to put in place a system that will enable them to consistently deliver products/services to customers that meet their requirements and enhance customer satisfaction. ISO 9001 certification is external validation that the system meets the requirements of ISO 9001. However, ISO 9001 allows organizations to use the standard and self-declare conformity without incurring the cost of certification. Many argue that there is no value in doing this. This is probably correct if you are implementing a system to meet a contractual or customer requirement. In these cases, certification is a requirement.

Waning trust in the system

Organizations that implement ISO 9001 for the benefits it will deliver in improved productivity, reduction in process waste and management of risks have seen the bottom line improve with time [1]. If implementing the standard enables consistent quality, why then the reluctance? Perhaps the trust in the ISO 9001 certification process has declined over time. Often have we heard from quality managers of the challenges faced when they raise non-conformities in internal audits. These are often viewed as “finger pointing” exercises since the certification body has already audited and “cleared” (certified) the system.

We have also heard from clients of certification bodies and auditors wanting to view documented evidence of organizational context, stakeholder needs and risks. The standard however does not require these to be documented and leaves it up to the organization to determine the risk of not doing so. Some auditors, however, struggle with auditing undocumented systems and auditing to the new standard [2]. As a result, organizations start documenting their system for the auditors and certification bodies resulting in a system tailored for auditors and  forced down on the organization by auditors. The auditors were to provide inputs to TM (top management) to make better decisions, instead now the auditors and audits have become the product. The system must be designed for the employees not for the auditors. The intent of the standard to act as a preventive tool gets lost in this compliance process.

Supplier audits

Over the past two decades there have been several mergers and acquisitions leading to larger multi-site organizations and perhaps as a result a reduction in certifications. As these organizations have grown, and maybe in part owing to the declining trust in the certification system, they have decided to conduct their own supplier audits. As such suppliers have chosen to let their certification lapse since they are nevertheless being audited by the customer and that is the audit that really counts for them.

Supplier audits are more focused on the customer contractual requirements. Organizations who perceive ISO 9001 as a documentation burden will then only document the parts of the system to meet contractual requirements rather than document the system to meet the organization’s requirements based on ISO 9001. They fail to see that ISO 9001 leaves the extent of system documentation up to the organization and often perceive it as everything needs to be documented.

Conclusion

While quality does matter and customers are still looking to receive a quality product, oft incorrect interpretation of the standard leads many to choose against ISO 9001 certification. At times other certification requirements like CE marking may be more desired and certification to two standards be burdensome. Also methodologies like Six Sigma and Lean have gained prominence. So, ISO 9001 certification gets the boot.

Those looking to gain the benefits of a quality management system need not re-invent the wheel. ISO 9001 provides the framework that essentially reflects business 101. If you do not need ISO 9001 certification then you can self-declare and let the doubters come and assess for themselves. In the meantime, you will still gain from a well implemented management system. Remember, you already have a system that has brought you thus far, align ISO 9001 to your system and not your system to ISO 9001.

[1] Guasch, Luis J.; Racine, Jean-Louis; Sanchez, Isabel; Diop, Makhtar. 2007. Quality systems and standards for a competitive edge (English)

[2]Quality Progress October 2017, Article: The results are in…

ISO 45001 Transition: Change is coming to health and safety

Organizations currently certified to BS OHSAS 18001 have until March 21, 2021 for their ISO 45001 transition. Those who are currently implementing management system conforming to BS OHSAS 18001 will notice some similarities and some differences. Those who are certified to other ISO standards such as ISO 9001 will notice the similarities in the standard owing the use of the High-Level Structure in the new ISO 45001 transition standard. This article discussed the key changes to the standard over the BS OHSAS 18001 requirements. It also highlights certain key aspects for those undertaking an ISO 45001 transition.

Keeping with the High-Level Structure, ISO 45001 in clause 4.1 and 4.2 asks organization to consider the context of their organization or the aspects of their business environment that may impact their operations. The business environment includes both internal and external issues such as new regulatory requirements, new technologies, cultural issues and company values to name a few. Companies need to consider the needs of different relevant stakeholders that may impact their system including the needs of their workers. Organizations are asked to have workers participate in the system development as they complete their ISO 45001 transition.

ISO under the high-level structure has removed the need for preventive action as now the entire standard is designed as a preventive tool. Further to support this is the introduction of risk-based thinking’ both from a strategic perspective and from an operational health and safety perspective. Risk-based thinking and the awareness of personnel of this is key to ISO 45001 transition. There is now a stronger stress of leadership’s role in the system. Leaders must take accountability for the effectiveness of the system and cannot wash their hands of the system. Leaders must not only engage in the system themselves but also engage others as the ISO 45001 transition takes place.. The Clauses under 5 also have a requirement for the consultation and participation of workers. They have to remove the barriers to participation and include even non-managerial workers.

Documents and records are not controlled under the common clause for control of documented information and based on the risk-based thinking there is more freedom allowed with the documentation. Outsources contractors will also need to be controlled within the scope of the system.

Organizations undergoing an ISO 45001 transition, will need to incorporate all these aspects into their system. Care must be exercised when setting up the system to design it around the user and not around the auditor or certification body for the system to be useful in the long run and to drive continual improvement.

Gain more value from your Internal Audit with these five steps

 

ISO 9001 internal auditors play a critical role in the success of the system. ISO 9001 internal auditors provide inputs to Top Management for continual improvement of the system. Internal audits, given the nature, can be more detailed and as such usually go into depth considering the limited scope of the audit. For audits to add value internal auditors should be trained in identifying the adequacy of resources and controls in a process to meet the objectives as defined. The five steps as listed below are inputs to enhancing your internal audit program as also supplementing the ISO 9001 internal auditor training.

Step 1 – Include risk in audit planning and preparation

In scheduling process audits, not all processes need the same amount of time allocated. Processes that are more complex and or have more problems may need more time to assess conformity. Processes which perform well could perhaps have their internal audit requirements met by auditing perhaps once a year. However, critical processes should be audited more often as also processes where customer complaints are received or where frequent issues are identified. There is no requirement per ISO 9001 to audit all processes within the timeframe of a year. Of course, in special industries like the maritime industry there is a requirement for annual audits.

In preparing for the audit the ISO 9001 internal auditor should determine priorities for the audit and select personnel they want to interview, the items they want to sample and quantity, as well as the questions they want to ask. All this will be based upon meeting of the audit objective and may change should there be a risk to meeting the audit objective. In interviewing of personnel auditors should choose a representative sample.

Step 2 – Use custom checklists

Checklists are a great tool for an auditor to go prepared for an audit. However, the purpose of checklists is not to limit the auditor. When standard checklists are used to audit a process over time the same areas of the process get identified while other areas get left out. Auditors may feel compelled to stay within the confines of the checklist unless advised otherwise. Auditees focus on “preparing” the areas of the process limited to the those that the checklist will touch upon.

Getting your ISO 9001 Internal Auditor to prepare checklists each time helps them to think outside the box and to perhaps change the sample and sample size selected. The auditee too now ensures that the entire process is working well and are not limiting themselves to perfecting to the “checklist” areas.

Step 3 – Choose your internal auditors from different departments

QMII recommends choosing and training internal auditors from different departments of the organization. At least 10% of the workforce should be trained as internal auditors. It is a small investment given that the company will now have a large pool of auditors to choose from. Choosing internal auditors from different departments enables cross-pollination of ideas and solutions. It also allows a better understanding of challenges being faced by the departments. Internal auditors from a different department using a custom checklist produce questions that are not normally asked, and the entire process is looked at from a fresh perspective.

Step 4 – Train your auditors in problem solving techniques

Training your ISO 9001 internal auditors in problem solving / root cause analysis is a unique skill that will allow them to see the big picture when conducting audits. Internal auditors when newly trained tend to focus on the minor issue not realizing that the issue may lie elsewhere. Problem-solving training gives them perspective into how the root cause of an issue may lie elsewhere and accordingly gets them to ask different questions and assess a process effectively. It also enables them to identify the problem (non-conformity) well to enable effective corrective action.

Step 5 – Evaluate both auditors and the audit program regularly

This is an important step that is often overlooked. Nearly all organizations will provide ISO 9001 Internal auditor training to their auditors, but rarely do they evaluate the effectiveness of the auditors or the effectiveness of the audit program. An organization needs to determine if its auditors are being too strict, too lenient, identifying the right non-conformity requirements, selecting the right sample, etc. Additionally, is the audit program as set up based on identified risks working well or do changes need to be made to the audit program. In our experience, companies follow the same audit program year after year. Auditors are rarely evaluated because there are only one or two trained and designated auditors. This step however plays an important role if the internal audit process is to be successful.

 

Authors Note: While the article is written from a perspective of ISO 9001 internal auditors the steps above are applicable to any internal auditing program.

Aspects and Impacts: Let’s start here

Every organization needs to consider the aspects of their organization, and the impacts they have on the planet.  Understanding the impacts is critical to the sustainability of the organization, and in the long run, the planet.

Most organizations only consider the impacts of their processes in relation to waste created and materials used.  While these are important, an organization should consider all aspects of their operation and processes before they start a business.  This includes the facilities, people, materials and other elements of their operations.  Once operational, they need to continually evaluate all process to look for improvement.

Many aspects are considered by organizations in order to borrow money to launch a product or service.  This is a good place to start.  Clearly understanding the impacts the organization will have on the local environment and community is a good step toward launching a sustainable business.  Lenders, both private and public, will be more generous lending if they know the organization is considering all three pillars of sustainability; social, environmental and economic.

Generally speaking, recycling an existing structure to a new operational use has less impact than building a new facility.  Applying building technics recommended under Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design (LEED) and Energy Star, will also reduce environmental impacts, and improve the operational economics.  If new structures are required, considering the site location, building facing direction and proximity to water, public transportation, and workers, will also help the organization conform to LEED and other building Standards.  Local communities will be much more accepting of an organization operating in their community if the proper design considerations are considered before construction is begun.

Once operational, every group in an organization needs to evaluate their processes on a regular basis to determine what improvements can be made to the aspects of the organization, and the impacts of there processes.  Management is accountable for the operation of the organization, but every department needs to be responsible for their processes.  This is not just the manufacturing or production departments, but also sales, marketing, receiving, packaging, shipping and customer services.  Organizations are also responsible for the performance of their products and/or services, and often the potential recycling of products. 

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) has established Standards that can be used by an organization to help improve their management system processes and reduce risks.  ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems and ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems can be used separately, or together, to provide guidance in improving an organization’s operations.  Lenders and communities appreciate the value of a well-run organization that understands the aspects of their operations and addresses the impacts.

What is ISO 14001 Lifecycle Perspective?

ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training introduces students to the ISO 14001 standard and its interpretation as well as the skills needed to assess the effectiveness of the environmental management system. ISO 14001 in its 2015 revision introduces the lifecycle perspective. In essence, the standard asks organizations to use a lifecycle perspective when designing/manufacturing their products/services. This means that instead of a cradle to grave concept organizations need to think of a cradle to cradle concept.

Cradle to Grave

ISO 9001 ‘Requirements for Quality Management Systems’ ushered in a new era of process-based management systems that could be used to improve the quality of products/services being delivered to customers as well as when well implemented to increase efficiency and productivity. However, as productivity, efficiency and quality were being improved; the by-products of the system were not addressed. During the 1980s there were some regional efforts to address the impact of organizations on the environment and ISO 14001 was ISO’s effort to lay down the requirements for a management system that addressed the aspects and their associated impacts. Organizations were expected to take action on these impacts to reduce them. Auditors undergoing ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training were now ready to assess the effectiveness of these systems.

In its initial publication and subsequent revision in 2004 ISO 14001 asks organizations to take a ‘cradle to grave’ approach to managing their impacts on the environment. This meant reducing the immediate impact on the environment. However, with time we learned that this does not address the growing landfill issues being faced by countries globally. To address this issue as well as to align with international efforts to address climate change, rapid depletion of the planet resources and encourage sustainable operations the ISO 14001 standard introduced the concept of ‘cradle to cradle’ in its 2015 revision.

Cradle to Cradle

ISO 14001 defined lifecycle as “consecutive and interlinked stages of a product (or service) system, from the raw material acquisition or generation from natural resources to final disposal.” Life cycle stages can include the acquisition of raw materials, design, production, transportation/delivery, use, end-of-life treatment, and final disposal. A great example of a lifecycle perspective in manufacturing is the recycling of Lead-Acid Car Batteries. Nearly 99% of these batteries are recycled/reused. Major battery manufacturers have programs in place to encourage the recycling of car batteries.

While ISO 14001 does not call for a formal life cycle assessment ISO 14044 provides the guidelines for a life cycle assessment should an organization wish to do so. In determining the end of life disposal organizations may choose products that are recyclable, sustainable and even perhaps biodegradable. ISO 14001 lead auditor training provided by QMII, highlights the concepts of a lifecycle perspective and how to incorporate it into your environmental management system.

Conclusion

ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training enables participants to go back and implement environmental management systems that will benefit their organization, the environment, and stakeholders. It also enables participants to conduct value-adding audits of their systems. The intent of the audit is to identify opportunities for improvement. With the skills, ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training by QMII and the knowledge of a life cycle perspective participants are ready to hit the ground running in implementing and auditing environmental management systems.