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Readingthe media, and looking at the retail sales trends towards Christmasgives significant weight to the idea that we are going through a periodthat can only be described as a crisis in confidence. We have a lack ofconfidence that the European community can overcome self interest to actin the common good, we have a lack of confidence that our economy isdoing as well as the numbers suggest, or that the mining boom isbringing benefits to the community equally.
This is especiallyinteresting for me in that a significant reason behind the existence ofNCS International as a certification body, is to provide confidence.
Wehave teams of highly competent auditors bringing their considerableexpertise to all our clients management systems, generally reinforcingthat the business systems in place give our clients the best chance tosurvive and prosper in difficult times by giving an assurance that theirsystems meet the requirements of the relevant standard, whether it bequality, food safety, OH&S or Environmentally based. Where systemsdo not meet the requirements we clearly identify the issues so that theycan be remedied...
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Over the past three years, the Safety Australia Council has been developing a national Workplace Health & Safety model to bring all states into alignment. Although it has not yet been published, it has been approved and this new harmonised OH&S legislation is due to come into effect on January 21st 2012.
At NCSI’s recent conference, Client Manager Kimia Mozaffarian outlined the implication of these changes, and how she is helping her clients prepare for the rollout...
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For Nicole Paraskiv, Lead Food Safety and Quality Auditor with NCS International, it was third time lucky at the recent HACCP Conference in Queensland.
She picked up an award for Food Safety Auditor of the Year, after being nominated twice before in 2008 and 2009. The award recognises her achievements as an outstanding individual working as a registered food safety auditor. The win also marks the fourth time in the past five years that an NCSI auditor has won the award.
One of her audit clients, McKenzie’s, described her as “the perfect example of a good auditor” in a supporting reference letter. “She is very approachable and helpful, and gives advice on continuous improvement of our systems… her encouraging and supportive style fosters trust and generally yields better results,” wrote Priyanka Nijhawan....
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Our Technical Department plays an important role in ensuring we always meet the latest auditing requirements across a diverse range of certifications.
At the recent NCSI conference, NCSI Technical Manager Heather Craig revealed some changes within JAS-ANZ protocols that will have an impact on the way we conduct audits for our clients.
The international standards for auditing of management systems, ISO 17021, will be updated this year with more prescriptive requirements for the way we investigate any issues we raise.
This means you may find we’re asking more questions. We need to ensure you have investigated the root causes of those issues. Importantly, this helps us all identify where the true problem lies – and how it can best be resolved...
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Sofitel Melbourne on Collins became the first luxury hotel in Australia to receive ISO 14001 accreditation for Environmental Management Systems this year.
Sofitel Melbourne has consistently led the way in meeting global best practice within the Accor Group. NCS International (NCSI) has audited the hotel for HACCP since 2005. Looking at better processes to minimise their environmental impact was an obvious next step.
“We wanted to do something positive for the environment, and position ourselves as a leader in the luxury hotel market,” explains Darren Sankaradas, Quality and Risk Manager at Sofitel Melbourne.
The key to their success was staff training, ensuring a whole business approach to sustainable initiatives over a two-year period that would ensure an ongoing process of change...
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On 8 November 2011, the Federal Government’s package of 18 Clean Energy Bills which introduce a carbon pricing mechanism passed the Senate unamended. The Act to follow will introduce the first national carbon price mechanism beginning in July 2012. The object of the carbon pricing mechanism is to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions trajectory by 5% below 2000 levels by 2020....
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Case Study
The name behind some of Australia’s favourite chocolate brands, Cadbury received National Audit Tool (NAT) certification in May 2011. During the audit process it was acquired by US food giant Kraft, and the process of unifying safety management systems across the organisation began.
The NAT is now a requirement for workers compensation self-insurers. It was developed in 2005 to provide a complete national standard for workplace safety, and draws on other industry audit tools and standards such as SafetyMAP, AS/NZS 4801 and AS/NZS 4804.
Click here to read more...
SME Tool
Check out our easy-to-use SME Carbon Footprinter solution in built emission factors designed to comply with the Australian Government carbon measurement guidelines.
The SME Carbon Footprinter solution is designed specifically for small and medium businesses whose greenhouse emissions result from combustion of fuels, electricity use, and heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
NCS International offers you exclusive access to the SME Carbon Footprinter, a template Greenhouse Quality Management Plan, a template Carbon Disclosure Report and a consultant to provide a half-day inhouse training for $2500 excl GST. Call us on:
1300 856 554
Latyear, the Accor Group made it for
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