Mainland Civil: Acheiving Certification to a Deadline

Certification: Environmental Management Systems (EMS), Safety Management Systems (SMS)

Mainland Civil is a civil engineering contracting company, providing the equipment and manpower needed for all aspects of building and development. When they are invited to bid on new projects, Mainland Civil are required to meet rigorous tender-based processes, and to meet these requirements they need to submit their environmental and safety management certification achievements.

Recognising that gaining certification with NCS International in Environmental Management Systems (EMS) and OH&S Management Systems (OH&S MS) was critical for their future business growth, they also saw it as a significant way to stand apart from their competitors.

Meeting the challenge

In mid-2008 the decision was made to get the certification process underway. “We didn’t want to miss out on any tender opportunities,” explains Greg Moore, Project Manager at Mainland Civil. “We also saw it as a way to achieve a positive profile in the industry.”

The certification process needed to be completed within a short time-frame to ensure they didn’t lose any new business opportunities. “We had a tight deadline in mind – we wanted it all done by Christmas. So we needed a certification partner who could be pro-active and work with us.”

“NCSI was very professional right from the start,” says Greg. “That gave us the confidence that we could do it. Their price was competitive, and they provided a great service.”

Mainland Civil already had a lot of the required documentation and implementation in place. “The NCSI auditor was brilliant. She really helped us and gave us a lot of guidance about the ISO 14001 and AS/NZS 4801 standard” says Greg. “Although not much needed to be changed onsite, many procedures were refined and checklists were made.”

Training was also conducted in-house. Greg sees the commitment of the Mainland Civil staff as a key factor in their successful certification. “Everyone has been very positive, and it’s all been taken on board. And now that we are certified, we know we need to keep those standards up!”

A positive change for the future

Now that Mainland Civil has ‘ticked all the boxes’ in terms of recognition and certifications, they are well placed to meet the market’s expectations. This is especially important in the current changing business landscape.

“It’s such an important thing to do if you want to stay competitive; some clients, such as the government, won’t let you tender unless you’re certified. It’s also been a very positive experience for our team – to set ourselves this goal and this timeframe and to achieve it,” says Greg.

Mainland Civil has had a great response from its current clients. “It certainly helps us win business. As soon as we mention we’re certified, they just tick that box.”

For more information on how your business can achieve EMS and QMS certification with NCS International, please visit our website www.ncsi.com.au, email us at marketing@ncsi.com.au, or call 1300 856 554.