The management systems community
Event: 2nd Dec 2008 – 3rd Dec 2008
While the United States enjoys the safest, most abundant food supply in the world, some consumers are questioning this fact in the wake of recent meat, produce and processed food recalls. Bolstering consumer confidence is the responsibility of every stakeholder in the value chain.
– 20th Nov 2008 by Alex Briggs
PAS 2050 - the new carbon footprinting methodology for products (goods and/or services) sponsored by DEFRA and the Carbon Trust has now been published by BSI. The document is now available for implementation by organisations looking to determine and verify the carbon footprint of specific products.
In this video interview, Paul Smith, Project Leader for Carbon Labelling and Footprinting at Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance (LRQA), talks about how PAS 2050, the new Carbon Footprinting methodology for products can benefit organisations. He explains the verification and certification processes and the value to a brand’s image and reputation that independent assurance can offer. He also talks about how PAS 2050 relates to existing environmental standards, such as ISO 14001 and ISO 14064.
– 17th Nov 2008 by Raz Chaudary
The current economic climate and business environment makes business continuity a critical issue. Ensuring the preparedness of an organisation can strengthen its long-term viability, reputation, and financial success.
Some key facts:
85% of US businessses are within the private sector and include transportation, banking, and utilities.
Businesses vulnerable to natural disasters, computer viruses/cyber attacks, terrorist attacks, and viral pandemics.
For example, if the Internet stopped, U.S. retailers could lose $450 million a day in e-commerce.1 If an influenza outbreak occurred, New York state’s losses alone are estimated to be $49 billion.
(source: “Dealing With Disasters At Home and Far Away” by Zosia Bielski, National Post, June 21, 2008).
Certification journey - five easy steps
Step 1:
Certification starts with an assessment of the company’s existing crisis management, business continuity, disaster recovery, and emergency response plans.
Step 2:
A gap analysis is performed against a chosen standard, and will assess the organisional responses to overcome a range of disaster scenarios.
Step 3:
Identify key actions, assign responsibilities, and establish timings to address the identified gaps.
Step 4:
The organisation is now ready for formal certification once the process has been established.
Step 5:
The organisation can select the appropriate level of certification appropriate to its needs.
Three levels of certification levels
First-party certification: an internal self assessment and self declaration of certification.
Second-party certification:r eview by one with whom there is an arm’s length relationship, such as a customer, supplier, or parent organization.
Third-party certification: review by an • accredited third-party certifier. This is the most independent and objective form of certification.
Benefits of certification
Potential benefits of becoming “certification ready” include:
improve operational efficiency,
reduce liabilities,
boost stakeholder confidence.
– 17th Nov 2008
This Publicly Available Specification (PAS) has been prepared by BSI to specify requirements for assessing the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) of goods and services. The development of this PAS was co-sponsored by the Carbon Trust and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
What is PAS 2050?
PAS 2050 provides a consistent method [...]
– 15th Nov 2008 by Raz Chaudary
To successfully communicate with relevant parties during critical events, organizations need a system that can enhance their preparedness and contribute to the overall security of human, physical, and information assets.
This special report by the Varolii Corporation provides an overview of common steps organizations are taking in order to connect, protect, and account for their people, while enabling response teams and decision makers to coordinate a successful recovery and help protect assets and infrastructure—even such things as supply chain and key customer relationships.
– 13th Nov 2008
The Code of Good Practice for product greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reduction claims has been developed by the Carbon Trust and Energy Saving Trust to promote the reduction of product life cycle GHG emissions.
– 13th Nov 2008
While PAS 2050 provides a standard method for assessing a product carbon footprint, this guide, ‘Guide to PAS 2050′, will help businesses to implement the standard by offering specific and practical guidance.
– 6th Nov 2008
World Food Day 2008 addresses what has been categorised by many as one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on food security.
– 6th Nov 2008
A new 3PL Logistics study says ‘green’ supply chains are essential for future business success yet the majority of logistics executives are unwilling to spend the money to make it happen.
– 5th Nov 2008
In a blog by Volkan Sevindik, it looks at the supply chain and how security breaches can damage brands, break down partnerships and, ultimately, hurt the bottom line.
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