CHG Property Services (a member of The Community Housing Group) is celebrating their achievement of the internationally accepted standards ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001.
The company, which incorporates Oakleaf Grounds Services and Bespoke Joinery Service, is delighted that their hard work has resulted in this success. Director of Asset Management, Ian Hancock said: “CHG Property Services has worked really hard and we are extremely pleased to have achieved compliance to these standards which demonstrates our commitment to reducing our impact on the environment, and providing a safe working environment for our employees and customers.
He added, “The diverse nature of our operations made the audit a complex process, which only adds to this fantastic accomplishment”.
ISO is the world’s largest standards organisation, and enables businesses to develop and offer products and services that meet a required benchmark around the world. The standards provide a guarantee to customers that they will receive quality, safety and reliability. ISO 14001 ensures that an environmental management system is in place, designed to allow an organisation to identify aspects of their business that impact on the environment and understand how to reduce them.
OHSMS 18001 has been designed to be compatible with ISO 14001 to help an organisation meet their health and safety obligations in an efficient manner. An OHSMS promotes a safe and healthy working environment, by providing a framework that allows a business to identify and control its health and safety risks, reduce the potential for accidents, aid legislative compliance and improve overall performance.
Keith Burgess, Head of Oakleaf and Support Services said: “Because we have established clear business plans, invested in training and development of our workforce and have adopted an attitude of continuous improvement, we were well prepared for the external assessments. Both ISO 14001 and OHSMS 18001 compliance means that you have the right systems and processes in place, but it is far from a paper gathering exercise. Not only will they ensure we are able to carry out our services in a safe manner and reduce our impact on the environment, but they can lead to cost savings and an improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the public”.
