CloudNC recently (March 2024) achieved a key environmental certification - BS EN ISO 14001:2015 - conducted by the British Standards Institute.
It’s a critical landmark for our Chelmsford factory, as well as a signpost for the company’s commitment to minimise its impact on the environment. Mitch Reed, senior continuous improvement lead at CloudNC, tells us what this certification means and why it matters.
What does achieving this certification mean?
It means that CloudNC has an internationally recognised Environmental Management System that helps our organisation improve our environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste. It’s an independent certification that assures customers that the company is actively working to minimise its impact on the environment, comply with regulations, and continually improve its environmental performance.
Why is it important?
It signifies our passion and commitment to continuous improvement:
- Commits CloudNC to identify and mitigate environmental risks associated with business operations, and ensures CloudNC considers and applies life cycle perspectives in its operations
- Generates efficiencies by optimising resource and energy use, while minimising waste generation
- Positions us as a responsible and sustainable business partner with environmentally conscious customers/stakeholders.
How much do people really care about certifications?
We feel people care about environmental sustainability now more than ever, and will continue to grow through generational movement. As awareness of environmental issues grows, people are becoming more conscious of their environmental impact, and that extends to the products and services they purchase.
Therefore, having ISO14001 is extremely important for CloudNC as a business, because it demonstrates a commitment to doing the right thing.
How does it reflect our approach as a company to ESG/green issues?
It reflects a structured approach to environmental management. It signifies that the company has established systems and processes that identify, monitor, and manage environmental impacts across its operations. We want to showcase a proactive approach towards all initiatives that align to the adherence of the ISO14001 standard.
Why are ESG/green issues important to us?
The manufacturing industry we are in can cause a lot of impact to the environment, therefore we are conscious that environmental management has to be at the forefront of the business as it continues its strategic growth. Basically, if we want to be a major manufacturing player, we need to put the right practices in place now!
In addition:
- Demonstrating a commitment to ESG/green allows us to work with environmentally conscious customers / stakeholders
- As an innovative company, we can consider ESG/green issues as an opportunity to innovate, enhance and develop our internal systems to generate operational efficiencies and improved business models.
How did we achieve this certification so quickly?
We started the certification process in early 2023. Being AS9100 certified previously, we already have an effective Quality Management System, which we conducted a thorough GAP analysis on.
This highlighted the gaps we had in terms of ISO14001 requirements, and using quality tools and applying lean principles we strategically built a roadmap of initiatives that we ensured were carefully managed, and applied in line with the guidance given.
During the audit process, we were then able to showcase the journey that the business has been on, and the commitment showcased by Senior Leadership to reducing environmental impact.
What happens next?
We continue our journey towards operational and environmental excellence, applying the same strategies and aptitudes that have got us to where we are today!
