ISO 9001, the most widely-adopted quality management systems standard, has benefited millions of organisations globally - with users reporting increased growth and productivity and significantly higher customer satisfaction and retention. The standard has undergone its first major revision since 2000 to incorporate changes made following feedback from users and experts around the world. Terms crucial to understanding ISO 9001 are defined in ISO 9000*, which has also been revised, with both standards publishing on 23 September. Since 2000, th... Continue reading

Minister for the Digital Economy, Ed Vaizey, has issued a warning to UK businesses today to protect themselves against a growing trend of cyber crime. Whilst businesses are reaping the benefits of operating online and now earn £1 in every £5 from the Internet, cyber attacks are now considered a serious threat to UK businesses, with the latest figures revealing that 74% of small businesses, and 90% of major businesses, has had a cyber breach of security in the last year. The UK Government has developed a scheme – Cyber Essentials – that... Continue reading

As reported yesterday, the publication of the newly revised International Standard ISO 14001 will help organisations respond to global sustainability challenges and ensure long-term business success. According to Sue Gregson, Environmental Consultant at International Workplace: “The benefits to business of implementing an Environmental Management System are clearly reflected in IEMA’s recent survey results, with nearly 60% of respondents reporting savings of over £10,000, and nearly 30% reporting savings of over £100,000 since putting t... Continue reading

L&D teams are increasingly buying-in ready-made learning resources, rather than creating their own, according to an annual survey by Video Arts, which reveals an upsurge in the use of off-the-shelf elearning and video content.     It notes that the use of video for compliance training has doubled in the last 12 months, as employers look to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of their learning and development programmes. The results of the survey of 400 L&D professionals show overall stability in the use of classroom training (89%),... Continue reading

In a move that has been described as delivering a “step-change in business performance”, the publication today of the revised ISO 14001 Global Environmental Standard will “shift business focus on the environment from compliance with regulations and direct operations, to placing the environment at the heart of thinking and strategy.” These are the words of Martin Baxter, IEMA’s Chief Policy Advisor, who has been working on the revisions to the Standard for the past three years. In an exclusive interview with International Workplace, Ma... Continue reading