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What is Certification?
Certification is a process where an independent body verifies that your business is meeting the necessary or appropriate standards. These standards might be regionally, nationally, or internationally regulated. Your business or organisation may have a variety of aspects certified – for example its management system, or products, or both. Certain products sold in Australia must be certified to a Standard. The purpose of a mandatory standard is to make particular safety or information features [...]
What Can the Yellow Wiggle Tell Us About First Aid Training?
Heart attacks are one of Australia’s biggest killers. Every year, around 34,000 Australians and New Zealanders suffer a heart attack outside of hospital. Without the assistance of a trained and qualified first aid officer, cardiac arrests frequently turn deadly – in fact, only one in ten victims of out-of-hospital cardiac arrests survive. Would you know what to do if someone [...]
Does Australia Lead the Way in Safety Management?
What does ISO 45001 say about Australia's Safety Management? Since 2001, Australia and New Zealand have used the AS/NZS 4801 Occupational health and safety management systems as the premier WHS Standard. The majority of Australian businesses that had WHS Certification were certified to this standard, with a minority certified to OHSAS 18001, originally a British standard but used in many [...]
Get Financial Help During the COVID-19 Crisis
How to access financial help for your business PLUS the most useful COVID-19 health apps and websites. It's affecting every person and every business. No-one will be able to escape from the Coronavirus Crisis completely unscathed. We are being deluged with information about Coronavirus, and, let's face it, we are just about sick of it. So GrowEQ has gone through [...]
Would the Trump Administration Pass an ISO 9001 Audit?
If asked the question “should Donald Trump be certified?” I think many people would answer with an unqualified “YES!” But what about a slightly different question: “Would the Trump Administration pass an audit to be certified to ISO 9001?” Let’s have a look at that question from an auditor’s perspective, and see if we can give an educated answer… Clause [...]
AS/NZS ISO 45001 OHS green light: what now?
What to do about your old certification, now that ISO 45001 Occupational Health & Safety has also been published as an Australian/New Zealand Standard.
5 simple ideas for a clean, green business
So you’ve got the Environmental Management System and the certification… what next? What can individuals working in a business do to make a genuine positive environmental impact? Here are some simple ideas to help you find a few "easy wins".
5 things a business needs to provide, to succeed at Process Improvement
We all know that process improvement in a business will increase efficiency and productivity, while also driving profits. We also know that if we can implement process improvement properly, our lives and the lives of our staff will be easier and our careers more fulfilling. So why is it so hard to do? Actually, it doesn't have to be difficult.
Business processes outdated and inefficient? Here’s how to fix them
It happens in every business at some stage… you realise that your processes are inefficient, laborious, and starting to cost money. So how do you fix them? Here is a step by step guide to business process improvement:
ISO 45001 is finally here! Now what?
ISO 45001 is the new Occupational Health and Safety Management Standard. If you're not sure what the changes are and how to implement them, take a look at GrowEQ's plain English answers to commonly asked questions.
Quality Management System dating lessons (that’s right!)
From romance to dynamic resources... no matter what business you're in, you may learn a thing or two about the market value of Quality Management Systems from the first Asian dating service to achieve re-certification to ISO 9001:2015.
New Online Register Making Life Easier
A new online register of high risk work, asbestos and demolition licence holders, as well as general construction induction training card holders, will go live on 29 January 2018 in NSW. So it will be easier for your business to regularly check the validity of your worker's licences, using a single portal.
The Time to Transition is Now!
The deadline for transitioning to the latest versions of ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems and ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems is September 2018. Don't be caught out by leaving it to the last minute.
What is a Gap Analysis? Do I need one?
All organisations have a management system of some sort, documenting some of the ways they do things (processes/procedures) and their rules (policies), as well as keeping certain records. A Gap Analysis identifies how much what you do already will meet ISO Quality Management System requirements, and where different or additional information is needed. So don't waste time and money reinventing the wheel.
Why bother with an ISO 9001 Quality Management System? 10 FAQs
Not sure why you should bother with an ISO 9001 Quality Management System? Here are 10 FAQs explaining how it will help your business save time and money, improve customer satisfaction and increase revenue.
How do I get ISO certification? Follow these 10 steps
Need ISO management system certification? Click to see an infographic showing a simple summary of the 10 steps — from identifying key drivers, through to development, implementation and auditing. They apply whether your focus is on Quality, Safety, Environment, Food Safety, or any other ISO standard.
When Must I Transition to ISO 9001:2015? Now!
A new version of ISO 9001:2015 Quality management systems – Requirements was published in September 2015. This update is not only the first since ISO 9001:2008, it is also the first major revision since ISO 9001:2000 which essentially consolidated three previous standards - ISO 9001, ISO 9002 and ISO 9003. In other words . . . this change is a biggy! All transition activities must be completed by 15 March 2018, so it's time to act NOW.
The Death of Innovation?
When it comes to processes, the introduction of new ideas and improvements can cause conflict within the organisation and inconsistent customer experiences outside the organisation. But documenting your knowledge succinctly and accessibly can help you make the case for change and foster innovation.
4 Ways to Reduce Complexity
Complexities caused by poor processes, confusing role definitions, or unclear accountabilities can be damaging to growth, performance and innovation. Follow these tips to reduce the complexity that leads to unnecessary costs and organisational friction.
Agility – what I’ve learnt from Google Maps
When it comes to travel, the two most important things you need to know are where you are now and where you want to go to. In business, clear, concise, “documented” processes provide a common understanding of where we are now, enabling us to reach our destination faster, more efficiently, and with fewer arguments!
7 Easy Ways You Can Increase Safety On a Budget
Phil La Duke says the belief that a business has to choose between working safely and making a profit is a very old and deeply held mindset — and it’s usually wrong. Here are seven things any business can do to reduce the risk of worker injuries without adding prohibitive cost.
Increase Accountability to Improve Performance
Accountability in any organisation is the cornerstone of good governance and ultimately, good performance. Without process accountability, organisations have no means of ensuring that their organisational goals are likely to be met. So here are 3 situations to avoid.
Good Audits Support Good Managers
Don't cringe when you hear the word 'audit'. Make the most of it. Good managers use audits to add value to their business, by identifying key areas for improvement, driving and measuring better processes, reducing risk and strengthening internal controls.
What is Normal for the Spider is Chaos for the Fly
If employees have access to current, accurate information and know how their processes impact on others, they will make fewer mistakes and get the job done faster and better. With a more efficient workplace they'll have more time for process improvement and for the customer.
Webinar – The New ISO 9001 meets Business Process Software
This webinar explains the key changes and how to manage the transition process to ensure your organisation is compliant and prepared for assessment against the new standard. It also introduces you to Promapp: software that makes creating and updating processes and procedures fast, easy, and painless.