Microgeneration Standards


In a crowded marketplace, buying the right technology is becoming increasingly difficult. One solution is to look out for the Kitemark tag. Claire Lynam explains the many benefits of the trusted certification mark


Flying high T


he pressure is on companies to adopt sustainable practices and there is con- siderable support and interest in doing


so – not only for the environmental benefits but also the impact on the bottom line. No matter what size the business, the benefits remain the same but one of the challenges is to understand what tools are available to help business adopt sustainable business practice. According to Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary-General, “standards are crucial to sustainable development; they are invaluable in helping countries develop their economies and build capacities to compete on global markets. Standards make a positive difference to our world”.


Standards are not about introducing bureaucracy but about changing hearts, minds and outcomes to gain the greatest benefits and secure continuing and lasting success. They are documents which outline the most effec- tive and efficient way to make a product or perform a task.


Management systems standards are extremely useful to organisations as they pro- vide a roadmap for implementing sustainable development in an increasing number of areas. With the growing interest in sustainability comes the rising number of management sys- tems that are being developed to address spe- cific sustainability issues.


Alongside standards is independent third- party certification – without such proof how else can the world know for sure if an organi- sation complies with a management system standard or that products and services meet these standards? How else can companies achieve such differentiation and how can the lives of everyone be enhanced and protected? Untested products and services can hurt people and have an impact on an organisa- tion’s reputation. They can disappoint cus- tomers and harm a brand. At worst, some products that are unfit for purpose have the power to cause fatalities. For this reason BSI


has been testing and certifying products with the prestigious Kitemark for over 100 years. The Kitemark is a certification mark that shows that a product or service meets the appropriate standards of quality and safety – it is also a registered trademark of BSI. If a product or service carries a Kitemark you will know that it’s been independently tested, audited on a regular basis and that it will per- form to that consistent quality every time. BSI is also UKAS-accredited so you can be sure that our assessments or products or organisa- tions are as rigorously audited as our clients. Because of the stringent criteria that must be met to achieve product or service certifi- cation, the presence of a Kitemark can help


Untested products and services can hurt people and have an impact upon an organisation’s reputation


businesses to meet some of their sustainability goals in the following ways: Resource efficiency: Kitemark products and services have a value in addressing this issue due to its integrity and authority. With the issue of energy efficiency and resource use, the Kitemark protocols ensure that there is no waste left within operating or product systems as well as – for some specific products – actu- ally addressing energy generation, usage rat- ings and verifying energy reductions.


Operating costs: a fundamental part of any Kitemark scheme is the embedded quality management system. This combined with the Kitemark scheme requirements, means that Kitemark products are produced with efficient processes and production methods and so reduces material as well as time wastage. And, as Kitemark products are more reliable they will perform for longer and therefore contrib- ute to minimising product obsolescence which


12 | Sustainable Business | Microgeneration | October 2010


in turn helps reduce the need for disposal of products as landfill.


Quality goods and services: Kitemark is all about quality – both of product, service and process. In fact, 91% of UK adults state that Kitemark reassures them of quality. Using quality products that have been independently certified means that they should perform more reliably so you can avoid unnecessary and fre- quent replacement costs as well as save money.


Regulatory compliance: Because Kitemark is an independently-operated, third-party cer- tification it acts as proof that a product or service meets the standard as well as Kitemark criteria. As such, where compliance is legis- lated or required, Kitemark licence holders can prove that they comply. Where compli- ance with a legislation or code of practice is required Kitemark certification can help you access business streams as specifiers, procure- ment professionals and consumers are increas- ingly seeking proof that products have been tested to the appropriate standards.


Reduce accidents and incidents: Kitemark covers a wide variety of products and indus- tries, but one of its particular strengths is in the personal safety arena where Kitemark certification for protective equipment as well as fire detection, fighting and protection prod- ucts is regarded as invaluable in demonstrating product quality and safety.


There are still 1.6M workplace injuries in the UK every year and health and safety failures cost British employers up to £6.5M a year. Around 70% of workplace accidents could be prevented if employers put proper safety control measures in place. For those responsible for the equipment used in their buildings or for staff work wear, choosing to purchase Kitemark products will significantly help in addressing this issue as well as aid- ing them to demonstrate their best practice


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52