Overview
IIMS has enjoyed a satisfactory financial year - my thanks to Jen Argent supported by Elly Bryant for maintaining an efficient accounts department - and with each passing year, it feels that IIMS is further cementing itself as not only the leading worldwide professional body for marine surveyors, but also as a highly visible and focused organization that is recognized by others in the maritime sector who engage with or touch the profession. This past year we have continued to meet and train surveyors the world over. And when I look back at the year just gone and review some of the meetings I have had and some of the senior industry people I have met, I am reminded that IIMS has a strong voice. Brand IIMS is increasingly strong, but my colleagues and I are not complacent and continually strive to find new ways to create efficiencies and to innovate for the benefit of members, the profession and the Institute. There is still plenty to do I can assure you.
During 2023 we have consolidated a number of our ongoing activities whilst bringing new products and services to market as well. Every business needs to constantly innovate and freshen up what it does and IIMS is no different. The onslaught of AI (Artificial Intelligence) in 2023 has certainly highlighted that point and like it or not, we all need to embrace AI, and IIMS is already doing so.
Let me start with detailing the progress at our head office, located in Murrills House, at Portchester. Earlier in the year, an investment was made in the communal areas of the building to update the decoration which looked tired. New carpet and fresh paint have created a country house feel on entering the front door and it looks splendid. Sadly heavy rain has since caused a leak to appear which means a little redecoration will be required where water ingress has left a stain.
Recently we have had a new lease line internet connection installed. It is super fast and is set to transform the speed at which we connect in 2024. And it costs less than the old lease line, so that’s a bonus!
International travel has come back on to the agenda with a bit of a bang. However, there is far less appetite for face-to-face gatherings than prepandemic, partly due to the sharply rising costs of airfares and hotels. Almost all IIMS events are hybrid, apart from those that include a strong outdoor element such as heel test or tonnage training.
This year has seen a big push to prepare IIMS for ISO 9001 audit. My thanks to my colleague, membership secretary, Camella Robertson, who has led the way in preparing the initial documentation which is currently out for review. This alone has been a major undertaking to bring our processes and procedures across the business up to date. The next and final step is to prepare the documents against which we will be audited. The Management Board has chosen DNV as our preferred auditor. Our goal is to seek formal accreditation by audit no later than the end of the first half of 2024.
For your information: ISO 9001: Quality management. ISO 9001 sets out the criteria for a quality management system. It can be used by any organization, large or small, regardless of its field of activity. In fact, I understand there are over one million companies and organizations in over 170 countries certified to ISO 9001.
This ISO standard is based on a number of quality management principles including a strong customer focus, the motivation and implication of top management, the process approach and continual improvement. The principles behind using ISO 9001 is to ensure that customers get consistent, good- quality products and services, which in turn can bring business benefits.
Now I’d like to move on to review some specific areas of the IIMS operation.
THE REPORT | DEC 2023 | ISSUE 106 | 33
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