Double certification for Cardiff

7 March 2012

The University’s good practice in health and safety and environmental management has been acknowledged with the award of two internationally recognised standards.

Cardiff is the first university in Wales to have received both IS0 14001 – an internationally accepted standard that signifies an organisation’s commitment to reducing its environmental impact, and BS OHSAS 18001 which recognises the promotion of a safe and healthy working environment.

The standards were awarded following a five-year exercise led by the University’s Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Unit (OSHEU) and involving every School and Directorate.

To gain ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001, the University had to demonstrate that it has robust systems and procedures in place to manage its environmental impact and to effectively manage risks in relation to staff, students and visitors.

Mike Salmon, Director of the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Unit who oversaw the project said: “These standards are a significant achievement for the University. Very few institutions hold both of these marks of good practice. They recognise the effective systems we have in place to help reduce our environmental impact and ensure that our staff and students are safe in the way that they work day-to-day.

“As a mark of quality these standards demonstrate to stakeholders such as funding bodies, enforcement agencies, and of course students and their parents, that Cardiff University has effective arrangements in place to protect people and the environment.

“Achieving these standards is not the end of the road. We are committed to continuous improvement in these areas and will build on the initiatives in place in the coming years.”

The University is certified with both standards for three years and will be audited every 12 months by the assessment body Bureau Veritas.

Vice-Chancellor Dr David Grant said: “Achieving ISO 14001 and BS OHSAS 18001 is a milestone for Cardiff. These quality assurance standards indicate that we are committed to minimising our environmental footprint and providing a safe working and learning environment across our campus.

“In the coming years we will ensure that we embed good practice in these areas across all sectors of the University. I would like to thank the Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Team who have been instrumental in helping the University secure these standards.”