LEAN MANUFACTURING OPERATIVE LEVEL 2
Skills Bootcamp In Quality Management
Case Study
CRONIMET
ISO 14001 Journey
Case study of Cronimet's experience with implementing ISO 14001 with the support of Clear Quality.
CRONIMET is a circular economy company that specializes in the environmentally conscious collection, processing, and resale of stainless steel and associated materials for reprocessing. They have operations across Europe and worldwide. In their industry, reducing the carbon footprint and following environmental regulations is a critical driver of their business. Therefore, they saw the implementation of ISO 14001 as an opportunity to align their environmental management system with their business strategy and improve their environmental performance.
Clear Quality assisted CRONIMET in implementing ISO 14001 in their business. Initially, they looked at ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 as a joint system since they go very nicely together, as quality and environmental management are intertwined in their business. CRONIMET already had many systems in place, such as SAP, which helped with record-keeping, including material coming in and going out associated with European waste regulations. However, they needed to bring all their existing systems together and put them into a package, which Clear Quality's consultant, Darren, did. CRONIMET then added the ISO 45001 standard to the package, and they currently operate under a single system with all three standards (9001, 14001, and 45001).
The implementation process of ISO 14001 was not too challenging for CRONIMET, as they already had many systems in place. Clear Quality's consultant, Darren, helped them bring everything together and made the implementation process easier for them. The implementation of ISO 14001 has enhanced their reputation with their customers and suppliers. They have received congratulations from their stakeholders and have been recognised for implementing the standard. It has also provided them with certification, which shows that they are running their business correctly to the correct standards.
The ISO 14001 implementation has improved CRONIMET relationships with their stakeholders, such as customers and suppliers. It has shown that they are running their business to good environmental standards, which is important in their industry. It has given them a competitive advantage as they can say that they are a big company with good environmental standards.
In terms of lessons learned during the implementation of ISO 14001, CRONIMET advises that keeping good records and keeping their site in good order is key. They recommend setting up a good record keeping system to keep track of the materials coming in and going out, which can be used to do waste returns at the end of the year. They also recommend having their site constructed in a certain way, such as working on a sealed site, fully concreted, and having good housekeeping. They advise other organisations to seek the help of experienced consultants like Clear Quality to guide them through the implementation process and to ensure that they achieve the maximum benefits from their ISO 14001 certification.
