October 2003

Harris RCS 14000 Accreditation

Harris RCS, an established subcontract machining company in Coventry, achieved ISO 14001 accreditation earlier this year. This is a huge achievement for the small, family owned business based on the Bayton Road Industrial Estate in Coventry, who are already approved to the ISO 9001:2000 quality standard.

Pro Enviro assisted Harris RCS in the certification process, allowing the company to continue with their main job - getting work out of the door. The management team at Harris RCS decided to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS) to demonstrate good environmental practice. Not only are larger companies now taking more notice of the company, but other spin offs from the project have bought benefits to their employees.

The benefits of accreditation have far outweighed the company's expectations. They have attracted a new customer, are now compliant with legislation and have improved waste management and oil storage. With a cleaner and tidier work environment, environmental hazards are reduced and employees are more efficient.

As with many suppliers to the automotive and aerospace industries, registration to ISO 14001, the international standard for environmental management, is a pre-requisite to business. The company already had an approved quality management system, but not the necessary in-house knowledge or resources to develop an EMS.

Harris RCS were keen for their EMS to be easy to maintain and readily accessible by everyone in the company. As a result, the company engaged Pro Enviro to help implement an EMS and deliver environmental training to everyone on site using Business Essentials and WebCT products.

Business Essentials is a bespoke, Internet-based tool designed for storing and distributing company policies and management systems. It is linked to an E-learning platform, which gives users access to a large range of online materials.

The tailor made online portal is an integrated tool which houses management systems, policies, business information and company information. The portal has been an ideal marketing tool for the company. Harris RCS can promote itself as a company in pursuit of excellence using the internet which is now available to a large percentage of their potential customers. The portal serves as a method for prospective customers to access Harris RCS as well as a vehicle to market their services. Using such an online source demonstrates that Harris RCS are a progressive company, helping them to enhance their market reputation.

The portal allows Harris RCS employees to select and access company-specific information, and related capacity building material, quickly and easily. It also provides management with a more efficient method of communication over traditional methods such as memos and paper based manuals.

The stored information is always current and always available. Revising documents is simple and such an integrated system allows Harris RCS to maximise efficiency and reduce overheads. The portal is not a static tool and is kept up-to-date to reflect changes to services, procedures and personnel, enabling it to remain an effective tool.

By implementing an EMS, and managing it along with their other management systems via an online portal, Harris RCS have embarked on a new generation of business management. The management team at the company are now working towards further standards after the success of their previous efforts.