JAS-ANZ Accreditation Inspires Local Trust in Global Risk Management Company DNV
Norwegian global risk management organisation DNV has 300 offices in 110 countries and employs 8,000 people worldwide. It operates in a wide range of industries internationally and is organised into four business areas: maritime, technology services, certification and energy services. In Australia, it offers maritime classification services as well as best practice performance assessments, certification, training, sustainability and climate change services.
According to Yngve Amundsen (pictured), General Manager DNV Industry, Australia and New Zealand, DNV offers organisations a level of confidence that they are performing well and that they are complying with international and local legal and regulatory obligations.
“Safeguarding life, property and the environment has been the company’s vision for a long time,” Amundsen explained.
Challenge the business faced
When DNV was established in Australia more than 40 years ago, local companies did not recognise or trust the company straight away, in spite of its international reputation. “Even with a strong global brand you still have to prove yourself locally,” Amundsen said. “Trust and confidence are not forthcoming immediately.”
With seven offices in Australia and New Zealand, DNV recognises the strategic importance of being located in the region, Amundsen explained.
“Many global organisations are here, and many very interesting developments come out of Australia, so it’s an exciting place to be from a business point of view,” Amundsen said. “A lot of cutting edge activities are developed in Australia. If you want to be a global player and you’re not in Australia, you’re not really a global player.”
Becoming trusted in the local market
DNV is one of the world’s leading certifying bodies, with more than 80 accreditations globally.
A significant proportion of Australia’s leading companies are DNV clients for quality, environmental and occupational health and safety (OH&S) management systems certification and climate change services.
“Being accredited by JAS-ANZ was important to DNV for our Australian operations,” Amundsen explained. “Accreditation is a critical part of ensuring that certifiers are performing to a certain standard and that the people who they send into organisations are competent and trustworthy. For us, JAS-ANZ accreditation was definitely a key component of getting that local recognition. Without the local stamp, the trust is difficult to earn.”
Like finds like
According to Amundsen, DNV prides itself on its trust, integrity and depth of service. “We’ve been around for over 140 years because we do not compromise on the quality and integrity of our service. We’re all about being the best we possibly can and providing trust and confidence. We take a pragmatic approach to helping our customers be the best they can be in their markets.”
Amundsen believes that organisations in Australia who use DNV’s services recognise the importance of having management systems in place to help control their risk and improve their performance.
“All organisations are on various levels of a journey towards business excellence,” Amundsen said. “Some simply want a certificate to trade, but others understand the true value of a recognised management system and system performance improvement. They often seek out like-minded organisations that can help them be the best they possibly can. They also want to be recognised for their trust and integrity.”
JAS-ANZ has a reputation for integrity
As the government-appointed body responsible for the accreditation of certification bodies in Australia and New Zealand, JAS-ANZ is under particular pressure to perform, Amundsen said. “It is important that JAS-ANZ maintains a high level of integrity and quality in the services it offers,” he said. “It already has a good brand; it has a reputation for integrity.”
Amundsen believes that JAS-ANZ’s rigid and thorough approach to approving and maintaining certifiers’ accreditations preserves the quality of service providers and tends to inspire other organisations. “JAS-ANZ should be proud of that reputation,” he said. “The industry can easily come into disrepute if accreditation bodies are weak.”
As well as auditing the internal procedures, systems and practices of a certification body, JAS-ANZ audits or ‘witnesses’ a certification body’s auditors as they audit the clients’ sites. Amundsen said that this assessment of auditors’ competence was critical.
“Many international accreditation bodies don’t carry out witnessing as comprehensively,” he said. “Although JAS-ANZ is recognised as an organisation that examines this aspect very thoroughly, I believe the frequency should be based on risk. I respect the rigour, and understand the philosophy of ongoing assessment but there needs to be an appropriate balance based on past performance and ongoing risk.”
Support for JAS-ANZ’s new Greenhouse Gas Programme
According to Amundsen, DNV envisages that the provision of climate change services and corporate responsibility services are, and will be, key growth areas now and into the future. “In many surveys it is shown to be the key area of concern for CEOs of the world’s leading organisations,” he explained.
Amundsen praised the new Greenhouse Gas Programme just released by JAS-ANZ. “Climate change is topical, and the rigour and quality of processes associated with this must be maintained,” he said. “Who would be better than JAS-ANZ to do that? It’s a logical string to its bow. At the end of the day, it’s all about trust and risk reduction.”
More information about DNV is available at www.dnv.com.au