If your role is managing compliance for your organisation, how easy is it for you to hand things over when you go on annual leave?
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Compliance is a complex area - and can involve a lot of different systems and procedures. You may find you need to leave parts of the role in the hands of various different colleagues - or that you spend your holidays with just a little background worry that things are not running as smoothly as when you're at your desk.

At Penarth Management Limited we recommend that our clients use a cloud based compliance software called Mango.  We were thrilled when we discovered Mango (which stands for 'management on the go'), a brilliantly simple piece of software that allows compliance managers to go on holiday, knowing that the system is taking care of things for them.


For more information about how we can help your business become more efficient by using Mango compliance software, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328 - or request a demo.

As you may be aware, the old OHSAS 18001 has been replaced by the new Occupational Health and Safety standard ​ISO 45001. But how much do you know about the new Standard and the changes it brings?

When?
ISO 45001 was released in March 2018, and companies must move across to the new standard by March 2021.

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Why?
This international standard offers improved compatibility with other standards such as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001. Many of the requirements are the same as those in OHSAS 18001, but the new Standard is more easily implemented and integrated into your existing systems.


What?
The main change in ISO 45001 compared with OHSAS 18001 is the emphasis on participation and consultation.​ There's an increased focus on the needs, expectations and involvement of workers and on clear communication.

ISO 45001 requires the incorporation of health and safety aspects in your organisation's management system, puts increased emphasis on the accountability of top management with regard to occupational health and safety, and requires companies to take the activities of suppliers and contractors into account

However, the overall aim of ISO 45001 is the same as OHSAS 18001: to reduce and mitigate unacceptable risk and to ensure the safety and wellbeing of your workforce, customers, and anyone else involved in your company's activities.


Need a copy of the new standard? Get a 15% discount if you purchase a copy through Penarth Management Limited.

​To find out more about how we can help your organisation comply with ISO 45001, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

As you will be aware, the two globally recognised quality and environmental management system standards are soon to change - and the deadline is getting closer! From 15 September 2018 your ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2004 certificates will no longer be valid. 


How should my organisation prepare for the transition?
If you haven't yet taken steps to prepare for the transition, you need to make a start as soon as possible.

Familiarise yourself with the changes. Obtain copies of the new standards here (ISO 9001) and here (ISO 14001).

Do a Gap analysis. This will help you identify the areas you should be focusing on within your business, and establish how long it will take to undertake the transition assessment.

Book a place on a course. Reserve your place on one of our one day ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 training courses, designed for people responsible for implementing and/or maintaining a Quality Management System in line with the requirements of ISO 9001:2015.


What else do we need to know?
All certification bodies should have be auditing against the new standards from 1 September 2017, to give organisations time to manage the changes before the 2018 deadline.


To find out more about how Penarth Management Limited can support your organisation with the ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 transition, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

Today is the first anniversary of the Grenfell Fire Disaster. We've seen a sharp increase in the number of people recognising the need to undertake proper fire risk assessments since the tragedy, with business owners and property companies wanting to make sure that they are up to date with what they need to do to mitigate risk for their employees, customers and tenants. 


Does this apply to you?

All business premises need a Fire Risk Assessment by law, as well as a designated Responsible Person who is held accountable for fire safety. You’re the Responsible Person in non-domestic premises if you’re an employer, the owner/landlord of the property, or otherwise have control of the premises (i.e. facilities manager, building manager, managing agent or risk assessor). 

You also need a Fire Risk Assessment if you have paying guests, or are the owner or landlord of a block of flats.


When should a Fire Risk Assessment be carried out?

Businesses need to carry out a Fire Risk Assessment in order to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 - and once completed, the fire risk assessment should be reviewed and updated periodically. There is no fixed period for reviewing your Fire Risk Assessment, but it has become standard best practice to review the Assessment every 12 months and have a third party to carry out a new Assessment every five years, taking into account any changes to legislation and guidance.

You should also conduct a review if there are changes to a building's layout, the way the building is used or the type of occupants.


To find out more about how we can help your organisation comply with the relevant fire safety regulations and standards, please click here. You can also contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

This week is the week of World Environment Day, and this year's theme is something that has been steadily filtering through the public consciousness in recent years: plastic pollution.


Did you realise...

5 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide every year
500 million plastic drinking straws are used every day in the US alone
13 million tonnes of plastic waste find their way into the ocean each year
1 million plastic bottles are bough every minute
100,000 marine animals are killed by plastics every year
83% of tap water has been found to contain plastic particles
50% of consumer plastics are single use


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Wildlife Warriors

Our Managing Director, Jodie Read, joined Gwent Wildlife Trust's Magor Marsh Wildlife Warriors youth group and leaders last month, spending an evening picking up plastic waste from the foreshore of the Severn Estuary.

​The group collected 12 full bags of plastic between Undy Causeway and Collister Pill in just under an hour - a great achievement, but also a stark reminder of the sheer amount of plastic waste littering our environment globally and locally.

With nearly half of UK households* now owning a dishwasher, washing up by hand has become a thing of the past for many. Dishwashers use far less water (up to 6,000 gallons a year) than doing the washing up by hand - but what about those of us who don't own one?

Whether you have a dishwasher or not, here are some tips to reduce the environmental impact of doing the washing up...
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​Dishwashers

• Make sure you fill the dishwasher fully to use energy and water most efficiently.
• Don't rinse your dishes before you load the dishwasher.
• Don't run the dry cycle - the temperature of the water should mean that your dishes will dry naturally if you leave the door open after the machine has finished.
• Invest in a newer, more efficient model with a good energy rating.

Washing up by hand

• ​If you don't own a dishwasher, using a washing up bowl (rather than keeping the tap running) will reduce the amount of water being used.
• To reduce the need to change the water in the bowl, wash the cleanest items (such as glassware and cups) first, followed by dishes and plates, and finally, pots and pans. 

To find out how Penarth Management Limited can help you to reduce energy and be more efficient, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

* Source: www.statista.com/statistics/289151/household-dishwashing-in-the-uk/

We’re sure there’s a great joke answer to this (anyone know what it is?), but this is an area that can cause some confusion – so here are the basic differences between an audit, an assessment and a surveillance visit.
 
Audit
Gathers evidence that policies and processes are in place and working, and meet the requirements of the relevant standards and the stated objectives of the organisation.
Can be carried out by the organisation itself or by its representatives such as consultants with appropriate experience – this is an internal audit. Many standards include internal auditing as a requirement for registration.
Can be carried out as part of an assessment or surveillance visit by an external certification body – this is a third party audit. Second party audits may be carried out by other interested parties such as customers.
 
Assessment
Carried out by a third party certification body, preferably one accredited by UKAS.
Involves a comprehensive audit of system documents (manual, policies, procedures etc.).
Aims to confirm whether the system meets all stated requirements of the relevant standard and if the organisation has set realistic objectives for ongoing improvement. 
Is followed by a detailed inspection on site to confirm whether those documented procedures are being carried out in practice.
Outcome of a successful assessment: the issuing of a certificate of registration to the relevant standard or standards.
 
Surveillance visits
Are a condition of continuing registration once a certificate has been issued.
Ensure that the organisation continues to adhere to the Management System and requirements of the standards.


To find out how Penarth Management Limited can support your organisation to meet the standards relevant to your industry, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

This week is Business Continuity Awareness week, a global event facilitated by the Business Continuity Institute to raise awareness of the latest trends in business continuity, and the value effective business continuity can bring to organisations.


Do you have a Business Continuity Plan?

The theme of this year's BCAW 2018 is "Working together to improve organisational resilience". A business continuity plan is a useful tool to help organisations plan for the unexpected - a data breach (something we're all becoming acutely aware of with the GDPR regulations coming into force next week), supply chain failure, cyber attack, utilities supply failure or natural disaster.


Fail to plan: plan to fail

However large or small your business, if you have no plan in place to deal with potential challenges, the outcomes can be far worse than if you have a preplanned course of action to follow. Putting together a Business Continuity Plan for your organisation will help you to identify potential threats to your business, and put plans and policies in place to help reduce disruption if the unexpected does occur.


Make your organisation more resilient 

To find out how Penarth Management Limited can support your organisation to put a Business Continuity Plan in place, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

To learn more about Business Continuity Awareness week click here.

Are you finding yourself struggling to keep up with training needs in your business?

If so, you're not alone!

We see many successful businesses grow, often quickly - and then struggle to keep up to date with who's had what training and how long that training is valid for, and ensuring that refresher training is booked on time.

Many of the people we see start off doing a fantastic job using Excel. (Did you know that Excel spreadsheets can be edited to have conditional formatting, so they automatically colour code events to show their current status? A great feature when you're trying to keep on top of training dates.)

However, as their workforce grows, and their training needs expand, busy Training Managers often find that they are attempting to manage an increasingly mammoth task. Even the most organised spreadsheet is eventually outgrown, and a different solution is needed.


A better solution

Penarth Management Limited can support you in managing the training needs of your workforce. 

Benefits of working with us:

• We'll help you to put in place systems, standards and software to keep track of training in your growing workforce more efficiently - saving you time and money.
• You can rest assured that your staff are always up to date with the training they need to maximise their performance and look after their health and safety.
• We'll give you the tools to keep your organisation fully compliant with the law and relevant standards.

​For more information about how we can help your business manage training more efficiently, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

It was World Day for Safety and Health at Work on 28 April - the annual international campaign that's been running since 2003 to promote health and safety in the workplace. As specialists in compliance, health and safety is something that's at the forefront of our minds all year round - and something that we know can feel like a challenge for many of our clients.


Streamlining health and safety compliance
Responsible employers understand the importance of protecting their staff and customers, but managing health and safety compliance can seem a daunting task, especially for multi-site organisations with a large number of factors to consider.

Here at Penarth Management Limited we searched for the perfect piece of software to support our clients to achieve simpler health and safety management, finally teaming up with Mango, a cloud based compliance software solution.


Simple, adaptable, accessible
Mango makes complying with health and safety legislation simpler, easier and more streamlined. It helps our clients do away with paper files and unresponsive spreadsheets, and because it's a cloud based system it can be accessed anywhere. Mango adapts well for organisations of different sizes, is ideal for multi-site businesses and can be easily adapted to suit your company's specific structure and requirements.


Gwalia Healthcare loves Mango 
We recommended Mango to our clients Gwalia Healthcare. Watch the video to hear Graeme Olsen, Senior Quality Manager, talk about why Mango has been a great choice for Gwalia.

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For more information about how we can help your business become more efficient by using Mango compliance software, please contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328 - or request a demo.

The theme of World Earth Day on 22 April was to end plastic pollution.

After the big hitting success of David Attenborough's Blue Planet 2 earlier this year, and with the same theme for this year's World Environment Day coming up on 5 June, there has never been a better time to raise awareness of plastic pollution and to take action.


What do you already do to reduce the amount of plastic you use at work?
Even if you're very aware of how much you and your colleagues use, and do your best to limit it, we can all do more to change our mindsets around the way plastic fits into our workspaces. By making a few small changes you can make it easier for people to minimise their use of plastic at work.


What can you do in your workplace to reduce plastic usage?
There are lots of ways to reduce the amount of plastic your colleagues and employees are using - even within an office environment. Make a start with our ten suggestions.

Around the office

• Reuse proper cups and glasses; don't provide single use disposables.
• Encourage employees to bring a reusable drink bottle to work - or provide a branded one for them - rather than buying a disposable one.
• Provide drinking fountains rather than vending machines.
• Cut down on cleaning products that come in plastic bottles. Look into environmentally friendly alternatives that use microfibre cloths and water (a double win: you've just reduced hazardous substance use too!).

In the staff kitchen/canteen

• Ask your caterers/canteen staff to move from using plastic packaging for food items to sustainably sourced cardboard packages and paper bags that are biodegradable and more easily recycled.
• Provide proper metal cutlery in the staff canteen/kitchen, rather than disposable plastic items.
• Replace plastic drinking straws and coffee cup lids with biodegradable alternatives.
• Have milk delivered in returnable glass bottles.

Office supplies

• Use pencils made from sustainably sourced wood, rather than plastic propelling types. 
• When ordering promotional materials, go for smart branded paper bags rather than plastic carrier bags to hold free gifts and company literature.

The UK currently generates around 41.9 million tonnes of commercial and industrial waste each year*. So what can your organisation do to help reduce this and make your workplace more environmentally friendly?

Think before you print 
80 million tonnes of paper is discarded every year in the UK and accounts for 24% of total UK waste. Think - do you really need to print at all? If you do need to print, make it double sided (most computers have duplex print capability). You could also print two pages to a side to further reduce paper consumption.

Embrace technology
Invest in paperless solutions: use apps for everyday tasks such making notes, communications, and setting reminders (goodbye post-its!). Issue employees with tablets rather than notepads.

Get organised! 
​Put things away in a neat, tidy and systematic way. Not only will you know where things are, but you'll reduce the likelihood of things being damaged and needing to be replaced.

Reuse and recycle 

• Provide air dryers or reusable hand towels in toilets and common areas as an alternative to disposable paper towels.
• Provide water coolers or drinking fountains instead of vending machines - and rather than plastic cups, provide real drinking glasses.
• Buy recycled paper for your printers - 70% less energy is needed to recycle paper than is needed to make it from raw materials.

Sort out your systems - and get everyone on board

• Encourage all staff to save scrap paper and reuse it where possible before recycling.  
• Make sure you have recycling bins in every area of your workplace, and train all staff to follow the recycling rules for your county, such as separating different types of waste, and putting food waste in a compost bin.

* Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

This week we've been chatting with Liz Tobin, a small business systems expert from Gingersnap Consulting, about how finding the right software can make your business more efficient. Liz helps small businesses unlock their potential through technology.

"Having the right systems in place by embracing some of the hugely cost effective business apps out there can make a startling impact on business efficiency," Liz explains. "You'll get time back, be able to deliver more and wonder how you ever managed before."

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The benefits of software automation

More time Automating your systems using the right software will free up valuable time that can be spent more profitably elsewhere.
Streamlined systems Automation will mean an end to the repetition of time consuming tasks. Enter data just once, send information remotely and make processes faster and more efficient.
Fewer resources When your business is automated and you've got the right software in place, you'll need fewer resources to perform the same tasks - and you'll be able to do more with the resources you have.


Environmental benefits

Cut down on travel Software automation means you can utilise remote workers more, meaning a smaller carbon footprint for your organisation.
Use less paper Using digital solutions and cloud based services will cut down on paperwork, lessening your organisation's environmental impact.


Software automation and compliance

The streamlining and environmental benefits of software automation will help your organisation comply with ISO 9001, with its focus on internal systems, and ISO 14001, which looks at the environmental impact of your organisation.

If you'd like to know more about achieving these standards in your organisation, contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

What is process mapping?

A visual planning method that identifies the activities, data or materials involved in a process.
A logical way to streamline, standardise and simplify processes.
A useful tool for getting clear on steps that need to be taken - and ensuring compliance.


What is process mapping used for?

• Tracking and understanding the customer journey
• Simplifying staff on-boarding and training 
• Supporting delegation, collaboration and teamwork
• Identifying and mitigating problems and risks
• Saving time and money
• Demonstrating compliance and improvement

How process mapping can help you with GDPR preparation

A key step in being able to demonstrate compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that come into effect on 25th May will be the ability to show that you understand how information flows throughout your organisation. 

Process mapping is a useful tool that will help you get clear on exactly what you need to do to achieve GDPR compliance. Many of our clients have found that the easiest way for them to understand how their organisation uses and processes data has been to commission a half day workshop with us.
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For more information about our GDPR data mapping workshops, click here.

Alternatively you can Contact us to discuss your needs.

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our team.

​Flo's first job was as a working sheepdog on a farm. However, she showed little aptitude or interest in the work and simply wanted to play and dig holes. Without the will to work she was deemed to have 'no purpose', and so her employer made the decision to make her redundant. 

Undaunted, Flo applied for a new position as a family pet. She was successful at interview and is now well on her way to achieving high performance in her new post.

She’s already completed her induction training (having mastered the stairs - which she hadn't encountered as a working farm dog - as well as leaping on the bed and onto the sofa). She has now been booked onto a further training course in obedience in April.
 
Despite her early antipathy towards work, now Flo has found a position she enjoys (with access to the right training and mentoring), she loves coming into the office.  Alongside her main job as family pet, she has now been put in charge of staff wellbeing. She is rapidly growing into the role, with support from the rest of the team.


Training can positively impact your business and help your staff succeed. For information about how Penarth Management Limited can support your business or organisation with training, awareness and competency (key requirements of management system Standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001) please get in touch. Contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

How prepared was your business or organisation for the havoc caused by the recent adverse weather? Did you have procedures in place to manage the situation - or did it feel as if everything was descending into chaos?

As the snow brought roads and public transport to a standstill in many areas, preventing people from reaching their places of work, many workplaces tried their best to maintain services. Hospital staff spent nights in their places of work to ensure patients were cared for; cafes and restaurants turned to social media to inform customers they were open for business as usual; and many businesses relied on technology to enable employees to carry out at least some of their work from home.

The impact of unexpected events such as severe weather and disaster on businesses can last far longer than the immediate aftermath of the event itself - but it is possible to put procedures in place to help you mitigate the risk.

If the recent snow and its adverse effect on your business operations has given you pause for thought, click here to find out how business continuity management systems can help you manage risk and prepare for the unexpected.

It's Fairtrade Fortnight! This event runs from 26 February to 11 March 2018, with the aim of raising awareness. With more and more consumers wanting to shop ethically these days, this is a great opportunity to let your customers know how you support Fairtrade - which can be as simple as committing to using only Fairtrade coffee in your office (we do this here at Penarth Management). You can find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight for business, and contact their Business Engagement Team here.

Fairtrade is great for business: independent research shows that 4 out of 5 consumers who see an ethical label on a product are more likely to buy it. And nearly three quarters of consumers use the Fairtrade logo to let them know that a product is ethical.

Five ways you can support Fairtrade in your business:

• Serve Fairtrade products to your employees and colleagues
• Stock and sell Fairtrade products to your customers
• ​Use the Fairtrade mark on your own products
• ​Sell Fairtrade ingredients to other businesses
• Sell your own Fairtrade products wholesale

You can find out more about making your business Fairtrade here.

The new Occupational Health and Safety standard ​ISO 45001 (successor to OHSAS18001) will be released in March 2018 - and we are able to offer a 15% discount if you purchase a copy of the new standard through Penarth Management Limited.

The new standard will be the first international health and safety standard in the world. It's designed to help organisations reduce occupational injuries and diseases and their adverse impact on the workplace by giving organisations a framework to manage health and safety: improving the safety of employees, reducing risk and establishing better and safer working conditions.

​Based on the same structure as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the quality and environmental standards, ISO 45001 will also take into account other international and national standards.

Sign up below to receive notification as soon as ISO 45001 is released, and take advantage of our 15% discount. 

If you'd rather buy an electronic copy, you won't save any money, but you will get a .pdf copy emailed to your inbox just as soon as it becomes available. You can pre-order directly from BSI if you'd prefer to receive a .pdf copy.

This seems to be a definite trend – something I’ve spotted among many of my colleagues and business contacts. From skiing to sky diving, I often find that health and safety practitioners are some of the biggest risk takers when it comes to their personal lives.

This might seem counterintuitive, but all of those risky activities demonstrate perfectly why they make great health and safety people: they know that it's not about stopping the fun, but rather assessing the risks of whatever scary activity they're about to do - and applying sensible controls.

Take skiing. It's exhilarating to successfully ski from the top of a mountain to the bottom (yes, I count myself among the adrenaline junkies). But it also takes technique and control. It's not all about pointing the skis downhill; sometimes you need to side-slip to stay in control and to safely navigate the piste more slowly. Risk assessment done.

For sensible, practical risk management advice, contact us via info@penarth.co.uk.

Outside temperatures here in Cardiff have been up and down over the last week – but with heavy frosts and lows of -1 some mornings I’m sure that, like me, you’ve had your heating on.

With energy bills rising by 12.5% last autumn (the fastest rise since 2014) it’s in everyone’s interests to try and conserve fuel – not to mention better for our planet.

Half the people who responded to an Energy Saving Trust survey said they turn their thermostats up when it’s colder outside; however, as it’s the thermostat’s job to maintain the same internal temperature, whatever the weather, this is unnecessary.

Some of the best ways to conserve heat are the simplest: draw curtains or blinds – this really does keep the heat in, reducing heat loss by as much as 17%; bleed your radiators regularly; ensure that large items (such as sofas) aren’t positioned in front of radiators where they block the heat; turn your heating off if no-one is at home. You could also use a heating app to control the thermostat when plans change.
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Our best tip? By turning your thermostat down by just one degree it should be possible to reduce your energy bill by at least 2% - and often by as much as 10%.  The average room temperature in a UK home is 18°C, and central heating thermostats are generally set to around 20°C – while the World Health Organisation’s standard for warmth is 18°C for suitably dressed healthy people. (Bedroom temperatures should be set a little lower, at about 15°C or 16°C, to ensure a good night’s sleep.) The Energy Saving Trust suggests potential savings of £75 a year for a typical three bedroom home, when you turn your thermostat down by one degree.

You’ll (hopefully) be aware of GDPR by now – and should be in the process of addressing it in your organisation. But are you aware of BS 10012:2017?  We are starting to help people implement data protection systems in line with this Standard - something that we can supply as a hard copy at a discounted rate.

 
What exactly is BS 10012:2017?

BS 10012 is a British Standard that provides a framework for maintaining and improving compliance with data protection legislation and good practice. The Standard follows the same high level structure as most of the other management system Standards, and has been developed to enable organisations to:

• Put a personal information management system in place
• Manage risks to the privacy of personal data
• Implement appropriate policies, procedures and controls

Updated in 2017 in response to GDPR, the Standard is designed to fit neatly alongside any other systems that you already have in place.
 

So what are the benefits?

• Compliance Use the Standard as part of your organisation’s privacy compliance framework, demonstrating your compliance with GDPR and the revised UK Data Protection Act.
• Risk management Identify and mitigate risks to personal information.
• Improve your practice Benchmark and improve your personal data management practices against recognised best practice.
• Gain trust Demonstrate your commitment to data protection and gain client and stakeholder trust.
• Safeguard your organisation’s reputation and minimise adverse publicity.
• Gain competitive advantage when seeking and retaining business.

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If you’d like to find out more about BS 10012 and how you can implement it, please contact Penarth Management Limited today.

Case study: Spectrum Printing

Spectrum Printing is a family run lithographic printing company based in Cardiff, providing everyday short and longer run printing. With almost 30 years’ experience producing high quality printing, they use a wide range of specialised techniques and are committed to reducing their environmental impact.

We asked Stephen Hyde of Spectrum how certification to ISO9001, ISO14001 and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody has benefited the company.
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So why is certification important for a printing company?

• Greater efficiency and improved systems Meeting ISO standards has helped the Spectrum team find new ways to save time and resources, by ensuring that they have the correct procedures in place and encouraging them to streamline their systems. The company has recently invested in a Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 75 press, meaning that they can run one state of the art, high speed press instead of two presses, which has increased productivity and reduced waste.
• Reduced environmental impact Meeting the requirements of ISO14001 and the FSC Chain of Custody has underscored Spectrum’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of printing. The company offers a range of sustainable and recycled print materials, and the recently acquired Heidelberg CX 75 prints to ISO standards, with high energy efficiency and resource-efficient use of materials.
• Increased business Certification has further built on Spectrum’s public image and increased trust and confidence in the company, resulting in an increase in business. They’ve been able to demonstrate their ability to consistently deliver the services their customers need to a high standard.

 
Looking for ISO certification for your business? Contact us at Penarth Management Limited.