The ISO Show

The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is a legal requirement for organisations of a certain size or value. The scheme is designed to make companies look at how they use energy with a view to improving performance. If your organisation qualifies for ESOS, you have until December 5th to comply or complete your phase 3 reporting. Over the last few episodes we've explored two routes to compliance: Energy Audits and ISO 50001. As we explained, ISO 50001 goes above and beyond ESOS requirements and ensures you don't have to gather an evidence pack every four years to prove compliance. However, there are many more benefits to ISO 50001 than just it's compliance with ESOS requirements. Join Mel this week as she dives into the other benefits ISO 50001, including real world examples from some global brand names. You'll learn ● Why Implement ISO 50001? ● What are the benefits of ISO 50001? ● Who has found success with ISO 50001? Resources · ESOS · ISO 50001 In this episode, we talk about: [00:35] Watch our previous episodes to learn more about Energy Audits and ISO 50001 [01:41] Benefit #1: Cost savings – By Improving your energy efficiency and reducing energy consumption, you can save a startling amount. ISO 50001 helps you to put a system in place that will allow optimisation of your energy usage. [02:20] Benefit #2: Compliance – ISO 50001 can help you comply with the likes of ESOS and SECR. Carbon reporting and legal requirements in relation to it are global, any countries lagging behind on these requirements will soon adopt or create their own in response to the limited time we have left to reduce the effects of the climate crisis. [02:45] Benefit #3: Reduce your environmental Impact – By reducing energy usage and switching to more energy efficient means, you will reduce your carbon emissions. ISO 50001 also acts as a complementary tool to ISO 14001 (Environmental Management) that many already have in place. [03:10] Benefit #4: A coordinated approach – Companies, especially large ones, may have multiple systems in place to manage energy. ISO 50001 helps to create a universal framework that can be applied to a whole business. [03:25] Benefit #5: External Incentives - There may be external benefits that can be gained by proving that you are taking steps to reduce your environmental impact. This could include tax benefits, insurance ect [04:25] Benefit #6 Informed funding – There is a lot of funding out there to help companies with new green technology. Having ISO 50001 in place will give you a consistent overview of your energy usage, so you'll be able to make informed funding choices based on where more savings can be made in terms of emissions and general costs. [04:55] Benefit #7 Track Objectives – ISO 50001 can help you set Objectives and then set policies and procedures to help make those a reality. Those familiar with ISO Standards will know that it's all about continual Improvement, so you'll always be making progress. [05:30] Benefit #8 Credibility – ISO 50001 is an internationally recognised Standard, and is a mark of your credibility. This can be used in marketing materials, displayed on your website, used in Case Studies ect. [06:35] You don't have to be a large brand or organisation to Implement ISO 50001. It can be implemented for a business of any size where energy is a significant environmental Impact. [07:05] Hilton's success with ISO 50001: One of the world's largest hotel chains, Hilton was the first global hospitality company to achieve portfolio-wide certification to ISO 50001. The savings have been significant, reducing Hilton's energy intensity by 20.6% and its carbon intensity by 30.0% from a 2008 baseline. [07:55] Bentley's success with ISO 50001: Reduced energy usage by two-thirds for each car produced and by 14% overall for the entire plant, delivering savings of 230 GWh of energy – enough to power 11,500 houses for a year! [09:37] Hitachi's success with ISO 50001: Following the Japanese earthquake disaster in 2011, Hitachi decided to introduce "the smart next-generation factory plan". Following implementation of ISO 50001, the plant reduced 23 % of the contract electricity, 15 % of CO2 emissions and 5 million yen/month of electricity costs. [10:12] Toyota's success with ISO 50001: Implementation of ISO 50001 resulted in a reduction in electricity usage which has translated into cost-savings of more than R4.8 million (Over £210,000!) over a two-year period. The company also generated energy savings of GWh 8.15 across its 14 plants, and reduced its GHG emissions by 7,804 tons. [10:50] Schneider Electric's success with ISO 50001: The company adopted ISO 50001 certification in order to maximise energy performance. Following the certification, the business' energy performance increased by 10.5%, with savings totaling £26,500 over 3 years. [12:15] Want more info on ISO 50001? – Head on over to the isologyhub to get access to a wealth of ISO 50001, and energy management tools For those interested in ISO 50001, we're offering a free copy of the Standard to anyone who signs up for Implementation with us before the 16th June. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is a legal requirement for organisations of a certain size or value. The scheme is designed to make companies look at how they use energy with a view to improving performance. If your organisation qualifies for ESOS, you have until December 5th to comply or complete your phase 3 reporting. Last week Mel explained the Energy Audits route to compliance, which is a process that must be repeated every 4 years. Companies that want to avoid the inevitable rush to get reports submitted before the deadline may want to consider a more long-term commitment to ensure continued compliance, that being the Implementation of ISO 50001. ISO 50001 is the standard for Energy Management, and it goes above and beyond what is required of ESOS. Companies certified to this standard are already considered compliant to ESOS with out the need to complete any additional reporting outside of what is already monitored and measured by the standard. Join Mel this week as she explains what ISO 50001 is, how it complies with ESOS requirements and the key differences between other environmental standards such as ISO 14001. You'll learn ● What is ISO 50001? ● How ISO 50001 complies with ESOS? ● What is the difference between ISO 50001 and ISO 14001? Resources · ESOS · ISO 50001 In this episode, we talk about: [00:50] Watch our previous episode to learn more about Energy Audits [01:00] Reminder: Companies certified to ISO 50001 do not have to carry our Energy Audits. [01:14] What is ISO 50001? This is the Energy Management Standard, a globally recognised best practice framework designed to help manage a companies energy performance, optimise their energy efficiency and reduce their overall impact. [01:50] Why have a Standard for Energy Management? This standard is most appliable for businesses who are looking to put measures in place to reduce their overall environmental impact, specifically in relation to energy management. Businesses who operate data centers or large healthcare facilities will use a lot of energy, many Implement ISO 50001 to help reduce their costs for energy. [02:48] Why Implement ISO 50001 if you already have ISO 14001? – ISO 50001 is specifically aimed at the energy aspect of environmental impact. It helps businesses to take a deeper look at their operations and how their managing energy performance. If you already have ISO 14001, you're already half-way there, and ISO 50001 could easily be integrated as an enhancement to your Management System. [03:25] If you want to claim ESOS compliance, it's important to ensure that your ISO 50001 certification is valid for the compliance date. [03:50] If you want to go down the ISO 50001 route, the time to act in now (April / May 2023) – You will need to factor in a minimum of 6 months to Implement ISO 50001. Need help with this? Contact us! [04:40] There has been an increase in uptake of ISO 50001, which has put a lot of UK certification Bodies under pressure to get Assessments booked in before the ESOS deadline. So get in touch with a few UKAS accredited Certification Bodies ASAP to find out if they can accommodate you in an appropriate time frame. We offer a quote request service for free, simply contact us for more info. [05:50] More about ISO 50001 – It's based on the Plan-Do-Act-Check cycle, which is a familiar structure to a lot of ISO's. Many aspects of ISO 50001 Implementation will be similar to the likes of ISO 9001, i.e. having policies and procedures in place and conducting Internal Audits ect. [06:34] How does ISO 50001 differ from ISO 14001? – The main difference is the requirement for an Energy Review. This is all about understanding how you're using energy as an organisation, then using that information to recommend controls to reduce energy use. [07:43] You will be able to determine your Energy Performance Indicators following on from an Energy Review. These help to establish a clear roadmap and energy controls for reducing energy usage. For example, you could put controls in place for certain equipment, LED light replacements, cycle to work or car share schemes ect. [08:45] What is the benefit of ISO 50001 over Energy Audits?: ISO 50001 puts a whole system in place to continually Improve your energy performance through controls and procedures. Energy Audits will only tell you about your current energy use and provide recommendations for Improvement with no clear roadmap or further incentive to Implement those changes. [09:00] What else is involved with ISO 50001?: Another key aspect of ISO 50001 is the continued monitoring and measurement of energy performance. This can then be reported back to the board so they can see the progress being made. [10:00] What are the key clauses in ISO 50001? ISO 50001 went under a revision in 2018 to align itself with Annex SL, which is common across a lot of other ISO's. The 10 clauses are as follows: · Clauses 1,2,3 – Explanatory clauses. You won't Implement these, they simply provide context and help with key terms and definitions. · Clause 4 – Context of the Organisation · Clause 5 – Leadership · Clause 6 – Planning · Clause 7 – Support · Clause 8 – Operations · Clause 9 – Performance Evaluation · Clause 10 – Improvement [11:00] Want more info on ISO 50001? – Head on over to the isologyhub to get access to a wealth of ISO 50001, and energy management tools For those interested in ISO 50001, we're offering a free copy of the Standard to anyone who signs up for Implementation with us before the 16th June. Tune in next week where we explore the many benefits of Implementing ISO 50001. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

The Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) is a legal requirement for organisations of a certain size or value. The scheme is designed to make companies look at how they use energy with a view to improving performance. If your organisation qualifies for ESOS, you have until December 5th to comply or complete your phase 3 reporting. Over the next few weeks, we will focus on how you can comply with ESOS, starting with Energy Audits. These audits are required by ESOS in order to understand where and how energy is used within the organisations premises and operations. Every audit will recommend cost-effective measures that will save the organisation energy and money, which is the ultimate intention of the legislation. Join Mel this week as she explains what Energy Audits are, what data you need to report on and what final sign-off is required before a report is submitted. You'll learn ● Who needs to comply with ESOS? ● How can you comply with ESOS? ● What are Energy Audits? ● What data do you need to gather? ● Who needs to sign-off the ESOS report before submission? Resources ESOS ISO 50001 In this episode, we talk about: [00:44] The deadline for Phase 3 ESOS reporting is the 5th December. Remember that ISO 50001 is considered a route to compliance if you don't want to go ahead with conducting Energy Audits. [01:32] What is ESOS? ESOS stands for the Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme. It was launched by the department of energy and climate change, Deck, back in July 2013. It was established to comply with Article 8 – an EU directive that was created in 2014. Despite Brexit, any qualifying businesses must still comply. ESOS in simple terms is an energy assessment that must be carried out by its definition of large enterprises. [02:50] Who qualifies for ESOS? Large enterprises as defined by ESOS are businesses that have more than 250 employees and / or an annual turnover exceeding 50 million euro or a balance sheet exceeding 43 million euro. This only applies to the private sector – the public sector is exempt. [03:33] When does ESOS reporting occur? Every 4 years – The first phase staring in 2014, Phase 2 was in 2019 and Phase 3 will have it's deadline this year. [04:08] Why is ESOS important? – No matter where you are in the world, energy reduction is crucial. Businesses should also be well aware of their own energy use and impact, not only to reduce but hopefully offset as part of ongoing sustainability efforts. [04:35] It's estimated that there will be a net benefit of £1.6 billion as a result of ESOS to the UK alone. [04:55] What do you need to do to comply with ESOS? An ESOS assessment requires you to do 3 things: · Measure your total energy consumption · Conduct Energy Audits – to identify cost effective energy reduction recommendations · To report compliance back to the Environment Agency (For the UK, other European countries will have their own authority) [05:42] How can you comply with ESOS? – There are 2 routes to compliance: · Conduct Energy / ESOS Audits · Implement ISO 50001 - Companies certified to this standard are already complying with ESOS, as it goes above and beyond ESOS's requirements. [07:20] What's involved in an ESOS Energy Audit? – You will be required to collect 12 months of energy data, provide cost effective energy reduction recommendations for the areas audited in scope, and findings need to be reviewed by an ESOS Lead Assessor. [08:00] What do you need to consider when collecting data and looking at where reductions can be made? – Facilities – i.e. heating, lighting, ventilation ect. There are a number of energy efficiency initiatives to help reduce costs involved with elements of facility management. It can be something simple like replacing old boilers, using energy efficient Led lighting, reducing working hours in the office, reviewing time settings for lighting, ventilation and heating ect. Many businesses leave unnecessary functions / devices on overnight, start looking at how much energy you're using and where and you'll be able to identify where energy use and costs can be cut. [10:20] Other things to consider are additional warehouses or transportation within your business i.e. fuel consumption, vehicle maintenance ect. [10:53] To truly make a difference, you need to spread awareness within your business about any changes you're making as a result of these energy audits. Including any reminders to them i.e. turning off lights when they leave a premises. [11:05] What do you need to do to carry out an ESOS Energy Audit?: · You need to plan the audit – including establishing the scope · Conduct the audit · Collect data for analysis and identify the opportunities for improvement · Pull together all the documentation in an ESOS evidence pack which will be reviewed and signed off by top management and an ESOS Lead Assessor · Finally, you can submit that evidence pack to the Environment Agency If you need help with any of this – Blackmores can help 😉 [11:45] What are the different data sources you should look at? Meter reading records, delivery notes, automatic meter readings ect. We find that the financial team and facility managers are instrumental in gathering the necessary data. Don't forget to gather any travel information from your drivers of vehicle fleet managers! [12:31] Establishing the scope and documentation – You will need to set the scope and boundaries of the audit, document the methodology for your data collection and recommendations for improvement, document your data sources and identify any gaps. [13:00] Final sign-off: Once everything has been documented in an evidence pack, you need to get this signed off by a director or member of top management and by an ESOS energy assessor. Once done, you can submit this to the Environment Agency Tune in next week where we explore the ISO 50001 route to ESOS compliance. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

Sustainability should be a top priority for any business going into 2023. The last few years' worth of extreme weather have proven that action needs to be taken now to protect our future. But where do you start? While there are a lot of great ideas out there, it's becoming increasingly clear that a standardised approach is needed to keep everything on track. Which is where ISO Standards come into play – having been promoted heavily at the last few COP conferences, there are a whole range of environmental Standards to help businesses manage and reduce their impact. One of the most popular being ISO 14001 (Environmental Management), which was adopted by the subject of today's interview – dotdigital. dotdigital is an online marketing company who specialise in email and SMS marketing automation, tailoring customer experience and providing solid data analysis tools. Mel is joined by Steve Shaw, Chief Product & Technology Officer at dotdigitial, to talk about the positive impacts following on from their successful ISO 14001 implementation, and to explain some of their fantastic sustainable initiatives introduced over the past few years. You'll learn ● Who are dotdigital? ● How do dotdigital manage their Environmental Management System? ● What are dotdigital's sustainable initiatives? ● What have they learned through the implementation of ISO 14001? Resources dotdigital Creativity Inc – by Ed Catmull ISO 14001 In this episode, we talk about: [01:07] Listen to our previous interview with dotdigital – where we discussed their ISO 27001 (Information Security) certification. [01:32] An introduction to Steve Shaw – He is the Chief Product & Technology Officer at dotdigtal, who oversees a lot of their innovators (which comprises of software engineers and those involved with product development and support). He also manages the various acquisitions for the group. [03:15] Who are dotdigital? Dotdigital have been around since 1999, they have evolved and adapted to join the growing SaaS market. They provide a range of automated marketing solutions in addition to a customer experience and data platform. They recently celebrated reaching 400 employees and have become AIM listed. [03:52] What can dotdigital's platform do? Data collection and analysis to build a profile for single or groups of users. This data can then be used in combination with AI and machine learning to create a tailored digital journey with a brand. [05:15] How do dotdigital manage their current ISO 14001 certified system? – Their Management System is an integrated Management System, which provides the business with a central hub to work from. They have an established team who are tasked with the management of their ISO system (this is not a dedicated role for anyone in that team). Part of their role involves looking at the businesses aspects and impacts to see where the biggest consumption of energy is happening, measuring this consumption and setting objectives to help reduce this where possible. [06:51] dotdigital was the worlds first carbon neutral marketing automation platform that was ISO 14001 certified. They also aim to be net zero by 2030! [07:10] They have a relatively small footprint as a primarily digital based company, only really having to consider the running of computers, air conditioning and standard office facilities. So it can be a challenge to reduce! [08:30] What led to the success of dotgreen? – dotdigital launched a group called dotgreen, which has since thrived into a community of likeminded individuals all working together to improve and reduce dotdigital's impact. They were fortunate to have an Executive group sponsor who can take ideas and suggestions to other leadership for consideration. This grassroots group encourages suggestions from everyone – no idea is a bad idea. Over time, the group evolved and helped to develop a sustainability programme for the business. [10:30] What was one of the initiatives implemented from dotgreen? – They identified that existing data centers used by the business weren't always utilising renewable energy. So, over the course of 2 years, they worked with Microsoft to build on their Azure platform to enable dotdigital to make the switch. Azure runs on renewable energy sources, and any remaining emissions can be offset through carbon credits. [12:00] A green option for their customers – As a result of their cloud platform now being run through green partners, they can extend the environmental benefit to their customers. [14:00] A sustainable culture shift – The introduction of dotgreen, it's initiatives and the success of certification to ISO 14001 fostered a shift in the businesses culture. It spread to all aspects of the business – even resulting in their marketing team making the decision to not send out Christmas gifts and instead used the money to buy credits for tree planting. [15:25] What is dotvoice? – Another pillar in the internal mechanisms of dotdigital. This voluntary group look at how they can promote awareness of different issues. One such example was organising interviews to celebrate the women in tech at dotdigital for International Women's Day. [17:10] Adapting – Like many businesses, they had to adapt over Covid to allow for home working. Following on from feedback, they have kept up with hybrid working. This means that meeting in-person usually becomes a big event! They ensure that all employees are taken care of, even creating another pillar called dotwellbeing to offer mental health support. [21:53] Through the use of dotgreen and dotvoice, they promote voluntary days to assist with local initiatives and charities (many of which are their clients – such as the Woodland Trust). [23:20] What have dotdigital learned over the years of maintaining an ISO 14001 certified system? Don't rush for certification if it can be helped, take the time to put the right people and resources in place to start the process. It can be beneficial to enlist the help of a third party to guide you through your first Implementation. ISO 14001 helped to put tools in place to measure aspects and impacts – which in turn assisted with their SECR requirements Manage your system centrally. ISO Standards should be embedded into the business [23:20] Steve's top tips: Get leadership support, look for passionate individuals to get involved, let the Standard guide you and don't be afraid to set lofty goals. [23:20] Steve's book recommendation: Creativity Inc – by Ed Catmull [23:20] Steve's favorite quote: "The only constant in life is change" / "Some people want it to happen, some wish it could happen and others make it happen" You can find out more about dotdigital via their website. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

With the pandemic being the driving force behind more remote working than ever before, health and safety professionals are becoming increasingly tech-savvy. All evidence points to them increasing their reliance on Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions to keep on top of H&S compliance and the ever-changing risks that are presenting themselves to businesses the world over. Companies such as Riskex offer many software solutions to make Health and Safety Professionals' lives easier, by streamlining compliance processes, gathering better safety data and providing total visibility on the performance of risk management. As a result, they keep a keen eye on new technology being adopted by the H&S sector. Mel is joined by James Sharp, Chief Technical Officer at Riskex, to explain the top 10 emerging Software as a Solution trends in Health and Safety. You'll learn ● Who are Riskex? ● Why are people leaning towards SaaS? ● What are the top 10 emerging SaaS trends in health and safety? ● What solutions do Riskex provide? Resources ● Riskex ● AssessNet ● ISO 45001 In this episode, we talk about: [01:40] An introduction to Riskex and James Sharp's role as Chief Technical Officer there. [02:51] What is AssessNet? AssessNet is an online Health and Safety / Risk Management System designed to help streamline compliance processes and make gathering data much easier. [04:00] Riskex have been certified to a number of ISO Standards, including ISO 18001 (Prior Health and Safety Standard, now certifying to the latest version, ISO 45001), ISO 27001 (Information Security) and ISO 9001 (Quality Management) [06:20] Software as a Service became very popular during Covid, as business became very fragmented and were looking for solutions that could be rolled out across multiple sites. Riskex also created their own track and trace system based on established software they were already offering – helping businesses manage Covid safely. [08:40] Trend #1 – Artificial Intelligence - Artificial learning is all around us and with vast volumes of data being collected by safety management platforms. AI allows decision engines to predict and provide guidance based on key trends or established KPI's. For example, if accident rates were to increase but at the same time risk levels have been reducing, it could soon highlight this trend and look at other surrounding data or previous trends to establish a pattern. This will lead to a more pro-active approach to reporting and subsequent decision-making. [10:35] Trend #2 – API Connectivity - Providing an open API platform will allow businesses to integrate internal systems and external services to digest data. As more organisations adopt Cloud solutions, connectivity between platforms has become increasingly important. With a robust API offering, multiple business services can interact with ease and become part of the safety management space, without incurring significant cost or time. [11:50] Trend #3 – Low-Code Optimisation - Developing generic components within software to allow for quicker builds, implementations and tailoring requests. As stand-alone and generic component development increases, solutions can offer more flexibility and self-serve options to the end user to assist them with aligning platforms with their specific processes. [13:30] Trend #4 – Mobile Optimisation - More and more end-users are accessing health and safety software via their mobiles but for various reasons, are not always able to use native apps (installed on the device). Therefore, health and safety software platforms need to adapt use on multiple devices, without the loss of features. [14:45] Trend #5 – Vertical SaaS - Configuring EHS Software to align with the specific risks, terminology and processes that are pertinent to a given sector. As systems continue to grow in terms of sophistication and the ability to customise, so does the need to ensure that they remain User-friendly. A key factor to consider is that each industry has its own set of industry codes of practice, regulations, hazards and risks – and EHS systems need to be designed with these in mind. [15:50] Trend #6 – White Labelling - Integrating 3rd party EHS platforms into a client's corporate brand identity. When it comes to optimising User engagement and embedding technology effectively into business operations, it is important that the look and feel of the system interface is aligned with an organisations branding, company values and mission to create a more cohesive User experience. Riskex have embraced this by offering 'FreshNet' to clients, which can be tailored and aligned with clients existing branding. [17:10] Trend #7 – Centralised Analytics (BI) - Robust Health and Safety management systems rely on an abundance of performance data arising from core processes – Risk Assessments, Audits, Contractor Governance, Incident Management and so on. The sheer volume of information generated by these processes can provide a wealth of positive opportunities to improve safety outcomes, if analysed correctly – which is where BI platforms come in to help provide an overall picture of risk performance management. [19:40] Trend #8 – Micro-SaaS - Deploying discreet elements of a SaaS platform to work as standalone entities to fit a specific customer requirement. Modular-based solutions or smaller SaaS platforms can meet the needs of those organisations that may only require a specific feature, not necessarily a holistic service. [20:30] Trend #9 – Machine Learning – This is a subset of AI, machine learning learns as it goes, picking up trends and offering insights for consideration. [21:27] Trend #10 – Customer Experience - Customer Experience, in terms of both useability and service will outshine complex offerings. As SaaS becoming commonplace from both consumer and commercial perspectives, User's expectations regarding Customer Experience are growing sharply when they are looking to make technology purchase decisions. Successful EHS SaaS vendors put significant focus and investment in optimising the Customer Experience, both in terms of interface and functionality, to reduce the barriers to adoption by focusing on how Users interact with their solutions. [28:00] Businesses usually have a very limited Health and Safety resource. SaaS solutions enables informed decisions to be made despite a lack of human resources available. You can find out more about Riskex via their website. Don't forget to check out their Health and Safety Management software – AssessNet We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

To keep global warming to no more than 1.5°C – as called for in the Paris Agreement – emissions need to be reduced by 45% by 2030 and reach net zero by 2050. Many businesses are already making great strides to reduce their Impact, and while you can reduce, achieving true carbon neutrality will involve offsetting a certain amount of emissions. Treeconomy are one of the few companies in the UK that offer credible carbon credits. Backed by principles of PAS 2060 (Carbon Neutrality), they seek to break the greenwashing cycle. Mel is joined by Harry Grocott, CEO and Co-founder of Treeconomy, to discuss their credible carbon offsetting schemes and the innovative technology they use to help quantify the value of nature. You'll learn ● Who are Treeconomy? ● What is the difference between services offered for landowners and Offset buyers? ● Can you quantify the value of nature? ● How can people be sure that they don't fall prey to Greenwashing? ● How can someone go about buying and monitoring offsetting credits? ● Are Treeconomy's carbon offsetting schemes verified? Resources ● Treeconomy ● Sherwood ● ISO 14064 ● PAS 2060 In this episode, we talk about: [00:30] Catch up our episodes covering the Sustainable Development Goals (Part 1 / Part 2), ISO 14064 and PAS 2060. [01:00] Treeconomy are a company that offer credible carbon offsetting schemes – they are one of the few companies who are recognised by PAS 2060 (the Standard for Carbon Neutrality) [02:05] Harry Grocott (CEO) introduces Treeconomy - A nature based, carbon removal and restoration company that operate in the UK and Internationally. They offer schemes that work towards afforestation, peatland restoration, rewilding ect. They are also keen to enable evidencing the impact, developing a software platform, remote sensing, and AI technology to do so. [03:41] They are part of the Centre for climate change innovation which is an initiative of Imperial College London and the Royal Institution to catalyse innovation of all forms that address the causes and effects of climate change. [04:22] What is the difference in services for Landowners and Offset Buyers? For landowners, Treeconomy can help you change land use from one to another. I.e changing land used for sheep grazing into something more carbon intensive. Treeconomy will ensure that any project started with them is a verified Carbon Scheme – in-line with the woodland carbon code. Once your project set up has been completed and verified, Treeconomy will assist in the sale of credible carbon credits. [07:22] For offset buyers: Treeconomy offer a wide range of projects and varyingly priced carbon credits. [07:45] Can we quantify the value of nature? Short answer right now is no, but there is a lot of nuance. Nature offers ecosystem services i.e. farms offer a calorific benefit, we can put a price on the value that offers. The same principle applies to resources such as wood or oil. Now we are gaining the ability to quantify CO2 removal, which is undeniably valuable to humanity. [09:18] Other more recent services such as biodiversity projects are a bit harder to quantify – as they vary so much depending on the country. However, we are starting to assign value to these. [12:15] How can people be sure that they don't fall prey to Greenwashing? There are 2 main issues to consider: 1) Are your carbon credits credible? 2) what claims are top management making? [12:44] Tackling claims made by leadership: ISO standards are starting to solve this issue. There are clear requirements and certifications that need to be in place to back those claims. [13:00] Tackling carbon credits: The carbon offsetting market is heavily unregulated currently. Essentially it's a lot of people trading in invisible gas. There are a number of carbon standards (Not quite at the same level as ISO Standards), such as the Woodland Carbon Code and the Peatland Code, and Internationally there are standards such as Verra VSC – unfortunately, a lot of these standards aren't very robust and aren't enforced. [15:30] Many companies will often look to buy the cheapest offsets available, which are likely to be non-credible and will provide no evidence of actual offsetting occurring. But, there are a lot of new companies emerging that provide tangible evidence of offsetting (such as Treeconomy 😊) [18:30] How can someone go about buying and monitoring offsetting credits? If you don't want to use a company like Treeconomy, you would need to directly contact and purchase credits from a company who is developing a project. [19:23] Treeconomy have created a platform called Sherwood – this displays all the projects they are helping to develop, which also tells you who the landowners are and the carbon inventory attached to each project. It can also help you evidence credits purchased, whether they are historic or future carbon removal. [21:30] Not many companies offer comprehensive reporting and evidencing of carbon credits in practice. Treeconomy use a range of methods such as drones, satellites and AI programs to report back, and aim to make getting this information as easy as possible for credit purchasers. [23:20] How did Harry get into this business? Starting off studying geography and Science – he later went onto work in finance for 3 years and qualified as a finance adviser. While working he realised that the amount of money available is rarely the issue, rather the use of it. He saw that there was a large gap in funding for climate change mitigation and adaptation – but not enough money was going towards it. He began wondering why more couldn't be invested and so decided to study climate change management and finance (partly though Covid), where he met his co-founder. After getting some Government grant funding, investors and landowner partners, they have flourished over the last 3 years. [27:00] Are Treeconomy's offsetting schemes verified? Yes – they work under the UK woodland carbon code (and soon the peatland carbon code). They are also working to create a new protocol to tackle rewilding, including how the value and progress can be tracked. Internationally they will be working under Verra. [29:05] Treeconomy can help to provide detailed evidence of carbon offsetting thanks to their reporting capabilities, this can be passed onto 3rd party auditors to verify in-line with any carbon Standard. [30:00] You can find Treeconomy via their website, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram 😊 We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

Anyone with a current ISO 27001:2013 certificate will be required to update and add certain elements in their existing Information Security Management System to ensure compliance to ISO 27001:2022 ahead of the October 2025 deadline. Over the past few weeks, our mini-series has covered the fundamental changes to the Standard, along with tips on how to plan and Implement the required updates. Join Mel this week as she explains the final few stages of an ISO 27001 transition, including the Internal Auditing and final preparation ahead of a Certification Body visit. You'll learn ● What needs to be audited? ● What do I need to do to prepare for the Certification Body visit? ● How can you get a free copy of ISO 27001:2022? Resources ● Isologyhub ● ISO 27001 Transition Programme ● What you need to know to transition to ISO 27001:2022 In this episode, we talk about: [00:44] Catch up on the last two episodes before listening to this one: What you need to know to transition to ISO 27001:2022 / What changes need to be Implemented to transition to ISO 27001:2022 [01:00] The last stages are all about gathering evidence of compliance against new and updated clauses and controls [01:28] Make sure you plan your transition visit well in advance – If you leave it too late you may incur additional fees for more days or possibly even for a full certification if you miss the deadline. [02:15] This process for transition is fairly consistent among Certification Bodies. It typically includes a Readiness Review and a transition visit where they will review evidence of compliance against the new controls. [02:45] You can get a free copy if you sign up to our Transition Programme by April 1st 2023) [02:55] The last stage ahead of the transition visit is Internal Auditing. For those still planning their 2023 Internal Audits, you may wish to Implement the changes earlier in the year with a view to audit the changes in the later half of 2023. Ensure that you allow time to build evidence of compliance ahead of a transition visit. [03:45] If you need a bit of extra help, we include Internal Auditing within our transition programme – this will typically take 1 day. [04:30] We can also support you during your transition visit – this could be on-line or on-site, which would depend on your Certification Bodies preference. [05:20] Currently many Certification Bodies are suggesting a half day for the Readiness Review and another day for the transition. Some may choose to include this transition as a part of their annual Surveillance visit to help save on costs. If you have a Surveillance coming up, it's worth getting in contact with them to see what they would recommend regarding your transition. [05:43] We advise that you also ask your Certification Body, when they will be UKAS accredited for ISO 27001:2022 – they may not be ready complete a transition visit until the later half of 2023. [06:35] For our global listeners, your Certification Body will have an Accreditation Body that needs to verify their ability to conduct transition visits. For the UK this is UKAS, but it may differ for other countries. [07:15] Don't leave this until last minute! Based on previous experience with transitions, we've found companies that leave it until a few months before the deadline often can't transition in time, and end up having to pay up for a full Stage 1 and 2 Assessment in order to keep their certification. Grab a copy of our ISO 27001:2022 Guideline to the changes here We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

The updated ISO 27001:2022 has had several changes, including the addition of 11 completely new controls and the merging of 56 other controls into 24 newly titled controls. These changes mean that anyone with a current ISO 27001:2013 certificate will be required to update and add certain elements in their existing Information Security Management System to ensure compliance to ISO 27001:2022 ahead of the October 2025 deadline. Join Mel this week as she explains the changes that need to be made, including what key documentation requires updating to align with ISO 27001:2022. You'll learn ● What changes need to be made to your existing Information Security Management System? ● What key documents need to be updated? ● How can you get a free copy of ISO 27001:2022? Resources ● Isologyhub ● ISO 27001 Transition Programme ● What you need to know to transition to ISO 27001:2022 In this episode, we talk about: [00:44] In the last episode we covered the planning stages for your transition – catch up here [01:02] We have a free 'Guide to the ISO 27001 Changes' available – simply fill out the form at the end of the Show Notes to download your copy [01:29] You should have a copy of ISO 27001:2022 ahead of Implementing the changes (you can get a free copy if you sign up to our Transition Programme by April 1st 2023) [01:35] Before you move onto Implementation, ensure that you have: planned back from your transition date, have an understanding of the new controls and had a Discovery session / Gap Analysis to see where the gaps in your current system are [02:11] This is also a good opportunity to revamp your Management System! We have a few older episodes to help you with this: #102, #103, #104 [02:50] What needs updating? This will include: Your Statement of Applicability Risk Assessment Objectives Action Plans Monitoring and measurement (reviewing what you are monitoring / measuring and how it's recorded Internal Audit Schedule / Programme – To include the new controls [03:45] At this stage you need to look at what controls you have in place – there may be some you can now merge together to reduce any paperwork involved. [04:25] We have some tools available to tackle the new controls (i.e Threat Intelligence, data masking, physical security monitoring ect) if you need some extra help [04:50] It's not just about updating documentation, you will need to fully implement and communication these new controls to the wider business. You may find that you already have some controls covered, but not yet formalised. [05:30] The main aspect of the Implementation phase is to address the gaps found during the Gap Analysis. For example, new controls such as data masking, threat intelligence and web filtering, which you may not have considered seriously before, now need to put formal documented measures in place to address it. [06:26] Communication and evidence should be at the forefront of your mind when updating your Info Sec Management System. [06:39] Don't just implement controls for the sake of it – considering how they are going to reduce risk and how they're going to make a difference to improve your Risk Register and Statement of Applicability. [07:00] The Implementation phase of our Transition Programme is 1-3 days depending on your level of required support [07:54] You should also consider creating a Communication Plan to share knowledge of these changes to the wider business. Make sure you also compile any evidence of training on new elements of your Management System too. We will have Coffee Break Training available on the isologyhub which could help with this. Grab a copy of our ISO 27001:2022 Guideline to the changes here Keep an eye out for next weeks episode where we explain how to complete your ISO 27001:2022 transition. We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

ISO 27001 2022 is here, which means it's time to start thinking about starting the transition process. While the deadline is set at December 2025, we recommend making a start on planning now! If this is all news to you, check out our previous three episodes, where we reviewed all the major changes to ISO 27001, including clause updates and the 11 completely new controls added. Join Mel this week as she explains what you need to know before embarking on your ISO 27001 transition journey, in addition to a summary of our transition programme. You'll learn ● How to plan for your ISO 27001 transition ● How can Blackmores help you? ● How can you get a free copy of ISO 27001:2022? Resources ● Isologyhub ● ISO 27001 Transition Programme ● High level overview of ISO 27001 2022 Control changes In this episode, we talk about: [00:44] Businesses have until October 2025 to transition to the updated version of ISO 27001:2022 – but don't wait until the last minute! Certification Bodies get really booked up in the last year, and you could risk losing your certification and paying for another Stage 1 and 2 Assessment. [01:30] We recommend that you start thinking about your transition in 2023 so you have everything in place to start the process in 2024. [02:28] As a recap – the major changes to ISO 27001:2022 are: 56 controls have been merged into 24 newly titled controls, the addition of 11 completely new controls and controls are now categorised into just 4 groups instead of the 14 from the previous version. [03:00] ISO 27001:2022 Guide to the changes available – Simply fill out the form available at the end of the show notes to grab a copy! [04:25] Over the next few episodes, Mel will talk through the process of planning, implementing and preparation for the Certification Body transition visit. [05:51] All steps of the transition process are laid out in our Transition Programme, which includes: an awareness video, a transition action plan, Implementation of changes, Internal auditing of the changes and some optional support during the Certification Body visit. [08:45] The Planning Phase: We recommend trying to combine your transition visit with your next Surveillance visit – you can have a chat with your CB to see if that's possible. This may not be possible if your Surveillance is coming up very soon, as you need time to implement the changes needed. Those that have it in say 6 or more months' time would be in a good position to make the request. [09:30] Certification Bodies are recommending an extra half day for transition - some may require a desktop review ahead of the actual visit. Combining this visit with your Surveillance is a good way to reduce costs. [10:30] When planning out your timescales for transition, don't forget to inform Leadership and key personnel involved in the running of the Management System about the expected changes to come – and plan in time for them to help with the implementation. [11:10] Understanding the changes: We gave a high-level overview of the 11 new controls in our last episode. We will also have 11 Coffee Break Training courses covering the controls in more detail, available from March 31st 2023 on the isologyhub. [12:11] Offer: We're including a free copy of ISO 27001:2022 for those that sign up to our Transition Programme before April 1st 2023. [12:34] You may get asked for a copy of the Standard at your transition visit – as having a copy can come under 'other' legal requirements. [13:10] Discovery Phase: We have a transition checklist which can help you identify where the gaps are in terms of compliance with the new controls. You may already have some of it in place! Grab a copy of our ISO 27001:2022 Guide to the changes here Keep an eye out for next weeks episode where we dive into how to Implement the changes… We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: ● Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin ● Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List

ISO 27001, The Information Security Standard, was updated in October 2022. While there is a 2-year grace period for transition, we would urge everyone to make a start on implementing the changes to ensure you are compliant with latest best practice standards. Over the last two episodes, we've gone over the key changes and explored the specific clause updates in more detail. As mentioned in the first episode of this mini-series, there have been 11 new controls added to ISO 27001:2022. Mel is once again joined by Steve Mason, Managing Consultant here at Blackmores, to discuss the 11 new controls added to ISO 27001:2022 and their purpose. You'll learn What are the 11 new controls in ISO 27001:2022? Why have these been added? What is their purpose? Resources Isologyhub NIST Cyber Essentials ISO 22301 In this episode, we talk about: [01:00] A quick overview of the key changes - 56 Controls combined into 24 newly titled controls, 11 new controls added and 58 existing controls remained unchanged. [02:30] We have been over a few of the new controls in ISO 27002:2022 in more detail in a few previous episodes: #111, #112, #113, #114 [02:50] These new controls are nothing to worry about – they are simply aligning the Standard with more modern security considerations. You may already be complying with them! [03:32] Control A.5.7 Threat intelligence – 'To provide awareness of the organization's threat environment so that the appropriate mitigation actions can be taken.' – This can come from many different sources, such as the NCSC or local police websites. There are also additional tools you can add to detect possible phishing attacks. This also includes consideration to external threats – Information Security is about much more than just protecting data! It also includes physical security. [05:33] Control A.5.23 Information security for use of cloud services – "To specify and manage information security for the use of cloud services." – More and more businesses reply on cloud-based computing. It's important to verify the security of your service provider to ensure it's adequate. You can check to see if they have any valid Information Security related credentials such as CSA Star, Cyber Essentials, SOC. You could also adopt principles of ISO 27017 (certification for cloud security), ISO 27018 (Protection of PII in the public cloud) and ISO 27701 (PII security Standard). [08:30] Control A.5.30 ICT readiness for business continuity –' To ensure the availability of the organization's information and other associated assets during disruption' – There a few standards that could assist with this, including ISO 27031 (ICT readiness for Business Continuity). Those that have ISO 22301 may want to look at how ISO 27001 elements can be integrated and improved in any disaster recovery plans. ISO 27001 needs to be an integral part of any business continuity plans – not just a bolt on. Small business may not want to conduct a full business impact analysis, but should carry out a risk assessment around business continuity at the very least. [11:30] Control A.5.30 ICT readiness for business continuity – further considerations: A key focus of this part of the Standard is Recovery Time Objectives and Recovery Point Objectives. Overall, the whole business continuity aspect of the updated ISO 27001:2022 may take a bit of work to implement, but you will ultimately be much better off in the event of a disaster or security incident. For further guidance, you may want to check out an older non-certifiable standard, BS 25777 (ICT continuity). [13:20] Control A.7.4 Physical security monitoring –' To detect and deter unauthorized physical access.' - This can include things like CCTV, access control, swipe cards ect. This also includes the ability and regular practice of monitoring these access methods, for the purpose of detecting any anomalies. [18:56] Control A.8.9 Configuration management – 'To ensure hardware, software, services and networks function correctly with required security settings, and configuration is not altered by unauthorized or incorrect changes' – Configuration for things like a firewall, software, any hardware devices, passwords ect should be documented, explained and monitored on a regular basis to ensure nothing has been changed without notifying the relevant people. ISO 20000 includes a helpful section around configuration if you require further guidance. [21:41] Control A.8.10 Information deletion – 'To prevent unnecessary exposure of sensitive information and to comply with legal, statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements for information deletion.' – This already existed in the Standard, it has simply been clarified further. You will now need to prove that data has been deleted as required, if you use a 3rd party for this, they will need to provide the relevant certificates. [22:05] Control A.8.11 Data Masking – 'To limit the exposure of sensitive data including PII, and to comply with legal, statutory, regulatory and contractual requirements.' – You have 3 options for data masking: Obfuscation, pseudonymisation and annoymisation. This also helps to comply with GDPR requirements. [24:10] Control A.8.12 Data leakage prevention – 'To detect and prevent the unauthorized disclosure and extraction of information by individuals or systems.' – This control has made a return from the 2005 version of ISO 27001. Businesses should have systems in place to monitor any particularly large data downloads – or even possibly large print batches. You should also ensure that you have a secure email system in place as well as VPN's and regular security training to sure up your security to prevent any potential leaks. [27:00] Control A.8.16 Monitoring Activities – 'To detect anomalous behaviour and potential information security incidents.' – Appropriate monitoring should be in place to detect any potentially dangerous or malicious behavior. [28:00] Control A.8.23 Web Filtering – 'To protect systems from being compromised by malware and to prevent access to unauthorized web resources.' – Your systems should be set up in a way to prevent people from accessing unsecure or unsavory sites. This could include Social Media sites – but be mindful that there may have to be exceptions for marketing or communications personnel for those particular sites. [28:00] Control A.8.28 Secure Coding – 'To ensure software is written securely thereby reducing the number of potential information security vulnerabilities in the software.' – If you have created your own secure coding, be sure to evaluate it against industry professional standards such as OWASP and NIST. As a reminder, we'll be running a mini-series through January and February on the updated ISO 27001:2022 in addition to how you can transition to the new version. Keep an eye out for next weeks episode where we dive into the clause clarifications and control changes of ISO 27001:2022… We'd love to hear your views and comments about the ISO Show, here's how: Share the ISO Show on Twitter or Linkedin Leave an honest review on iTunes or Soundcloud. Your ratings and reviews really help and we read each one. Subscribe to keep up-to-date with our latest episodes: Stitcher | Spotify | YouTube |iTunes | Soundcloud | Mailing List