Certification of Management Systems to ISO 50001: policies for improving energy efficiency, reducing costs and meeting customer expectations

ISO 50001 "Energy Management Systems" is an international standard designed to help organisations achieve continuous improvement of their energy performance, including energy efficiency and energy use and consumption

ISO 50001 certification therefore helps public and private businesses of all types and sizes develop a systematic approach to energy management, aimed at improving energy use, efficiency and consumption, thus yielding economic and environmental benefits alike.

ISO 50001

Like most standards relating to management systems, the structure of ISO 5001 is based on the Deming cycle (continuous improvement) and on the "plan-do-check-act" approach. The criterion is therefore to plan and act on the basis of the objectives identified. In order to deal effectively with energy problems, it is first necessary to analyse and evaluate the main critical points and then define operational solutions to manage them. Once the identified measures have been implemented, their efficiency is evaluated and any new weak points are analysed. On the basis of this checking phase, the planning cycle restarts with the setting of new objectives.

The latest edition of the standard, dated 2018, has been revised on the basis of the high-level structure (HLS) common to all ISO standards for management systems. This will make it easier to integrate with other management system certifications, such as ISO 9001 on quality management systems and ISO 14001 on environmental management systems.

The system is based on several key principles:

  • a clearly defined and stated energy policy with objectives, targets, programmes and resources;
  • monitoring of legal requirements governing energy usage and consumption and energy efficiency;
  • knowledge of significant energy uses and consumption;
  • continuous improvement of energy performance;
  • training and raising the awareness of personnel within the organisation;
  • traceability of the actions undertaken to achieve objectives and operational control;
  • keeping documentary records.

The voluntary approach to the standard enables organisations to set the objectives to be achieved and the respective time-frames for achieving them, thus reducing costs by means of a system-based approach, while also helping improve the environment.

 

The benefits of ISO 50001 certification

Applying an effective energy management system enables organisations to:

  • improve their energy performance and reduce costs by means of systematic energy management;
  • organise, develop, maintain and improve an energy management system conforming to their stated energy policies;
  • raise awareness among users/employees/customers/citizens of responsible use of energy resources;
  • reduce greenhouse gas emissions;
  • monitor compliance with mandatory legislation concerning energy;
  • strengthen the organisation's policy on environmental sustainability.

 

Why opt for certification from IMQ?

The more authoritative the awarding body, the higher the value of your management system certification in the market. IMQ is Italy’s leading conformity assessment body and is one of the top players by number of certifications issued, within the framework of management system certification. Its auditors operate nationwide and, backed up by long experience and up-to-date skills, provide a useful service not only to organisations, but also to the latter’s customers, consumers and stakeholders.

 Certification for CSQ schemes is awarded to organisations that operate in accordance with the applicable standards. Certificates are valid for three years. The audits are planned on the basis of the customer’s requirements and in accordance with international standards. After the award of the certificate, the organisation undergoes periodic audits and an overall system review every three years. The auditors make on-site visits to organisations to analyse their ability to plan and manage their business processes. Management system certification is the endorsement enjoyed by organisations that have chosen to equip themselves with efficient management systems and suitable skills and structures, aimed at continuous improvement. And the higher the prestige of the awarding body, the higher the value of the guarantee. Equipped with state-of-the-art technology, our laboratories have full capability to put products through all the checks required by the major European directives and international standards. The certifications issued by IMQ are synonymous with trust. They guarantee safety, performance, efficiency and quality standards. More than 10,000 companies have turned to IMQ to certify their products and stand out on the market. Notified body for the main EU directives, IMQ offers tests and CE certifications to assess the conformity of the products to the requirements required to be marketed on the European market. Inspections and audits validate the conformity of electrical installations, equipment, supplies and services with the applicable technical and legislative specifications.