SPI ISO 14001 Preferred Registrar Program

The SPI OHEIC Committee has created a Preferred Registrar Program for member companies seeking third-party audit and registration under ISO 14001.

The initiative allows SPI member companies to choose from among several pre-screened registrars that offer high-quality service, as well as reduced rates and other incentives available only to those using this SPI preferred provider program.

ISO 14001 is an international, voluntary standard that specifies the minimum elements for an effective environmental management system (EMS). It was published in 1996 by the International Organization for Standardization and adopted as the U.S. national EMS standard by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Many plastics industry companies are seeking conformance with the standard, as it may be required or encouraged by their customers. Conformance may be particularly important for companies that sell, or plan to sell, products or services in Europe and Asia.

Many companies that have implemented the standard have found that it can provide a number of benefits, such as improvements in environmental and compliance performance, cost control and savings, risk reduction, a competitive edge and an enhanced image with the public, regulators and other stakeholders.

While third-party registration is not mandated by the voluntary standard, some companies have found independent assessment to be a marketing advantage. In addition, some large companies have mandated third-party registration as proof of conformance to the standard.

To create the preferred registrar list, SPI did all the "homework" for members, interviewing accredited registrars, checking references and negotiating incentives for companies using the Program. Criteria used included experience in the plastics industry, thoroughness of process, qualifications of auditors and whether the organization also provided registration for other standards, such as ISO 9001. All companies selected for the Preferred Registrar Program are accredited by the ANSI Registrar Accreditation Board.

ISO 14001 registrars chosen for preferred status by SPI include, in alphabetical order:

• Det Norske Veritas, www.dnvcert.com, contact: Earl Hudspeth, (281) 721-6818.
  
  
• NSF International Strategic Registrations, Ltd., www.nsf-isr.org, contact: Bob Carter, (734) 827-6848.
  
  
• Perry Johnson Registrars , www.pjr.com/ems.htm#ISO14000; contact: Richard J. Powals, (800) 800-7910, ext. 4777.
  
  
• Underwriters Laboratories, Inc., www.ul.com/services/quality.htm , contact: Tom Scully, (631) 271-6200, x-22835. See also www.ul.com/plastics.

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