GCL INTL are going through the final stage of the accreditation process with UKAS for ISO 50001 certification. The base accreditation standard is ISO 17021:2011, however, there is another standard, which is currently being developed that will also be used by the Accreditation Bodies when it is finally published.
ISO 50001 Accredited Certification – The standard, ISO 50003 – Energy management systems — Requirements for bodies providing audit and certification of energy management systems. The document is currently at Draft International Standard level, ISO/DIS 50003.
The main points of the standard address the processes to be used when calculating the time required to conduct a ISO 50001 audit, the competence requirements for auditors and head office staff dealing with enquiries and reviewing reports making certification decisions.
GCL INTL are one of several Certification Bodies on the UKAS Pilot Scheme for ISO 50001 Accreditation and following a pre-defined Programme. The reason for this is that ISO 50003 is still a Draft International Standard, so when ISO 50003 is published, this Pilot Programme will be withdrawn by UKAS and Certification Bodies will be expected to adapt their systems to meet ISO 50003 in as short a timescale as practicable, but no more than 18 months after publication. We are aligning our system now to meet the requirements of ISO/DIS 50003 for the following reasons:
1) to reduce the cost of designing and implementing additional actions to meet requirements.
2) to ensure that we don’t have to go back to existing clients already certified by us and request additional information and waste their time.
It is anticipated that we will finish our part of the accreditation process before the end of 2013.
For more information about the ISO 50001 Standard, visit the ISO web site by clicking on this link http://www.iso.org/iso/home/standards/management-standards/iso50001.htm
For any enquiries relating to ISO 50001 Certification Process please send an email in the first instance to enquiry@gcl-intl.com