Cognis obtains global quality and enviroment certificat

13-Dec-2000

As the culmination of a two-year preparation process, Cognis will now receive its global quality and environment certificate on December 11, 2000 - the first chemical company in the world to do so. The audit checked not only compliance with the international standards ISO 9001 (quality) and 14001 (environmental management) but also covered occupational safety/health and safety. The certificate, issued by the internationally recognized Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Zertifizierung von Qualitätsmanagement Systemen (DQS) will be presented by their Managing Director, Stefan Heinloth, at Cognis headquarters in Roermond.

Cognis, an independent subsidiary of the Düsseldorf-based Henkel Group, has set itself high standards for integrated management with its SHEQ Management System (safety, health, environment, quality): "Being awarded the certificate is by no means the end of the road; we ourselves must constantly review our performance and continue to evolve," states Amat Kane, head of SHEQ Management at Cognis, "but the investment of a six-digit sum in auditors fees alone was well worthwhile, since our world certificate is credible proof of our quality, efficiency and responsibility as a manufacturer - wherever Cognis operates on this planet." The certification documents a globally uniform standard of quality from Cognis. With SHEQ, Cognis not only standardizes its processes but improves the overview of the state of the art within the Cognis organization worldwide and makes it possible to carry out benchmarking of individual Cognis sites.

The certificate has been issued for a period of three years, and the DQS auditors will be checking the company's continued compliance at regular intervals.

The audit process was based not only on legal framework conditions but also on Cognis' World Integrated Management Manual in which the company has laid down its own yardsticks for efficient quality and environmental management. In particular, this stresses the individual responsibility of Cognis employees. "Our fundamental aim is to create an organization and a working climate where each single employee is aware of his/her own significance and responsibilities and acts accordingly," explains Dr. Harald Wulff, CEO of Cognis, "Each single one of us should regularly stop and reflect: What have I really done this week that will take us a step forward in any of the four dimensions of our vision?"

https://www.chemeurope.com/en/news/503/cognis-obtains-global-quality-and-enviroment-certificat.html