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SAFER, SMARTER, GREENER

MANAGE YOUR WAY FROMCOMPLIANCE TO EXCELLENCEDNV GL - Audits tailored to your challenges

Turning risk into rewardsCompanies today, regardless of size, face ever increasingdemands for profitability, quality, and technology thatcontributes to sustainable development.

As a manager looking to turn these pressures into acompetitive advantage, you need to develop an efficientmanagement system tailored to your business processes anduse it systematically to maintain and constantly improve yourcompany’s overall performance. Stakeholder scrutiny has neverbeen more widespread and intense than today.

While the business to business market accepts controlled risk,society and consumers are increasingly moving towards zero

risk tolerance. In turn, regulators and institutions are respondingto this with stricter, more comprehensive regulations anddetailed reporting requirements.

As a result, companies are forced to adapt to the newreality, where legal and regulatory compliance has becomethe minimum standard. Companies that excel react to thenew conditions by moving beyond compliance as part ofa competitive strategy. In this scenario, risk management isbecoming core to business and management processes as away of staying ahead of the game.

DNV GL - Business Assurance, 1400 Ravell Dr., Katy, TX, Tel: +1 877 368 3530

Why implement a management system?How do companies manage the multitude of challenges theyare facing? They develop processes and performance standardsto measure and meet these challenges; they integrate businessprinciples in management systems. Some companies take aholistic approach, bringing quality, environment, health andsafety issues together in a single system.

However, many companies do not extract the full valuefrom their management systems because they are generallyperceived as a tool to maintain status quo rather than ameans to manage change and improvement. Yet an effectivemanagement system must add value to the business, essentiallyby doing things better, cheaper or faster as the system maturesand develops.

The main management system standards emphasise continualimprovement. Implementing a management system gives youthe opportunity to focus on optimizing the areas that mattermost to you and your stakeholders.

Why have your management system certified?There are a number of reasons for a company to have itsmanagement system certified by a third party certificationbody. A ticket to trade is often a strong initial motivatingfactor. Regulatory requirements may be another reason andthe demands of globalization, with its insistence on moresophisticated processes and more precise accountability ofbusiness conduct to a multitude of stakeholders, is yet another.In these cases, companies seek independent assessmentand certification of their management systems as a meansof documenting compliance. However, the most compellingreason may simply be that top management sees added valuein getting a reputable third party to audit their management

systems independently, report their findings and document theresult by issuing a certificate.

Management needs to be ahead of the game and can ill affordincidents caused by lack of control to affect the value of theirbrand. All companies today are subject to a much higher level ofscrutiny from all stakeholders. The demand for transparency withrespect to what footprint you leave on the environment, howsafely you manage your operations, and how you continuallyimprove quality are some of the demands businesses faceacross the world. So communication on how you manage risk iskey to building trust and confidence.

The implementation and certification of a managementsystem tell your stakeholders that you have embarked on thejourney of continuous performance improvement with regardsto quality, environment or safety related issues. Externalvalidation helps companies continually improve its strategies,operations and levels of service. Choosing the right certificationbody guarantees you an objective third party validation andbenchmarking of your management system. It will take youbeyond the mere compliance certification onto a path where theapproach is risk based. By turning the focus to the risks posingthe greatest challenges, you will reap rewards from havingembarked on a journey of continual improvement.

Risk based certification ™Companies face risks every day; they are part of normalbusiness life. In a climate where undesirable events as well asmissed opportunities may impact on profits and shareholdervalue, it is crucial to strike the right balance between riskadversity and conscious risk-taking. To do this it is essential tounderstand the complex picture of not only financial but alsotechnological, environmental and social risks relevantto your company.

DNV GL - Business Assurance, 1400 Ravell Dr., Katy, TX, Tel: +1 877 368 3530

Risk Based Certification, our new approach to managementsystem certification, is specifically designed to help you buildand maintain systems that assess and mitigate these risks,assisting you on your road towards growth and value creation.Based on the recognition that each company is different andhas its own specific needs, DNV GL’s Risk Based Certificationbrings each audit even closer to your company focus. We addvalue to the general approach offered through certification tointernational standards by inviting management to list the issuesof greatest concern. The identified focus areas receive specificattention during the next audit. In this way, we can tailor auditsto focus on what is most important to your business whilechecking compliance with the elected standard.

The capability of your management system to address yourchallenges are assessed in each audit and previous resultsare used to build a baseline for evaluating improvements. Theaudit report gives you immediate feedback on your focus areas,allowing you to increase your knowledge and understandingof how they impact on daily operations. You will gain moreknowledge on how these challenges might be linked and ontheir overall potential effect on company goals. In this way, theaudit output moves beyond compliance evaluation to becomean effective management tool, helping you to achieve continualperformance improvement and compete effectively in adynamic and changing business environment.

In DNV GL you will find a supportive and proactive partner whohelps you maintain and develop your management system ina way that remains consistent with your business objectives.By providing better information to top management on theorganization’s ability to meet strategic objectives, we offer yougreater value than any other certification body.

The path to sustainable growthUnderstanding and finding solutions to your strategicchallenges through a tailored approach and effective evaluationis the cornerstone of DNV GL’s Risk Based Certification. Byfocusing on the relationship between your business goals andoperational processes, Risk Based Certification helps youidentify and mitigate risk, increases your ability to meetobjectives, and enhances stakeholders’ trust in your company.Risk Based Certification assesses your critical issues, allowingyou to streamline your own resources and processes. You canreduce time spent reacting to events, and define your owncustomised path towards business improvement andsustainable growth. This continuous journey that your companyand DNV GL take together is a unique process tailored to yourspecific needs, focusing on what is important to you.

Benefits of combined or integrated certificationIndividual management systems address internal processesrelated to areas such as quality, health and safety, and theenvironment. There is a high degree of compatibility betweenthe standards. You can either combine different managementsystems in parallel or you can implement one integratedmanagement system. Whether you choose to combine systemsor an integrated approach, all of your company’s critical areascan be evaluated and certified in a single certification audit.

Certifying your management systems simultaneously willsave you time, effort and investment while increasing theeffectiveness of all your management systems. DNV GL offersyou a combined or integrated certification service designed toenable cost-effective and added-value audits throughout thecertification process.

Facing the future togetherDNV GL takes a true partnership approach to certification.You provide input on which operational processes are mostcrucial to your business success. We evaluate how you performin these key areas, while also checking compliance with theelected standard. For companies operating internationally, coherence and consistency in performance across geographic and cultural boundaries are a challenge.

DNV GL has the organization, knowledge and skills to manageglobal, multi-standard certification projects. As your challengeschange, so will the focus of our audits, helping you to continually mitigate risks and maximize opportunities. At the heart of our partnership approach you will find a commitment to support you on the journey towards business excellence.

DNV GL - A commintment to excellenceDNV GL’s staff goes through one of the most stringent auditortraining and qualification programs in the business. Our auditorsspeak your language and know your local needs, customs andmarkets. They know the business you are in and are trained tounderstand the challenges you face, and they understand therelationship between your business goals and the operationalprocesses of your company. Their comprehensive industryknowledge make them uniquely positioned to give you valuablefeedback on the soundness of your company’s managementsystem. For years, we have been the preferred certificationpartner for Fortune 500 companies, as well as for medium andsmaller businesses. At the heart of our partnership approach,you will find a commitment to support you on your journeytowards business excellence. We work with you to tune the certification process to your business vision and objectives. Through our global network of local resources, DNV will deliver Risk Based Certification with top quality every time, everywhere.

DNV GL - Business Assurance, 1400 Ravell Dr., Katy, TX, Tel: +1 877 368 3530 Version 3.12.14

For more information contact us:ContactUs@dnvgl.comwww.dnvglcert.com