Multisite certification at BTE

Recently I spoke with Klaas Huijgen, QHSE manager of the BTE Group, about their intended multisite certification with Kiwa. Plan is to do this for ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, Concrete Sustainability Council (CSC) and the Dutch CO2 Prestation ladder.

The BTE Group consists of 8 concrete companies and 1 concrete technology center, each with their own specialisms. BTE operates in 95% of all construction sites in West Europe.

The sites have local management. These managers are in the central management as well.

A huge reduction on the certification cost for ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001, compared with the regular single site certification, is reasonable.

Klaas has a rather good experience with the auditors of Kiwa. Once in about 2 years, Klaas organizes a meeting on the relationship between BTE and Kiwa. Kiwa attends with some managers and BTE with Klaas and the general manager.

Klaas has already implemented the multisite management system at all the BTE sites in a pragmatic way, with policies, procedures, etc. This system is web-based, from Comm'ant. Klaas mentioned that BTE only implements ISO certification at a site when there is a real business case.

Based on the IAF.MD1, the mandatory document for the audit and certification of a management system operated by a multi-site organization, BTE needs to identify the so-called central function. This will consist of Klaas Huijgen, the general manager and possible some other, central coordinating people like operations. Next to the sites to be sampled, the central function will be audited annually. Certifiers like to audit the Head Quarters each year. Based on the MD1 this is not needed, this will cost extra audit days. Further the central conducted activities/processes for the sites needs to be addressed in the audit plan.

Internal audits and management reviews are done locally. Klaas receives the reports. Based on the MD1 from the IAF for multisite certification, he has to take care, amongst others, for a:

central coordination of the internal audits

central review of the corrective actions from internal and external audits.

and a central management review, based on local input

Klaas is already reviewing the local reported KPI’s, with central management. This could be the base for the centralized management review.