Norse achieves environmental certification
May 2011

Norse Commercial Services has achieved ISO 14001 standard certification for its Environmental Management Systems (EMS).

The award has allowed Norse to establish an EMS to control the environmental impacts of its activities and services, and to continually improve its environmental performance.

An initial review was completed by an environmental consultant during September 2009, following which the EMS was then established and implemented. There were two assessments; stage one in January 2011 which was a document review and two site visits, with the stage two assessment completed in March 2011. This was a more detailed visit including following up on findings reported from the stage one assessment, further site visits, interviewing members of staff and a detailed document review.

According to Barry Smith, Norse’s Environmental Manager, “The implementation of the EMS was a massive activity and will continue to be so in order to make sure we retain this important certification.”

The divisions of Norse which are covered by the ISO Standard are Catering, Cleaning, Grounds, Interprint (the company’s printing arm,) News (the Waste Transfer Stations, Materials Recycling facility and Landfill Site operation), Event Guard, Norsecare, Norfolk County Hall facilities management, Transport, Community Equipment Services and Building Maintenance.