Coordinated management systems cut costs

A new international network, SCA Management Systems Coordination Network, has been formed to coordinate the Group’s management systems and certification. The goal is to simplify the certification process within the company.

Solveig Eriksson with her dogs Management systems are important instruments in guiding the company’s operations effectively. Development has moved from separate systems within such areas as environmental management and quality management, to integrated management systems in which everything from environmental and quality to health, safety, business risks and energy issues are covered – all of which can today be certified or verified in accordance with various international standards.

“The purpose of the network is first and foremost to try to coordinate third-party certifications – that is, external parties that certify our operations. Currently, there are at least 200 different certification companies within SCA’s operations. The idea is to cut these down to one, alternatively two or three global companies that can take a larger approach,” says Solveig Eriksson, head of operations systems within SCA Forest Products and Chairman of the SCA Management Systems Coordination Network.

Coordination is key

She explains that coordination is important for financial reasons. Through joint procurement of a few global players, many more areas can be covered within the scope of the same certificate.

“The goal is to have one global certificate for SCA, whereby the entire group would be certificated under one hat. This is very common today and functions as a type of umbrella certificate, in which we would, of course, still report fulfillment of the standards within each area – environment, quality and such,” relates Solveig Eriksson.

Saving resources

Accordingly, one of the key responsibilities of the network is to monitor and influence the creation of new international standards. In addition, the Group’s internal audit services must be coordinated.

“Most of the management systems involve internal audits, that is, we must audit ourselves within different areas, in the mills and other departments. This is resource-demanding and, therefore, we shall attempt to create routines to assist one another. In this manner, we can save resources and spread knowledge about the company,” Solveig Eriksson points out.