FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2007-02-15

New management systems accreditation programs to address safety and security

The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) today announced the launch of three new accreditation programs in the areas of food safety, information security and occupational health and safety.

"SCC recognizes that it needs to be at the forefront of growing public concern over issues such as the safety of our food supply and security of personal information," explained Pat Paladino, Director of Conformity Assessment with the Standards Council of Canada. "These accreditation programs provide effective tools for increasing consumer confidence and reducing risk."

The new initiatives build on the success of SCC’s existing programs for the accreditation of organizations certifying quality management systems (ISO 9001) and environmental management systems (ISO 14001). The expanded offerings will allow accredited certification bodies to certify food safety management systems (ISO 22000), information security management systems (ISO/IEC 27001) and occupational health and safety management systems (CAN/CSA Z1000, ANSI Z10 or BSI 18001).

Management system standards provide a framework for effective business practices, allowing organizations to identify and implement goals, track progress and continuously identify areas for improvement. They can deliver a range of benefits from enhanced productivity, to improved performance and reduced exposure to risk.

The Standards Council of Canada is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective standardization in Canada.  It facilitates the development and use of national and international standards and offers accreditation services with the goal of enhancing Canada’s economic competitiveness and social well-being. For more information, visit www.scc-ccn.ca or email [email protected].

Background Information

Accreditation by SCC demonstrates that the organization has met the international standard for management system certification bodies and is able to competently assess its clients' management systems.

Based on the international standard, ISO 22000, food safety management systems provide a framework for effectively managing food safety responsibilities. They can be applied to all organizations in the food chain from “farm to fork, including producers of food equipment, packaging material, cleaning agents, additives and ingredients.

Using the ISO/IEC 27001 standard, information security management systems provide a framework for establishing, implementing, operating, monitoring and improving information security.  ISO/IEC 27001 is designed to ensure appropriate security controls that protect information assets and give confidence to an organization’s customers. 

Occupational health and safety management systems provide a framework for managing an organization’s occupational health and safety responsibilities. Occupational health and safety management systems standards such as CAN/CSA Z1000, ANSI Z10 and BSI 18001 enable an organization to improve its occupational health and safety performance, and thus reduce or prevent occupational injuries, illnesses, and fatalities.

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