Standards are not only a key value for International Food Services (IFS) in its maritime catering services, but it is also a key value for the way the company operates.
In the area of Health and Safety, the Bureau Veritas has awarded new ISO45001 certificates for
our offices in Poland and in Singapore, as well as a recertification for the headquarters in Belgium.
“These certificates were awarded after the culmination of a long process where we had to demonstrate our plans and mitigations in place,” says Agnieszka Sloma, the IFS Quality, Health, Safety and Environment (QHSE) officer.
Bureau Veritas conducts an audit process to be able to issue these certificates and IFS was
able to present a robust management system that merited the new certificates, as well as the recertification.
ISO 45001 is an internationally recognized standard that aims to improve occupational safety and the protection of health at work, while also minimising the risk of occupational diseases, by establishing a series or procedures that increase prevention and also the mitigation of risks.
“The benefits of the certification are enhanced safety and protection of employees, prevention of
occupational diseases and incidents, and increased motivation and improved well-being within the company,” says Sloma.
The certificate also enables IFS to be compliant with certain regulations in the countries where it operates.
The move is part of the IFS Zero Accidents Programme (ZAP), which includes monthly safety updates for all staff over email, and the quarterly introduction of online training for different health and safety topics, via the IFS Coach app.
IFS Coach is the online platform for training of our staff and also Chief Cooks who work on
board the vessels in which we operate.
Earlier this year IFS obtained in Belgium the ISO 9001 certificate, which reaffirmed the quality of
the company’s management systems at its headquarters in Merksem.
