SAI

CLEVELAND, Jan. 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- SAI Global has certified St. Elizabeth Hospital of Appleton, Wisconsin, part of Affinity Health System, to ISO 14001. This environmental management system certification represents Affinity's environmental commitment.

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ISO 14001 is an international standard developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) through dedicated technical committees representing approximately 150 countries around the world. Its purpose is to enable an organization to develop and implement a policy committing it to prevention of pollution, compliance with legal and other requirements, and continual improvement.

Affinity was looking for a driver that would help them increase awareness within their environmental surroundings while linking all departments, existing business strategy and goals, and culture to move beyond compliance in their journey of continuous improvement. SAI Global partnered with Affinity to help develop and implement each step of the certification process.

Applying an Environmental Management System helped Affinity recognize current issues and become fully aware of their surroundings on an environmental level. With commitment from top management and a dedicated process improvement team of environmental champions, they focused on planning and developing a robust ISO 14001 Environmental Management System. Iqbal Mian, Sustainability Team Leader for Affinity Health System, stated that "when we met with SAI Global auditors, it provided a real eye opener to the flexibility of the ISO 14001 process. We felt we spoke the same language, which was key in the certification process."

The results have garnered an ISO 14001 certificate of registration for St. Elizabeth Hospital. Today, Affinity operates an Environmental Management System that analyzes all operations and services within their influential control, and attempts to reduce impact to people and planet to advance prosperity of their community. Gary Kusnierz, Vice President of Performance Excellence for Affinity Health System, said "this exciting achievement not only affirms our commitment to continuous improvement, but it helps us understand our ecological footprint in health care as we strive to perform beyond compliance."

Mr. Mian furthered this enthusiasm, adding, "SAI Global took the time to understand our organization and our continuous improvement culture. Overall, the level of quality, professionalism and humanity of SAI Global auditors was extraordinary."

SAI Global was the first registrar to achieve North American accreditation for ISO 14001, and remains a leader in providing local, customized service. SAI Global's auditors are trained, capable and motivated to bring value and credibility to the Environmental Management System while assessing its conformity to ISO 14001. The company offers its customers support from dedicated environmental product managers.

To read more about this customer success story click here. Visit our Environmental Resource Library to gain access to free webinars and more from SAI Global, a leader in the Environmental Management System industry.

About SAI Global

SAI Global helps organizations manage risk, achieve certification and drive improvement by providing training, registration audits, and supplier management programs that can improve business performance. With more than 800 auditors and 24,000 registrations worldwide, SAI Global is a worldwide leader committed to exceptional customer service and advancing business excellence. The company provides independent audits, assessments and certification of business processes to ensure compliance with industry standards or other customer specific requirements. SAI Global is focused on how compliance with these standards can improve an organization's efficiency, economy and profitability.

CONTACT: Amore Haydu, +1-216-654-0871, amore.haydu@saiglobal.com

SOURCE SAI Global