Today we sat down with Pedro López and Pierre Marchadier, Global SHE Director and General Manager at Iberchem Indonesia, respectively. Our team at Iberchem Indonesia has recently received the ISO 45001 certification by SGS. This certificate reflects that our company has successfully achieved the implementation of the Safety Management System with international standards.

What are the advantages of adopting ISO 45001?

Pedro López (P.L.) – ISO 45001 has been the most widely-used safety standard in the world since its appearance in 2018. It replaced OHSAS 18001 and provides a framework to develop a robust safety management system that is also fully integrable with other ISO-based management systems, such as 9001 for Quality Control and 14001 for Environmental Control. Standardization is the easiest way to replicate a business management model, assuring efficiency and continuous improvement.

This standard refers to broader issues such as occupational well-being. What measures have been implemented to meet this challenge?

P.L – At Iberchem, occupational health and safety management also has implications for employee well-being by means of assessment and preventive actions. Psychosocial surveys are carried out periodically in order to identify areas of improvement, working together with the employees´ representatives on the health and safety committee. Empathy, motivation, and responsibility give our employees a purpose in their daily duties, and we also look after our employees´ well-being, supporting them when necessary.

In this context of Management Systems, how do you envisage the future? What are the next steps?

P.L – In the immediate future, we will continue to develop our management systems to ensure that we will always be a successful company and provide the best possible service to our customers and stakeholders. ISO standards are also related to specific issues, such as the Carbon footprint calculations based on ISO 14067. Once our subsidiaries are fully certified under ISO 9001, 45001 and 14001, we will take the necessary steps to certify other key aspects of our business to align them with the CRODA certification strategy, as well as our specific business needs regarding our fragrance and flavours.

On a Corporate Level, what does it mean for Iberchem Indonesia to achieve ISO 45001?

Pierre Marchadier (P.M.) – Obtaining ISO 45001 for fragrances is wonderful evidence of the company´s commitment to increase safety standards in all our activities and operations, not only locally in Indonesia, but also globally, as these are now worldwide requirements. It also demonstrates that the company´s productivity is improving and that communication and employee participation is increasing.

Achieving this certification is a team effort. What difficulties or challenges have employees faced in achieving this certification?

P.M. – Of course. Receiving this certification has been the result of a sustained team effort. We would not have achieved it if it were not for every member of the team doing their bit. All in all, the biggest challenge was both internal and external. Internally, we had to be creative in order to be able to implement the new safety procedures in our limited area, and externally we had to ensure that all our third-party stakeholders also comply with our new standards.

Obtaining this certification positions the organisation as a leading company in the industry. Do you think these efforts will increase customer confidence and lead to market growth in the medium term?

P.M. – As this standard is not compulsory, we are not expecting it to bring immediate new business or growth, but is also clear proof to major local and regional companies, as well as MNC operating in Indonesia, that we are going beyond the minimum.