AI has been integrated into almost every aspect of our lives, from everyday software we use at work, to the algorithms that determine what content is recommended to us at home. While extraordinary in its capabilities, it isn’t infallible and will open up everyone to new and emerging risks. Legislation and regulations are finally catching up to the rapid adoption of this technology, such as the EU AI Act and new Best Practice Standards such as ISO 42001. For those looking to integrate AI...

One of the biggest contributors to a stagnating ISO Management System is a failure to communicate. This has certainly been true in our experience with implementing ISO Standards for over 18 years, and as a result, we make sure to highlight awareness and communication as an integral step of the Implementation process. It’s a wasted effort only to have your management system gathering dust in a rarely visited folder on your server. If you want to reap the benefits of ISO implementation,...

A crucial part of Implementing any ISO Standard is addressing your risks and opportunities.  This is a key part of Clause 4 Context of the organisation, which expresses and explicit need to review and assess what internal and external factors could help and hinder in achieving your business goals. While ISO Standards don’t define a definitive method of doing so, many have adopted the practice of carrying out a SWOT and PESTLE analysis.   Today Ian Battersby explains what a SWOT and...

Business travel remains one of our largest sources of greenhouse emissions, accounting for 26% of the UK’s total emissions. In an ideal world, no one would have to travel to work or events, some might even point to the way everyone adapted in COVID as a prime example of this in practice. However, for many that model of work is not feasible in the long-term. So, how can we reduce this unavoidable stream of emissions? Businesses are starting to take the right steps, however, today’s guest...

Purchasing goods and services is a necessity for any business, whether that’s simply stocking up on office supplies, or looking for someone to manage your IT environment. Procurement has a key role to play in keeping things running smoothly, along with facilitating the core values of businesses as priorities change, such as a commitment to ESG compliance.   In this episode, Ian is joined by Philip Ideson, Founder & Managing Director of Art of Procurement, to discuss procurement’s role...

Sustainability is an area that affects all businesses, no matter the sector. We are all currently contributing to the climate crisis, from travel and hospitality to manufacturing to those working in an office or from home. You may be surprised to hear that the legal sector is currently one of the leaders in championing sustainability, not just in enforcing new environmental legislation, but also leading by example in the race to net zero. One such stand out leader is today’s guest –...

Did you know that only a third of the emissions reductions required to achieve the country’s 2030 target are currently covered by credible plans? As a result, we can expect to see more mandatory and voluntary regulations that require carbon emissions reporting to verify your ESG and net zero claims. In this episode, Mel closes out the ESG Reporting Disclosures series by explaining what Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) is, it’s key emissions reporting requirements,...

2030 is fast approaching and we’re already falling behind on our Net Zero targets, which will take a coordinated collective effort to get back on track. As a result, businesses are coming under increasing pressure to monitor, report and reduce their energy use and carbon emissions to meet net zero targets. This has led to an increase in both mandatory and voluntary regulations that require carbon emissions reporting to verify your net zero claims. In this episode, Mel continues the ESG...

Businesses are coming under increasing pressure to monitor, report and reduce their energy use and carbon emissions to meet net zero targets. As a result, we’re seeing an increase in both mandatory and voluntary regulations that require carbon emissions reporting to verify your net zero claims. In this episode, Mel continues the ESG Reporting Disclosures series by explaining what The International Sustainability Standards Board Climate-related Disclosures (ISSB S2) are, the emissions...

As the urgency to address the climate emergency heightens, businesses are coming under increasing pressure to monitor, report and reduce their energy use and carbon emissions to meet net zero targets. As a result, there is an increase in regulations to ensure that companies are taking the climate emergency seriously and not pay lip service to climate action. During September, we’ll be taking a look at a few of the latest regulations that may affect your organisation, including: ·     ...

There have been a reported 9,478 publicly disclosed data incidents in 2024 alone, with that amounting to over 35 million known records breached. It has become clear in recent years that information security isn’t just a ‘nice to have’, it’s a necessity to ensure you and your client’s data are protected. Which is especially the case for those processing personal and financial data, such as today’s guest, Mintago. In this episode, Tom Catnach, Head of Product and Information Security...

Greenhouse Gas (GHG) accounting has become increasingly important in recent years due to the demand for more environmental accountability. Whether by choice or due to legislation or mandatory Government led schemes, organisations need to able to effectively calculate their current impact before they can the right steps to reduce and offset the remaining emissions. There are a lot of different routes to take, and some may look so similar that you have to squint to see a difference. In...

ESG is a very broad topic to try and address for any organisation, leaving many scratching their heads on where to start with ESG reporting. Currently, there is no official certification for ESG, however there are a number of schemes that will give you either a score or rating for your level of compliance against their requirements. For those currently working towards one of these schemes, you may already have a solid foundation in place if you’re certified to one or many ISO Standards. ...

In July 2024, A logic error in an update for CrowdStrike’s Falcon software caused 8.5 million windows computers to crash. While a fix was pushed out shortly after, the nature of the error meant that a full recovery of all effected machines took weeks to complete. Many businesses were caught up in the disruption, regardless of if this affected them directly or by proxy due to affected suppliers. So, what can businesses learn from this? Today, Ian Battersby and Steve Mason discuss the...

Continual Improvement is at the heart of every ISO Standard.  The cyclical nature of ISO Standards lends itself to regular review and update of your Management System, to ensure it’s working efficiently and to address any issues or opportunities that inevitably crop up. However, Integrating these improvements can be challenging, even for mature systems. Today Ian Battersby explains the concept of Improvement as defined in ISO Standards, how to find root cause for non-conformities and...

In the workplace, everyone is responsible for safety.  It’s not just for managers or senior management to worry about where legislation is concerned, everyone from the top to the bottom needs to be actively ensuring the safety of others. ISO 45001 highlights the importance of this in its most recent iteration, which includes a specific requirement for the consultation and participation of workers. But, how does this work in practice? Today Ian Battersby explains what consultation and...

ESG compliance has fast become a focus for many organisations looking to address their wider sustainability profile.  However, its broad framework has left many scratching their heads on exactly where to start with evaluating and addressing various elements of Environmental, Social, and Governance compliance. For those looking for some direction, you may already have a solid foundation in place if you’re certified to one or many ISO Standards. Today Steph Churchman will explain what ESG...

ISO 20121:2012, the Standard for Sustainable events management, was originally created and launched in coordination with the London 2012 olympics. 12 years on, it seems only fitting that its next revision would applied to the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. 10 Years on from it’s original release, the Standard has received a substantial update to not only bring it in-line with other ISO Standards, but to also address additional elements within event management, such as human rights and legacy. ...

ISO Standards provide a framework to help businesses manage various aspects of their activities. Whether that’s quality, risk, environmental or Information Security management, they provide invaluable guidance to establish an effective Management System. One element that is key, no matter the Standard or subject area, is Leadership. Without this driving force, your Management System will not get the momentum it needs to truly benefit your way of working. Today Ian Battersby will explain...

There is a growing pressure on businesses to address their environmental impact, both from the Government as well as a more sustainably minded consumer base. As a result, the need to carry out Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reporting is being introduced as a mandatory requirement for tenders, and Government led initiatives such as Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR).   Today Mel Blackmore will discuss Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions reporting, and how verifying GHG Statements in...

ISO Standards provide a framework to help businesses manage various aspects of their activities. Whether that’s quality, risk, environmental or Information Security management, they provide invaluable guidance to establish an effective Management System.  However, for those who are new to ISO Standards, the Standards themselves can seem rather intimidating to interpret. Back in 2015, the Annex SL format was introduced to provide a common high-level structure for Management Systems. With...

After 5 years of hosting the ISO Show, Mel Blackmore will be taking a step back as she focuses on her sustainability related endeavors. She’s passing the baton onto our new host – Ian Battersby. Ian is a Senior isologist at Blackmores, and while relatively new to the team, he has a wealth of Standard and ISO related knowledge to share with you all. Today we Introduce Ian Battersby as the new host for the ISO Show and learn about his background in Standards and ISO.     You’ll learn ...

Can you believe we’ve been publishing the ISO Show for 5 years now! We certainly can’t! The ISO Show began back in 2019, following a trip to Cumbria by the host Mel Blackmore. She was, and still is, an avid fan of podcasts and while listening to a few of her favourites on the 4 hour trip, she got to wondering if there were any podcasts about ISO Standards. As it happened, there wasn’t at the time, and so the idea for the ISO Show was born. Not more than a few months later the first...

Data Centres could be considered the powerhouse of thousands of businesses globally.  Long gone are the days of small physical servers being housed on-site, instead we rely on data centres to keep all our critical data safe and secure. But how do we know they are doing just that? Many hold certifications to security-based Standards such as SOC 2 or NIST to display their commitment to data security. However, many also hold various ISO certifications that cover other aspects of the business...