Trusted ISO Certifications for Rhodes
October 19, 2018
Rhodes is celebrating the recent achievement of three ISO Sustainability Certifications – 9001, 18001 and 14001 – evidence of the company’s commitment to quality, workplace health and safety, and safeguarding the environment.
The ISO 9001, 18001 and 14001 certifications apply to design, supply, construction and installation services in both PNG and Australia. Rhodes has plans to pursue similar certifications for the several other countries it operates in throughout the Pacific, such as Fiji and the Philippines Rhodes is also in the process of achieving SA8000 – Social Accountability and AA1000 – Stakeholder Engagement Certifications. These standards are for becoming accredited in multiple countries and to display compliance to manufacturing, supply, labour and stakeholder engagement processes.
Managing Director, Emanuel Papas, says that in addition to quality management systems,
"Sustainability is at the core of Rhodes. It underpins our business model and is embedded in our culture. We know that sustainability isn’t just a ‘box to tick’ but that it’s central to our business success and something that drives real value for our clients. Moreover, we know that providing families, communities and businesses with sustainable buildings is just the right thing to do".
Co-owner, Director and head of Rhodes PNG, Andrew Avenell – who also oversees the company’s considerable R&D focus – describes sustainability as
“something that is incorporated in to everything we do. It underpins how we design our buildings, the way we manufacture our prefabricated and modular components, how we manage our supply chains and logistics, and the way we construct.”
Co-owner, Director and head of Rhodes PNG, Andrew Avenell – who also oversees the company’s considerable R&D focus – describes sustainability as
"We are on a continuous quest for better sustainable and green alternatives when it comes to design, materials and processes"
Avenell cites FormCad, a Rhodes-designed climate change resilient concrete construction method developed for Fiji and now used in government buildings in PNG and property development projects in the Philippines, as an example of a technology-driven innovation that helps them build sustainably, especially in cyclone-prone areas, or where there is a shortage of skilled labour.
It took Rhodes six months to achieve its current ISO 9001, 18001 and 14001 Certifications. Papas is adamant that the time and effort has been a good investment given that the market demands businesses with managed and accountable quality, environmental and safety systems, with most larger project accreditations requiring such certifications to begin with.
“Without a doubt ISO certification is a point of differentiation and a definite competitive advantage for us in PNG, especially when it comes to our extractives clients. In short, the certifications result in us having a more trusted and accountable offering. Our mining and oil and gas clients now have even greater confidence that our safety, environmental and quality control policies align with their own.”
In addition to the several certifications mentioned thus far, Rhodes is also pursuing an internationally recognised gender equality certification (Economic Dividends for Gender Equality) and green building certification (Excellence in Design for Greater Efficiencies), both through the IFC, a member of the World Bank Group. Papas anticipates that these certifications will be achieved early in 2019 and further position his company as the obvious construction company of choice in not just PNG but the broader Pacific and beyond.