Founded in 1889 TClarke, the building services contractor, has always been committed to working to the very highest standards. The company has been successfully integrating ISO 9001 and ISO14001 into its day-to-day operations since 1989 and 2005 respectively and is now working towards OHSAS 18001.
In that time the company has completed some of the most prestigious contracts in its sector, and working with NQA, reduced electricity usage in its London office by 11% and cut the number of litres of diesel consumed by its London transport fleet by 66%.
In 1889 Tommy Clarke and his brothers became one of the first companies to use cables to bring electricity into people’s homes. Since then the business has evolved into a group of fourteen regional companies, employing around 1,300 people from Aberdeen to Cornwall.
TClarke was one of the first electrical contractors in the country to become ISO 9001 certified back in 1989. It has been working closely with NQA since 1995 to maintain this certification, gain ISO 14001 certification and is now working towards OHSAS 18001 certification. The partnership with NQA is further strengthened by TClarke’s long standing certification from NICEIC, NQA’s sister company.
Continuous Improvement
For TClarke certification to the ISO standards is all about continuous improvement and being at the forefront of the industry. Yogesh Patel, quality assurance and environmental manager at TClarke said:
“Certification for us is about continuously improving what we do; it is a defining characteristic of our proposition to clients. As a business we are forward looking and in 2004 we could see environmental issues coming to the forefront. We wanted to make sure we were doing all we could to make the world a better place which is why we became ISO 14001 certified.
Patel continued, “The ISO standards are also increasingly important to our clients. They want to work with suppliers who have proper processes and procedures in place and this is our way of proving that.”
Proof is in the Numbers
Initiatives and projects implemented in line with TClarke’s ISO 14001 certification have brought about great successes for the company in terms of reducing its impact on the environment. From 2009 to 2012 the London office of TClarke achieved an 11% reduction in electricity usage from 202,139 kWh to 181,394 kWh. Fuel usage for the office’s commercial transport fleet has also been dramatically reduced by 66% from 24,843 litres to 14,982 litres of diesel per annum.
Recycling
Under ISO 14001 certification, TClarke became more focussed on recycling. Patel explained:
“The waste collectors we work with ensure that all of our recyclable waste is processed in the correct manner and all of our non-recyclables are processed through recycling centres as opposed to going straight to landfill.”
Saving Money
Continuing to speak about the benefits of the certifications Patel said:
"Having ISO 9001 and 14001 has enabled us to ensure our processes are as efficient as possible. Simple things like ensuring we only order what is required, not only reduces waste on site but also saves us money.”
Electrical Expertise
Talking about working with NQA, Patel said: “We work with NQA because of its expertise and knowledge of the electrical sector and the relationship with NICEIC. Over the years we have got on well with the NQA auditors. They understand our business which helps with the auditing process; they know who we are, what we do and identify opportunities for improvement.”
Future Plans and OHSAS 18001
Speaking of the future, Patel concluded “OHSAS 18001 is now very much at the forefront of the industry and there is a strong appetite within TClarke to become certified within the next 18 months to two years. We will be working with NQA to move forward on this journey.”