Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products
Overview of BES 6001 Responsible Sourcing of Construction Products
With the Government’s increasing focus on sustainable development, many construction companies are recognising the need to prove that their buildings are built with sustainability in mind. One element of this is in the responsible sourcing of products used in their construction and the onus of proof is increasingly being passed down to the manufacturers of those construction products.
The BRE standard BES 6001 has been published to enable construction product manufacturers to ensure and then prove that their products have been made with constituent materials that have been responsibly sourced. The standard describes a framework for the organisational governance, supply chain management and environmental and social aspects that must be addressed in order to ensure the responsible sourcing of construction products.
Independent, third party assessment and certification against the requirements of BES 6001 then give the organisation the ability to prove that an effective system for ensuring responsible sourcing exists and added credibility to any claims made.
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Who is BES 6001 relevant to?
BES 6001 is relevant to any organization that manufactures construction products from foundation products such as cement and steel to concrete pipes and blocks, windows, flooring, roof tiles, plastics, wood products.
Whilst it is more relevant to the B2B market, BES 6001 is also relevant to retail organisations that sell construction products such as the large DIY stores.
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Benefits of Assessment and Certification to BES 6001
Being independently certified to BES 6001 by BSI, an independent third party, will be the ultimate assurance to your stakeholders that you source your component materials responsibly and sustainably. You will benefit from:
• Added credibility of claims of compliance
Third part certification will enable you to robustly demonstrate, to shareholders, customers, and employees, that your organization sources products responsibly, adding credibility to claims of compliance
• Enhanced competitiveness
Certification will increase your available range of new business opportunities, helping you to meet supply chain needs and customers’ contractual requirements
• Protect and enhance reputation
Certification will enable you to prove that your organisation takes the environmental and social impact of sourcing construction products seriously, thus protecting and enhancing your reputation and brand image
• Access to additional credits
Third party certification to BES 6001 will enable your customers to benefit from additional credits under schemes such as BREEAM and Code for Sustainable Homes
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Certification is the end goal of the independent assessment of an organization’s implementation of a management system standard such as BES 6001. The purpose of the assessment is to ensure that the organization has effectively implemented the requirements of the standard and that the system is effective in delivering responsible sourcing of construction products.
When can I be assessed and certified?
BSI is currently in the process of developing and trialling an assessment and certification scheme with a formal launch expected in early 2010.
The Assessment Process
The assessment is conducted by one of our highly trained and experienced Client Managers who will have an excellent understanding of your business area and will support you as you move forward with the assessment and certification of your responsible sourcing management system.
The assessment is typically conducted in two stages. The first stage will look at the top level policy, documentation, processes and procedures in place to manage your environmental and social aspects relating to the sourcing of materials and your Client Manager will identify any omissions or weaknesses that need resolving before the main assessment. The Client Manager will gain familiarity with your site and plan the next stage in detail. Stage Two of the assessment is focused on the effective implementation of the policy, documentation, processes and procedures and will involve discussions with all levels of staff within your organization.
Subject to a successful assessment, a certificate of registration will be issued to demonstrate the scope of your activities, the locations covered, and the standard against which you have been assessed. The certificate will be valid for three years, and your assessor will visit you regularly to help you make sure you remain compliant, and support you in the continual improvement of your systems.
Next steps
Get in touch to express your early interest in becoming certified. Once the scheme is launched, we will be in touch to establish your assessment and certification needs.
