People

The concept of corporate governance and legal compliance has become a major legal, political and economic issue. If your enterprise is an incorporated entity or a trading partnership, make sure you are aware of, and can confirm compliance with your responsibilities in this regard.

The Ethical Trading Initiative is an alliance of companies, trade unions and non-profit organisations that aims to promote respect for the rights of people in factories and farms worldwide. Membership of ETI demonstrates a commitment to monitoring and progressively improving the working conditions of employees in supplier factories.

Investors in People (IIP) is a voluntary assessment scheme backed by the UK Department for Education and Skills. IIP was developed in 1993 through a partnership of businesses and other national organisations. The scheme aims to improve organisational performance through better planning, implementation and evaluation of learning and development programmes, across organisations of all sizes and sectors. Excellence Through People (ETP) is Ireland's national standard for human resource management.

The ISO 22000 international standard specifies the requirements for a food safety management system. ISO 22000 integrates the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) system and application steps developed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission. By means of auditable requirements, it combines the HACCP plan with prerequisite programmes.

Business and organizations do not operate in a vacuum. Their relationship to the society and environment in which they operate is a critical factor in their ability to continue to operate effectively. ISO 26000 provides guidance on how businesses and organizations can operate in a socially responsible way. This means acting in an ethical and transparent way that contributes to the health and welfare of society. Society As well as its customers and employees, enterprises have a duty of care to society in general.

The importance of managing Occupational Health and Safety is recognised by all interested parties: employers, employees, customers, suppliers, insurers, shareholders, the community, contractors, and regulatory agencies. OHSAS 18001 can be used by organisations of all sizes regardless of the nature of their activities or location. Organisations can now achieve third party certification for their Occupational Health and Safety management system.

The importance of managing Occupational Health and Safety is recognised by all interested parties: employers, employees, customers, suppliers, insurers, shareholders, the community, contractors, and regulatory agencies. OHSAS 18001 can be used by organisations of all sizes regardless of the nature of their activities or location. Organisations can now achieve third party certification for their Occupational Health and Safety management system.

REACH is a new European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use. It deals with the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemical substances. The new law entered into force on 1 June 2007.

The recruitment of new employees and their continuing employment is subject to numerous laws and regulations and can be a minefield for the unwary employer.

All activities of an organisation involve risk. Risk can be managed and ISO 31000 provides a framework for integrating that process into the organisation’s overall governance, strategy, policies, values and culture

How we should protect the rights of older people who live in residential care settings and ensure that they are able to lead as full lives as possible in a caring, respectful environment is now set out in standards developed by the Health Information and Quality Authority of Ireland. All service providers need to be aware of these standards and comply with their requirements.