Leading UAE-based facilities management (FM) company Farnek, has successfully completed the certification assessment for its FM process system and now complies with the world’s first standard dedicated to FM systems ISO 41001:2018, according to Farnek’s auditor – international certification body, SGS Gulf.
Commenting on the award, Markus Oberlin, CEO, Farnek said: “When it comes to quality, we never compromise irrespective of how high the bar is set, and we have been working meticulously over the past four months to employ the exacting standards required to comply with ISO 41001.
“It is very gratifying to know that we are the first company in the Middle East to be operating to the highest possible international FM standards,” he added.
The aim of ISO 41001:2018 is to embrace an organisational function which integrates people, places and process within the built environment, with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and their commercial productivity.
The objective of the standard is to establish the basic requirements an FM system must meet, to demonstrate the efficiency and effectiveness of FM and its contribution towards the objectives of a business, encompassing four key elements – health & safety, environment and sustainability, compliance and consistency as well as effectiveness and cost-efficiency.
By implementing such a recognised global structure and standardised approach to FM, whereby it can be assessed, measured and managed, the standard should deliver numerous benefits to both FM service providers and those they serve such as property and facility managers and building owners.
“From a service provider’s perspective, this standard will improve our sustainability and efficiency, both of which will have a positive knock-on effect to our operational expenses, as well as our carbon footprint. It will also support the well-being of our workforce, all values that are right at the core of our identity,” said Oberlin.
“It will also improve the consistency of FM service, by providing a new benchmark, that can be applied to FM companies right across the marketplace,” added Oberlin.
The FM market in the region, is well known for its price-sensitive nature, particularly in the UAE and it is hoped that this standard will help to clearly define the expectations between property and facility managers, as well as building owners and FM service providers, putting the emphasis on raising minimum standards and providing value, rather than simply achieving the lowest price.
“If ISO 41001 is specified or adopted by building owners, as a minimum requirement to tender for certain FM contracts, a quality benchmark will have been set – only FM service providers that can demonstrate compliance will be allowed to bid, paving the way for a more mature, quality and value-based tender, benefiting all stakeholders including the end-user,” added Oberlin.
According to the audit report by SGS Gulf, Farnek proved it offered very comprehensive, real time information, which was both accessible and deliverable to its customers.
“In particularly the auditor was impressed with our relationship management, essentially meaning how well our various processes, integrated with each other,” added Oberlin.