ISO 41001: 2018 - FMS IN YOUR CORPORATION?

Μαΐου 23, 2022

ISO 41001:2018, the international facilities management system (FMS) standard, was released in April 2018. This is the first FMS standard to be published by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO).

Previous facility management standards were European Standards, published by the British Standards Institute (BSI) in 2006.

ISO 41001:2018 has not replaced the EN 15221 standards but has taken a number of the elements from these standards and enhanced them from a management point of view.

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ISO Technical Committee (ISO TC) 267 who published the ISO 41000 family of standards, was represented by over 42 countries and chaired by Stan Mitchell representing BSI.

What is Facilities management?

Facilities management (FM) is understood to suffer from a general lack of knowledge and awareness, thus the publication of these supporting documents to articulate “what it is” was seen to be extremely beneficial.

ISO 41011:2017 describes facility management as an “organizational function which integrates people, place and process within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business”.

One of the aims of ISO 41001:2018 is to increase awareness and support the development, implementation and maintenance of effective facilities management regimes in all sectors of industry and commerce worldwide.

Having a standardized approach to facilities management is envisaged to deliver the following benefits:

1. improved safety, health, well-being and productivity of workforce.

2. better efficiency and effectiveness, hence improving organizational cost benefits.

3. enhanced communication of FM methodologies and requirements among and between public and private sector organizations.

4. improved consistency of service levels delivered.

5. providing a common platform for all types of organizations.

ISO 41001 establishes a benchmark for developing and driving effective, strategic, tactical and operational FMS and FM practices.

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The standard will also assist organizations seeking to outsource FM.

Those service providers who are able to demonstrate conformity with the standard will provide them with an assurance regarding their approach and processes.

As such, FM companies who obtain certification to the standard can assure customers and potential customers that it operates to best-in-practice standards.

This will enhance their marketability and provide them with an edge over competing with non-certified FM companies.