The Integrated Management System (IMS) oversees the integrity of our rail network and stewards the implementation of sustainable best practice. It adopts the approach that integrates safety, security, quality, environmental and asset management while linking all core business processes to set objectives and strategic decisions. The IMS is the means through which the performance indicators of our risk management strategy are managed.
Under the IMS, separate systems assess, monitor and control specific functions focusing on the major impacts to business for performance and quality of management. A dedicated auditing system works on a continual basis to accumulate and process data from all systems for risk-based decisions and systems and performance improvement.
As with all our processes we seek continuous improvement. An auditing team independent of line management oversees the IMS for its own integrity, effectiveness and efficiency. This team reports to the Operations Director with findings and improvement opportunities, which will be part of the input for formulating strategy on systems improvement. We also engage an external independent auditor for an annual review of the operational performance data collection, compilation and reporting processes in compliance with the Operating Agreement. A further yearly audit is undertaken by BVQI (Bureau Veritas) for verification of our management system performance against best practice and international standards on safety, quality, environmental and asset management.
As a reflection of our continuous improvement work ethic, we adopted in 2005 the PAS 55-1 specification for our rail assets. This voluntary certification takes a holistic view of the asset life-cycle management and enables the benchmarking of our 'cradle to grave' management strategy against international best practice. Through IMS and PAS 55-1 we refine our structured risk-based approach, better understand the risks that our business faces, evaluate our cost performance methods and the risks involved, and will be able to optimise these to the benefit of both passengers and business.
In recognition of our efforts we were honoured in 2005 with the international Robert W Campbell Award (runner-up). This award, given to only two companies each year, recognises leadership and excellence in business and financial performance by the integration of health, safety and environmental (HS&E) performance into operations. We were also given the accolade of the China National Quality Management Award by the China Association for Quality. This award, given to ten enterprises each year throughout China, recognises quality and excellence in customer service and businesses.
