Sunderland housing association achieves health and safety certification

Gentoo Group has been recognised for putting its employees and customers’ health first by gaining the internationally recognised certification.

The company said the achievement increases employee safety, reduces risks and enhances health and well-being in the workplace.

Stephen Flounders, Gentoo’s head of health, safety and environment, said: “We’re delighted to be one of the first housing associations to achieve certification to ISO 45001.

“Health and safety plays a key role in everything we do, and we work hard to create a safe working environment for our colleagues and to deliver an outstanding service to our customers.

“Achieving ISO 45001 demonstrates our commitment to health and safety and we’ll continue to seek opportunities to further raise our high standards.”

The company said the system reduces workplace injury and ill health and increases productivity.

Additional requirements Gentoo had to prove in order to meet the standard was the emphasis on management commitment, worker involvement and engagement and risk control.

The senior leadership team was required to demonstrate to the assessor the commitment to health and safety from the top of the organisation and how it was embedded throughout the organisation.

The certification was been granted after nine months of preparation and training, and following an audit by Lloyd’s Register Quality Assurance Limited.