ASL Achieves ISO 14001 Certification — But It’s About More Than a Badge

Achieving this certification means we’ve met the standards and have robust systems in place to actively improve our environmental performance, meet regulatory requirements, and operate more sustainably across the board.

Achieving ISO 14001 is more than just an accreditation for us; it's a fundamental part of how we operate. CEO Chris Woodman says,

"It is part of our path to sustainability. We aren't just paying lip service to it; this is our way of operating."

We already had LED lights, water conservation and supplier audits in place. Chris says gaining ISO 14001 was a formal recognition of something we’ve been working on for years – this was about putting a formal framework around it.

A Team Effort

This certification wouldn’t have happened without the commitment of our team. One person from every department got involved - from brainstorming ideas, to prioritising actions, and then making sure changes were adopted in their areas.

We looked at everything from our e-waste to our noise levels and asked the same of our suppliers — making environmental responsibility part of our wider supply chain conversations.

We reviewed and updated over 220 documents during this time and retrained the team to ensure the policies and processes are understood. It not just about the documents...it’s about how you bring it to life on a day-to-day basis.

A special shout-out needs to go to Dave Alderson who went dumpster-diving, sorting waste and looking in our local creek to identify where we could recycle our waste and to make sure we were not inadvertently littering.

Reduced Landfill and Better Practises

We have now consolidated our waste management to one partner, @EnviroNZ who were an invaluable partner in helping to identify what could be recycled and what needed to be sent to landfill.

Thanks to the team mahi, we have reduced waste to landfill, increased our recycling and our re-use of waste. We now separate our waste streams, reuse packaging and have changed our disposal for more complex items, including ewaste and hazardous waste.

A lot of changes were made in the way we handle and store chemical and protect our people.

We have implemented new systems and training to make our environmental practices part of how we work every day — not just something that sits on paper.

We’re committed to continuous improvement, with annual targets, regular toolbox chats, and clear ownership across the business.

Customer Demand is Changing

Customer demand is changing and organisations are increasingly looking for sustainable partners. ISO 14001 helps us demonstrate that we’re serious about our impact and are actively improving our practices.

This isn’t the end — it’s just the next step in a longer journey. The ASL team will keep looking for ways to improve, and we’re always open to ideas from our team, customers, and partners.

The team:

• Derek Law – Quality System Lead
• Fiona Vetcher – Supply Chain Manager
• John Keller – Engineering Manager
• Chris Blunt – Production Team Leader
• Dave Alderson – Logistics Team Member
• Morgan Woodman – Logistics / Production Planner
• Alexis Sanchez – Purchasing Officer