Water solutions company Xylem South Africa (Xylem SA) has been certificated according to the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) standards ISO 14001 and 45001 management systems, which cover health and safety and environmental protection (HSE).

The certifications demonstrate that Xylem SA prioritises employee safety and environmental protection, which are crucial to its philosophy to elevate customer focus and comprehensive quality control.

To continue supporting its current and future customers when water is under considerable strain, Xylem SA works to achieve and maintain industry and global standards, the company says.

"Certification in ISO 14001 and ISO 45001 management systems enables Xylem SA to ensure ongoing employee health and safety, and environmental protection," it notes.

Among the benefits, the certification provides Xylem SA with a framework to identify and assess occupational health and safety risks, assist it in staying compliant with relevant health and safety regulations and demonstrate Xylem SA's commitment to providing a safe and healthy workplace.

"Achieving ISO 14001 and 45001 certification represents tremendous effort by Xylem SA's staff across a multi-year process that required numerous adaptations and improvements. Their dedication and effort brought us here, supported by our dedication to employee safety, environmental protection, quality control and our focus on customers," says Xylem Africa strategy and marketing manager Chetan Mistry.

In a world of steadily declining supplies, fundamentally inefficient infrastructure, easily contaminated resources and increasingly unpredictable weather, Xylem strives to develop water's economic and social benefits.

The global group supports the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically SDG 6, which aims to ensure clean water and sanitation for all, although Xylem also holds the view that water underpins all development goals.

"By achieving certification in ISO 14001 and 45001 management systems, Xylem SA demonstrates that it takes these goals seriously and is striving for a world that provides clean water to everyone," Maistry says.

Additionally and shoring up its ISO certifications, Xylem received 42 awards for its work in 18 countries from UK accident prevention charity the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) at its 2024 Health and Safety Awards.

"Participating in the RoSPA programme is an invaluable opportunity for us to benchmark our health and safety performance against industry best practices, learn from leading safety practitioners, identify areas for improvement, and amplify our efforts to create a safe and healthy work environment for our colleagues," says Xylem environment, health, safety and operational sustainability director Autumn Crum.

RoSPA's criteria encompass a comprehensive assessment of health and safety management systems, leadership, employee engagement, risk assessment and continuous improvement initiatives, she notes.