The ISO9000 family of standards has seen great publicity in the last three decades.  The concept of ISO9001 third party certification has been used as an "excuse" to tidy organisations up but at the same time, it has been abused for marketing purposes, to attract clients, to participate in bids and to offer a - sometimes - false assurance of product quality.  Therefore, it has come as no surprise that it has lost is initial prestige.  However, not all is lost for ISO9001 standards.  The series is currently under revision, aiming to incorporate the risk management concept into the existing Plan – Do – Check – Act cycle.  Expected by the end of 2015, the new ISO9001 series will provide an excellent opportunity for businesses to re-think their business risks and adjust their processes where necessary.

Managing an organisation in an environmentally friendly manner is no longer a luxury for most businesses.  The environment and its preservation is high on government agendas and even higher on customer and employee expectations.  Moreover, as we all draw and consume resources from the environment, concepts such as energy efficiency, sound management of raw materials and reuse of scrap, have a direct impact on the finances of the business.  Waste management, which is less linked with a company’s financial benefit, is increasingly regulated.  Therefore, reasonable environmental management is the least an organisation should be aiming at.  There are a number of certifications available attesting the organisations environmental performance, such as ISO14001, EMAS and Green Key.  The selection of certification is less important.  The aim in all cases should be the cultivation of an environmental consciousness and the systematic achievement of reasonable, measurable results. 

The International Labour Organisation has established a set of regulations aiming at setting a minimum for seafarers’ occupational rights and living conditions while on board.  The requirements have last been amended in June 2014 in order to protect abandoned seafarers and provide financial security for death or long term disability.  Caring for one’s employees is part of business ethics and corporate social responsibility.  However, in the maritime world, where there is no job permanency and where the operation is remote and difficult to inspect and control, strict regulations had to be applied.