Alongside the traditional demand for value for money linked to satisfying customers' needs and expectations, there is a growing demand for new, more wide-ranging forms of quality, intended to satisfy all stakeholders. The Chairman of SINCERT (now Accredia, following the merger of SINCERT and SINAL) calls this “ethical-social quality”.

These new forms of quality relate to the following aspects:

• Environmental quality: this is required to protect the needs of the present and future community, within the framework of sustainable development. Environmental quality can be achieved through both systematic (environmental management system certification – ISO 14001 standard, EMAS registration) and product-related approaches (environmental labels of various kinds, including the Environmental Product Declaration).
• Workplace quality: this is intended to protect the health and safety needs of workers and can be achieved through a suitable systematic approach (workplace health and safety management system certification – OHSAS 18001 standard).
• Information quality: this is intended to protect privacy and enable information to be used correctly and effectively, within the context of the modern information economy. It can be based on both systematic (information security system management certification – ISO 27001 standard) and process-/service-related approaches (such as the certification of socio-economic activities carried out via the internet). The Hera Group is always committed to guaranteeing high levels of protection when processing personal data relating to all stakeholders with whom the group comes into contact on a daily basis.

The forms of social quality listed above fall within the scope of Corporate Social Responsibility.

Page updated 22 August 2011