Customized quality and sustainability

The DIN/ISO 9001 quality certificate is (almost) a must for companies today. After all, it is an important criterion for attracting customers. The situation is similar when it comes to sustainability. The Freiburg-based company Qumsult prepares companies for their certifications.

In business, sustainable management is not just a question of minimizing costs. Today, ethical aspects such as protecting the environment, employees and conserving valuable resources also play a role. More and more companies are recognizing this and aligning their operations accordingly.

Qumsult GmbH & Co KG, a company based in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, offers help with this. "We offer a wide range of integrated services," says Bettina Huck, who manages sustainability projects at Qumsult and is also responsible for press relations and marketing. "This initially includes the analysis of the current situation, followed by the implementation of suitable tools such as software or training, right through to support during application," she continues. All projects are tailored to the company's needs. All the people and employees involved in the project are always involved. This is because the highest possible acceptance of the measures in the workforce also leads to the highest possible success. Tried and tested solutions and innovative approaches within the company should lead to optimized processes, secure workflows and structures - and thus contribute to improved value creation in the long term. Nationally and internationally recognized process standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001 and ISO 50001, to name but a few, form the methodological basis.

In-house workshop: Bettina Huck, Pascal Wigger, Dominik Bährle, Daniela Stöckl, Dominik Dornfeld and Manfred Szabo (standing)

"In our day-to-day work, we always look at a new customer in terms of two fundamental questions: What does the standard require? and What is already there?" explains Dominik Bährle. He is one of the four co-partners and is responsible for everything to do with software. Bährle also trains new employees within Qumsult. His experience is that the best results are achieved by working closely with the customer. Training courses, workshops and internal audits are a good way of meeting standard requirements. The fact that suggestions from customers are directly incorporated into the development or modification of software also demonstrates the proximity to customers. For example, New Albea Kunststofftechnik GmbH has been a Qumsult customer for many years, even before the introduction of Web SARA. In 2019, the company expanded its use with the modules for hazardous substances, AwSV and risk assessment. A particular milestone in 2020 was the joint development of the Plant module. Albea contributed valuable suggestions and specific requirements, which the Freiburg-based company successfully implemented.

When the Freiburg-based company started in 1995, the initial focus was on consulting. However, the experts soon realized that this alone was not enough. Appropriate tools also had to be created with which the knowledge gained could be implemented. Among other things, this resulted in a series of software solutions that customers can use in their day-to-day work, making it easier for them. Bährle: "We consider consulting and software from a single source to be a unique selling point - as far as I know, we are the only ones who do this in this form."

It's better together: Dominik Dornfeld and Dominik Bährle

Nimble fingers: Daniela Stöckl does programming workTodate,sevenmain products have emerged on the software side that Qumsult can offer its customers:

Web SARA Hazardous Substances

This is a tool for the management of hazardous substances in a company. It enables the simple creation of a hazardous substance register and operating instructions.

Web SARA Risk Assessment

This program allows the planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of risk assessments.

Web SARA SGA Incidents

SGA stands for Safety and Health at Work. This tool makes it possible to systematically record incidents and derive important key figures.

AwSV software

AwSV stands for the Ordinance on Installations for the Handling of Substances Hazardous to Water. The corresponding software from Qumsult is compliant with the current regulation and fulfills all operator obligations.

Web SARA systems

This enables the user to manage systems and machines and document the required parameters. It is also used to plan and monitor inspections and maintenance.

Web SARA Waste

Create waste registers, organize waste disposal efficiently and receive meaningful evaluations.

PAUL legal register

Database with 1200 regulations from the EU, federal government, federal states and professional associations for an ISO-compliant legal directory for environmental, energy and occupational health and safety management.

The PAUL database can also be booked as a premium service. This means that a Qumsult consultant specifically analyzes the customer's needs and draws up a list of the laws and regulations that are of particular relevance to them. In addition, an expert translates the often incomprehensible legalese into understandable language.

The suffix "SARA" in the respective product name is an acronym and stands for Substances, Installations, Law and Waste. The software packages are updated on an ongoing basis, particularly with regard to newly issued or amended regulations. All seven of these tools offered by Qumsult are suitable for all industries and company sizes.

Bettina Huck has a nice story to tell in this context. "We had an inquiry from an apparatus manufacturer who pickles his stainless steel parts himself. However, the small company only operated a single bath. Nevertheless, the authorities naturally requested all relevant documents in accordance with the AwSV. Our AwSV expert created the documents together with the customer using our software. This was a brief consultation lasting one hour; in this case, the complete software did not even have to be purchased."

What is particularly important to companies in times of increased environmental awareness? Bettina Huck names three clear areas: "These are energy efficiency, the reduction of_{CO2 emissions} and the preparation of sustainability reports in accordance with CSRD."

Qumsult would be unfaithful to itself if it did not implement environmental and climate protection measures. For example, the company offsets its travel to customers via www.atmosfair.de and it goes without saying that a balcony power station has been installed at the company headquarters. Every year, one percent of turnover is donated to social projects and, as a jury member of the Freiburg ESD Fund (Education for Sustainable Development), the company decides on the allocation of funding for educational projects in the field of sustainability.

Photos: Heinz Käsinger