Part of the largest, interconnected, carrier- and cloud-neutral data centre network on the continent, Africa Data Centres’ facility in Kenya is the first in the region to receive both ISO14001 and ISO45001 certifications.
Kenya’s leading data centre, operated in Nairobi by Africa Data Centres, has become the first in the region to obtain ISO14001 and 45001 certifications—strengthening its national and continental leadership.
“The international ISO 14001 standard defines the requirements for an ideal environmental management system. It helps organisations improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders,” says Dan Kwach, Managing Director of Africa Data Centres East Africa Region.
“The ISO 45001 standard, on the other hand, is the global standard for occupational health and safety. It guides organisations on how to improve safety and minimise workplace risks to help ensure employee well-being. Given our deep commitment to the health and safety of our employees, and those of contractors, we prefer to proactively improve our occupational health and safety measures.”
International Labour Organisation (ILO) statistics confirm that 2.78 million people die every year because of “occupational accidents or work-related diseases”, with another 374 million non-fatal injuries and illnesses—creating enormous emotional and financial knock-on effects for families, communities, businesses and economies.[1]
Apart from confirming the company’s commitment to operational excellence, the certifications confirm that Africa Data Centres’ customer will benefit from[2]:
- Built in compliance with current and future statutory and regulatory requirements
- Increased leadership involvement and engagement with employees
- Improved corporate reputation and stakeholder confidence through strategic communication
- Enhanced achievement of strategic business aims by incorporating environmental issues into business management
- Competitive and financial advantage through improved efficiencies and reduced costs
- Better environmental performance of suppliers by integrating them into the organisation’s business systems
“Think of it this way,” says Kwach. “People would rather buy a car from a reputable brand because they know the brand maintains certain standards and quality measures. Lesser-known brands may not create as much customer certainty. These two ISO certifications confirm for our customers that Africa Data Centres has mature systems and takes the health and safety environment very seriously. Some organisations won’t do business with others who lack ISO certification.”
To obtain the certifications, Africa Data Centres’ Kenyan operation was audited against international best practices by the International Organisation for Standardisation, in terms of both Health and Safety issues and Environmental Management Systems. “Because we meet the standard, we were awarded international accreditation for these specific standards, but we can’t rest on our laurels,” says Kwach. “Annual audits ensure that standards don’t slip, and check everything from small items—like whether the gloves we use are appropriate for their intended task—all the way up to how deeply leadership is involved in health and safety, and environmental management systems.”
[1] International Organisation for Standardisation, 2018, Occupational health and safety ISO 45001, https://www.iso.org/files/live/sites/isoorg/files/store/en/PUB100427.pdf
[2] International Organisation for Standardisation, 2015, ISO 14001 Key Benefits, https://www.iso.org/files/live/sites/isoorg/files/store/en/PUB100372.pdf
