ISO 50001 from gap analysis to action plan implementation

Services provided

ISO 50001 gap analysis and business case, ISO 50001 action plan implementation.

A high level strategic decision was taken to for Vodafone’s 10 UK data centres to become certified to ISO 50001. The data centres are the most intensive energy users in the business and it was also considered that this was the most likely way to ensure the effectiveness of their Energy Performance Contract.

Benefits achieved

The whole of Vodafone’s UK estate is now covered by one ISO 50001 certificate which has the added bonus of making Vodafone now exempt from the ESOS scheme. An estimated 5 - 7.5% energy savings is anticipated from improved energy efficiency as a result.

Summary

JRP were appointed to carry out an ISO 50001 gap analysis, prepare a business case for certification and then to develop and deliver an action plan to achieve certification.

Approach

JRP reviewed all the requirements of the standard using its ISO 50001 Gap Analysis Tool and carried out an overall company gap analysis and three further gap analysis at three Vodafone representative sites.

Vodafone were assessed to see how far off the standard they were by scoring a level of compliance to each of 170 questions against the work required to move them from non‐compliant to compliant.

JRP then summarised the tasks into a consolidated plan of actions required to achieve certification. This consolidated action plan formed part of the business case for certification which also included information about the external and internal resources required to achieve certification, with task owners and time scales allocated to each action.

As Vodafone wanted to achieve certification quickly and didn’t have spare resource internally to do so, they delegated and empowered JRP to deliver the action plan. This included putting all systems required in place and managing the FM providers. 

The consolidated action plan was developed into a implementation tracker plan with information about what was required and by when. Tasks were colour coded with a traffic light red, amber green system to demonstrate progress.

Over 100 different tasks were included in the plan relating to:
•    operational control
•    energy performance indictors
•    management responsibility 
•    energy objectives
•    training
•    communication
•    monitoring and verification

Following the data centres’ certification to ISO 50001, the scope of the standard was expanded to include parts of the estate that had previously been subject to ESOS compliance and audited for such by JRP ESOS auditors. This included offices, mobile telephone exchanges (MTXs), fixed networks and radio base-stations. 

Results

Certification of the data centres was achieved within 6 months from completion of the gap analysis following 7 days of a very thorough external audit. The whole of Vodafone’s UK estate is now covered by one ISO 50001 certificate which has the added bonus of making Vodafone now exempt from the ESOS scheme. An estimated 5 - 7.5% energy savings is anticipated from improved energy efficiency as a result.

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