Renewal of Quality and Environmental Management certificates

The success of ENAIRE in the remote renewal of Quality Management System and Environmental Management System certificates

Renewal of the Quality and Environmental Management System certificates once again shows the maturity of the ENAIRE Integrated Management System in these matters and guaranteed compliance with one of the important regulatory requirements as a European air navigation service provider

These certificates were renewed after having passed the External Audit with Aenor, an organisation accredited by ENAC and recognised both nationally and internationally (IQNET). 

The scope of the certificate covers all Central Services and Regional Management facilities, and includes all ENAIRE services and processes. The renewal of the certificate therefore involved close coordination between Central Services and the Regional Support Units and the Units taking part in the audit. 

The audit was conducted between 24 May and 10 June this year, with Aenor deploying a team of 8 auditors. 

Challenges

  • The major challenge of this audit was that it was conducted during an active state of emergency, which meant that the requirements of the auditors had to be met remotely, mostly by accessing the ENAIRE information systems via VPN. The exemplary attitude of the ENAIRE professionals in ensuring no barriers were created during the audit must also be highlighted.
  • Another challenge was the thorough collection of the documentation and evidence requested by Aenor in a very short space of time

Strategy

The coordination of Central Services with Aenor and the Support Units during the pre-audit phase, and the defining of a working method were the keys to ensuring that the audit was conducted as planned, with efficiency, agility and without any incidents.

Method: Aenor previously asked those being audited to upload a series of documents to a shared folder on OneDrive and, after their study and analysis, Aenor arranged meetings with those being audited to clarify any queries (via video call, etc.). 

To ensure information security, access to the shared folder was restricted to authorised individuals and by password, and records containing restricted information were only displayed on the remote desktop during video calls.

In order to guarantee the thoroughness and competence of the audit, Aenor provided experienced auditors at all times, since the air navigation services activity is complex and unique, as is our organisation. 

Success

Having successfully completed this remote audit amidst the state of emergency and the resulting lockdown is a source of great pride, as it has once again shown that ENAIRE is a great team of people who work with dedication and responsibility, despite the circumstances of the strict lockdown and the tragic consequences of this pandemic, both personally and financially. 

This success was also possible thanks to the technological deployment and strength of ENAIRE, in which the Information Systems team plays a leading role. Remote access during the audit of the ENAIRE systems and programs took place normally and without any incidents. 

The following are opinions by some of the people who made this success possible: 

The result of a joint effort between Aenor and ENAIRE professionals to conduct a nationwide audit under extremely difficult conditions.” José Antonio Aznar García, Head of the Quality and Environment Division.

“We conducted a virtual AENOR audit of the region for the first time. This required much more coordination and the involvement of our own personnel, both on site and remotely. The experience has been very rewarding, and both our auditors and our staff have ensured its success.” Miguel Liñán Arcas, Head of the Support Unit for the Canary Islands Regional Management.

“This audit is yet another case that shows us that, with good planning, the right means, and the commitment that ENAIRE staff continue to demonstrate, something that seemed unthinkable a few months ago could become a success. Teleworking is something that can be applied to many of our activities, is perfectly feasible, and is often more efficient than conventional working methods.” David Oliveros Gómez, Head of the Safety Promotion and Culture Department.