The Spanish Association of Purchasing, Contracting and Procurement Professionals (AERCE) has recognised Reny Picot with the UNE 15896 standard for Value Added Purchasing Management, granted by Bureau Veritas. The ceremony, which took place in Gijon, is in recognition of the excellent management in our company’s purchasing area, making us the first Asturian company to receive the certification
The UNE 15896 Standard for Value Added Purchasing Management, as a transposition of the European purchasing standard UNE 15896: 2015 Value Added Purchasing Management, is the first supranational standard in the field of purchasing. Through this standard, companies have a European-wide criteria by which to measure their level in the management of purchasing, to define strategies for continued improvement and to compare processes employed in their businesses.
In the words of Javier Suárez, Director of Operations and Management Control ILAS S.A. Reny Picot, “Certification in the UNE 15896 Standard recognises the alignment of purchasing policy with company strategy and the organisation as a whole, endorses the good practise of Reny Picot in the responsible management of the supply chain, the creation of value with its suppliers and the contribution of value to the business in an ethical and transparent manner. At the same time, it is a guide towards excellence in management, promoting competitive advantages though continued improvement, enhancing the positive aspects and identifying improvements in processes, people management, relationships with suppliers and innovation in the purchasing departments. Of course, it values the hard work of all members of the purchasing department in optimising results, backed up by the total commitment at executive level to the area of purchasing.”
The project, which began in September 2016, focussed on the purchase of raw materials and comprised different stages, ranging from the analysis and diagnosis of the situation in the purchasing area in relation to the requirements of the Standard, to the proposed master plan for improvements and the implementation of the recommendations in the document. As such, the company was able to achieve the prestigious ‘P’ rating granted by AERCE and IFPMS (the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management), after a demanding audit by Bureau Veritas.
For this project to acquire the UNE 15896 certification, Reny Picot chose to work with Fullstep, a specialist purchasing consultancy. Director of Consulting and Implementation and head of the project, Agustin Ull, said, “Among the indicators of excellence in purchasing that have seen Reny Picot come away with this certification, it is worth noting the positioning and leadership in the purchasing area, and the systems, documentation and traceability that afford Reny Picot full coverage of the processes in purchasing raw materials (milk/cream/whey).”
Ricardo Fernández Santos, director of Bureau Veritas Northern Region, said, “It is with pride that we grant to Reny Picot this Certificate in Value Added Purchasing Management in accordance with the UNE 15896 Standard. This means that a group of qualified professionals from our company has verified the optimisation in the purchasing department, located at the headquarters in Asturias, not only at the organisational level but also in the efficiency of its supply systems. It should be noted that this is the first company in the food sector to secure this certification in the purchase of raw materials, which in a sector as heavily regulated as dairy represents an especially great achievement.”
Iván Martín, director of the Standard UNE 15896 project, said, “It is great news that an Asturian Company such as Reny Picot has been successful in this endeavour because of the boost this gives to the entire business sector in Asturias. AERCE would like to extend its sincere congratulations to Reny Picot and wishes them the very best of luck in this journey towards excellence.”
Jorge Manzanares, Director General of AERCE, added that “it is not trivial to say that this certificate is the culmination of a job well done by Reny Picot, which becomes the first organisation in the industrial sector to receive it. It demonstrates to the industry that things can be done better at the purchasing level.” Manzanares added, “This Standard also encourages suppliers at different levels to improve their management for the betterment of their own businesses.”