Lady of the listings: Debbie-Jane Watson

Debbie-Jane Watson, quality and performance manager at Rotary-HUMM, is happiest donning PPE and trudging around site. Watson and her team have scored several accreditation firsts for the company that will stand as a benchmark for the local MEP sector.

Disarmingly modest about the achievements, Watson says she derives enough satisfaction from knowing that the systems and processes implemented by her team have inevitably saved lives, as well as contributing to the general quality of life for Rotary-HUMM’s employees, and helping the company be as environmentally sustainable as possible.

The company is the first in Dubai to be accredited with the new quality management system standard ISO 9001 version 2008.

It is also the first MEP company in the UAE to obtain simultaneous accreditation for the quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management system standards. This is also a notable global achievement, with few companies tackling – yet alone achieving – all three ISO standards at once, according to rating agency Moody’s of London.

Long-standing commitment

“The ISO certification underlines our long-standing commitment to quality, service excellence and customer satisfaction. At Rotary-HUMM, we ensure that quality is an integral part of all systems and processes, and all our employees fully understand the need to maintain the highest quality standards, which have been a key factor in our sustained success in the region,” comments Francis Jennings, CE of Rotary-HUMM and MD of Rotary (International) Limited of the UK.

The intensive 12-month project to obtain the three ISOs was lead by Watson, and overseen by Rotary (International) group commercial director Nicholas Hudson.

“Having a responsible environmental policy has advantages in all aspects of our business. It creates a better working environment for our staff, ensures we have systems and equipment in place to deal with spills and accidents, and gives our customers confidence in Rotary-HUMM’s ongoing commitment to the environment,” explains Hudson.

Watson says that embarking on the process immediately highlighted areas that needed attention. “Now we have put our house in order, been checked and audited, and come out tops,” she declares proudly.

Her fervent wish is that other contractors, sub-contractors and even suppliers will now wish to follow suit by emulating Rotary Humm’s achievements in ensuring the highest standards in terms of quality, health and safety and the environment.

Accreditation for tendering

“In Dubai, accreditation is not a requirement for tendering. However, this is likely to change as the green building movement gains momentum. Already in the Jebel Ali Free Zone you cannot trade, or even renew your licence, without ISO environmental accreditation. Eventually this will spill over into quality and health and safety as well. The big players will require accreditation for tendering, as they also only want the best, and in the end it is a reflection on their own businesses as well.”

Watson adds that the present downturn is an ideal opportunity for companies to focus on such issues as ISO accreditation, which was not a priority during the recent expansionist fervour that gripped Dubai.



In this way, companies will be in an ideal position to capitalise on opportunities when growth picks up again – as it inevitably will.

So what is Watson going to do next? Not content to rest on her laurels, she says her job is by no means over, as ISO accreditation is a process that needs to be managed constantly and continuously.

In addition, there are frequent mini-audits likely to keep Rotary-HUMM on its toes as it fits in with the new systems and processes.

Rotary-HUMM’s Accreditations

ISO 9001: 2008 (Quality)

This specifies requirements for a quality management system where an organisation

• Needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide product that meets customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements; and
• Aims to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for continual improvement and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

ISO 14001: 2004 (Environmental)

This is a standard that specifies a set of requirements for environmental management systems. The purpose of this standard is to help all types of organisations to protect the environment, to prevent pollution and to improve their environmental performance.

OHSAS 18001: 2007 (Occupational Health & Safety)

This safety management system specification comprises two parts, 18001 and 18002 and embraces BS8800 and a number of other publications.