OREANDA-NEWS. MMC Norilsk Nickel is through the second compliance audit of its Integrated Quality Control and Environmental Management System (IQCEMS) held by Bureau Veritas Certification, an independent certification organization.

The compliance audit checked compliance with international standards but also the expansion of the expanded scope of IQCEMS and its applications by means of integration with existing and emerging quality control and environmental management systems of the Company's divisions located in the Norilsk Industrial Region. That is why it is the Corporate Integrated Quality Control and Environmental Management System (CIQCEMS) that is the subject of the audit.

The audit criteria included ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004 standards as well as the Company's internal corporate management standards set forth taking into account the organizational restructuring of the Company that is currently in progress. The audited CIQCEMS encompasses operations of 49 divisions of MMC Norilsk Nickel including such industrial enterprises as Nickel Plant, Copper Plant and Nadezhda Metallurgical Plant.

Head of the audit team Vladimir Bondarenko noted in his final statement that the corporate integrated system of Norilsk Nickel with the scope of certification in Production, Project Management, Sales and Product Deliveries (nickel, cobalt, copper, precious metals, sulfur, selenium and tellurium) is efficient, maintained in the running order and in compliance with ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004.

Deputy General Director of MMC Norilsk Nickel and representative of Company management for CIQCEMS Jacques Rozenberg said that this system was set up in order to meet market requirements and those of all stakeholders (consumers of products, shareholders, the government, the society and employees of the Company).

We have strong internal motivation to improve our quality control and environmental management system. In the long run it will allow improving the Company's market stance, provide for the growth of the Company's shareholder value and largely reduce the environmental burden in the regions where enterprises of Norilsk Nickel operate, he said.

MMC Norilsk Nickel was awarded its first ISO compliance certificate in 2005 and has maintained its status every year since.