OREANDA-NEWS. On 17 April 2009 was announced, that "Lenta" has confirmed compliance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2000

The management system of the company "Lenta" was subjected to independent assessment and certification audit for compliance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2000, held by the company Bureau Veritas Certification. Roman Korobkov, Manager for work with clients of Bureau Veritas Rus, comments: "The company "Lenta" had excellent results of certification, showing the top level in the quality management system – in the course of audit made by Bureau Veritas Certification not a single discrepancy was revealed".

The period of validity of the certificate is 3 years; to confirm observance by the company of the requirements of the standard ISO 9001:2000, audits will be held annually. All the activities of "Lenta" are described as a sequence of interconnected processes aimed at realization of the company’s mission. The results of each process are measurable and are appraised regularly for continuous improvement of the activity.

"Satisfying the customer on a daily basis has always been the main value of "Lenta", which totally coincides with the main principle of the standard ISO 9001:2000. That is, the ideology of "Lenta" and of the standard ISO 9001 constituting the best world experience in the sphere of management is identical", comments Evgene Gulyansky, Director of Corporative Management System, member of the Executive board of the company "Lenta".

The development, introduction and certification of the quality management system in accordance with the requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2000 gives some advantages to "Lenta", namely:

- perfection of management system;

- cost reduction, - risk reduction;

- improvement of the quality of products and services.

Each of these positive results eventually has effect on the cost of the company in a certain way. According to the international certifications bodies, the presence of the quality management system raises the market cost of the company by 10 % on the average.

The decision on development and introduction of the corporate management system on the basis of requirements of the international standard ISO 9001:2000 was taken in 2007. "Lenta" became one of the first Russian retail networks that proceeded to introduction of the given requirements. All divisions of the company "Lenta" took part in the project, and in 2008 the company was awarded the relevant certificate.

The General Director of the company "Lenta" Alexey Bobrov comments: "With regard for our scope of activity and the complicated situation in the market, it is very important not only to establish and observe the corporate requirements and standards - from the central office to the trade hall - but also to continue the work in this direction".