In a double commitment to quality, First Choice Group is proud to have been recommended for recertification of ISO 9001:2015 at the same time as reigniting last year’s highly successful partnership with BRITA Professional and Hobart Service, marking World Quality Week from the 07th – 11th November 2022.

First Choice Group has held the most recent version of the internationally recognised Quality Management System (QMS) certification standard for several years. ISO 9001:2015 is based on a process-orientated approach to demonstrate a company’s ability to consistently deliver products and services which meet and exceed ongoing customer and regulatory requirements. Covering aspects including documentation, structure management and the review of responsibilities and procedures to achieve effective quality management within an organisation, First Choice Group has once again undergone independent verification to ensure it meets the required standards.

The recertification couldn’t have been more timely, with First Choice Group announcing the return of a hugely successful partnership with two of the foodservice industry’s biggest names, BRITA Professional and Hobart Service to celebrate World Quality Week. Hosted by the Chartered Quality Institute (CQI) the week raises awareness of the quality management profession globally. This year, from 7^th-11^th November, the focus will be on quality conscience. On launching this year’s World Quality Week, the CQI states that organisations are increasingly expected to boost their responsibility and do the right thing for business stakeholders, the environment and society at large. This demands that businesses use their conscience to deliver the right decision-making in their journeys through often difficult ethical dilemmas.

The leading foodservice trio of First Choice Group, BRITA Professional and Hobart Service will once again come together to host events, workshops and competitions to celebrate the week. With all three brands being ISO 9001:2015 accredited, the importance of quality, developing their business conscience and doing the right thing is clear to see. For example, First Choice Group’s state-of-the-art HQ in Cannock features electric car charging points for staff and visitors, roof-mounted solar panels to harvest sustainable electricity, automatic lights that switch off when not in use and a warehouse bailer to compress used cardboard ready for recycling. The site is also a designated BRITA Professional filter recycling centre.

BRITA Professional has quality and the environment at the core of the business. Launching a sustainability charter, the leading international water-filtration manufacturer has committed to removing more than 5,000 tones of packaging and ensuring any remaining packaging is 100% recyclable – implementing measurable targets across the company. This sustainability ethos is something that is crucial to BRITA Professional, as Business Account Manager, Chris Fay comments:

“As a company, BRITA Professional is not only committed to reducing our impact on the environment but also supporting our supply chain and our operator customers to do the same. That’s why we have joined forces with our partners and fellow ISO 9001:2015 certified businesses, Hobart and First Choice Group, to celebrate World Quality Week. At BRITA Professional, we understand the importance of quality at every stage, from our service, our standards or our products, we’re committed to doing the right thing for our stakeholders, our customers and the environment. Working in conjunction with First Choice, we’re able to stock a wide range of professional water filters, including those recommended by Hobart for use in cooking and dishwashing appliances. Available for next-day delivery, operators can be confident that their equipment will be maintained in good working order for the life of the unit. It’s also important for us to reduce waste, which is why we’ve made First Choice Group an official BRITA Professional filter recycling centre – meaning operators, engineers and technicians can drop used filters at the company’s HQ, where we collect and recycle them.”

Similarly, Hobart Service, one of the industry’s leading manufacturers and service providers of professional kitchen equipment has developed its own environmental and energy policy – driving savings and significantly reducing waste. Also using 100% recyclable packaging, Hobart Service field-based technicians use reusable tools and component boxes to drive sustainability. On the announcement of the partnership with First Choice and BRITA Professional, Matt Knowles, Quality, Health and Safety Manager at Hobart Service adds:

“We are proud to be partnering with First Choice Group and BRITA Professional again in 2022 as we celebrate and mark World Quality Week. HOBART cooking and warewash equipment are designed to operate day after day, year after year, in very demanding environments. As such, it’s crucial that the equipment can withstand the demands of the kitchen while using energy in an efficient and effective manner.

“As a leading kitchen equipment service provider, it is important to us to lead the way with quality and sustainability. Our national network of factory trained Service Technicians repair and maintain thousands of machines every week, this manufacturer response ensures machines are working efficiently and at optimal levels.

“HOBART Service Technicians only use OEM parts, guaranteeing an exact match for our customer’s machines. These parts, which are fully stocked on our Service Technician’s vans, attribute to our 94% First Time Fix Rate and can increase the lifespan of kitchen equipment.”

It’s not just about the initiatives and campaigns that represent quality and sustainability, but also the ways in which the company demonstrates a commitment to quality at the highest level. First Choice Training, the specialist training provider of First Choice, has worked closely with Hobart Service to deliver advanced engineer training. Year to date, more than 20 engineers have undertaken specialist training at First Choice. Equally, working in partnership with BRITA Professional, First Choice Training has developed a programme of courses that cover water treatment for commercial foodservice equipment. Designed to enhance the life of equipment, the combination of effective training and the use of genuine OEM parts help to preserve equipment, ultimately reducing wastage.