Perhaps as an early Christmas gift to the international community rooting for a cross-sectorial solution on combatting climate change, HSBC have announced their commitment to establish the world’s first bond. As explained by HSBC themselves, the bond is closely linked to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Following seven selected SDG targets, HSBC will fund 1 billion USD through the bond and thus financially support projects set out to increase the sustainable well-being of communities and the environment. The concept is specifically aimed at establishing hospitals, schools and infrastructural improvements.
Based on a report prepared by international auditors, DQS GmbH issued a three-year quality management Certificate of Conformity with ISO 9001:2015 standard requirements, which focus on improving business management and system performance. ISO 9001:2015 requirements for a quality management system include 1) An organization needs to demonstrate its ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, and 2) an organization needs to enhance customer satisfaction through the effective application of the system, including processes for improvement of the system and the assurance of conformity to customer and applicable statutory and regulatory requirements. As DQS GmbH is a certification body and full member of the International Quality Network (IQNet), the GSE has also become a holder of the IQNet Certificate.