Successful Implementation of ISO 55001 - Papakura Franchise

Minesh Patel, Yolanda Oosthuizen, Michael Paschke - Veolia

New Zealand’s water infrastructure is facing unprecedented challenges, with rapid urbanisation and population growth, increasing legislative requirements, climate change and ageing infrastructure. Effective asset management is fundamental to providing communities with sustainable levels of service, in an environment of competing demands and constrained funding. The ISO 55001 standard is the international global benchmark for asset management capability and provides a framework for implementing an integrated and effective Asset Management System.

Veolia’s Papakura Franchise involves the provision of water and wastewater services to over 55,000 people and includes significant customer service obligations along with contractual responsibility for full life-cycle asset management. In July 2021 Veolia achieved accredited certification of its Papakura Franchise activities and Asset Management System to the ISO 55001 standard, a New Zealand first for water activities of this size and scope. This paper outlines Veolia’s journey to certification of its Asset Management System to ISO 55001. It describes the approach adopted by Veolia, the value of an ISO 55001 aligned Asset Management System, and key lessons learned during the implementation process.

The Papakura Franchise ISO 55001 certification journey reflects the importance of effective asset management to deliver upon Papakura community water and wastewater obligations. Top level management commitment and active buy-in from all stakeholders including field operators throughout the journey was critical to successful ISO 55001 implementation and is discussed in this paper.

Certification to ISO 55001 requires alignment of existing Asset Management System processes to the specifics of the ISO 55001 framework. The paper describes the methodology used by Veolia to assess gaps in its Asset Management System relative to the requirements of ISO 55001. The paper also outlines the implementation of focused action plans to close out gaps and ensure systematic preparedness for Stage 1 and Stage 2 certification audits.

An ISO 55001 aligned Asset Management System brings value across diverse stakeholder groups. This paper discusses the key stakeholder benefits realised in terms of asset management planning, performance, decision-making and continual improvement.

The paper also discusses the lessons learned during Veolia’s ISO 55001 journey and explores how the framework successfully applied to the Papakura Franchise can be used by other water authorities in New Zealand seeking to drive asset management best practice.