Supplier certified by Bureau Veritas Certification is the first to obtain the gold level in Europe.

IRIS Certification® (IRIS = International Railway Industry Standard) has been developed by leading rolling stock manufacturers - affiliated within UNIFE - to ensure and continuously improve product safety and quality in the global rail supply chain. The rolling stock manufacturers, suppliers, infrastructure manufacturers, design offices and maintenance companies are subject to IRIS Certification®.

In order to reward and motivate companies to continuously increase their efforts to create better and more advanced quality management solutions, three levels of management system assessments have been introduced: bronze, silver and gold 'Quality Performance Levels'.

‘Gold Quality Performance Level is the highest and most prestigious level of IRIS Certification®. To achieve the Gold Quality Performance Level, an aspiring organisation must demonstrate excellent performance in the 3 pillars of the system - compliance with requirements, process performance and finally, customer perception, confirmed by official recommendations. Applying for a GOLD level requires proper planning of the audit process - UNIFE observes the planning, sends a representative who is present throughout the assessment and verifies the content of the report. Meeting the requirements set for organisations applying for the Gold Quality Performance Level is intended to ensure that the highest level of assessment is awarded to the leaders of the railway industry - companies with a system of internal organisation, business management and attitude to customers that should be an example to follow and an inspiration for the whole market’, explains Grzegorz Kaczmarek, IRIS lead auditor at Bureau Veritas Polska.

According to data published by the international consortium IRQB (International Rail Quality Board), more than 2,300 IRIS certificates have been awarded worldwide to date. Bureau Veritas Certification certifies the highest number of suppliers in Poland as well as worldwide, was the first certification body to have a client achieve the gold level globally (in China) and was the first certification body to have a client achieve the gold level in Europe (Newag S.A.).

Currently, Polish manufacturer NEWAG S.A. is the only manufacturer in all of Europe holding a certificate with the gold level. ‘

‘A domestic manufacturer earning the distinction of Gold Quality Performance Level is a major success. Newag S.A. is the first company in Europe and the second company in the world to receive the gold performance level with the IRIS certificate. This confirms that the quality management system implemented in the organisation meets the highest requirements for rolling stock manufacturers. Such recognition for a long-standing customer in the railway industry gives us double pleasure, as railways and their environmentally friendly nature are an important part of the sustainable development strategy we promote’, says Paweł Borowicz, head of Mobility & Enterprise Risk at Bureau Veritas Polska.

‘NEWAG S.A. strives to continuously improve the organisation to ensure full compliance with the requirements of the IRIS Certification® and to ensure the smooth functioning of all organisational processes. These activities are aimed at creating conditions leading to a high level of satisfaction of our customers and the supply of products of the highest quality that guarantee travel comfort and passenger safety.

We are proud that the commitment and actions taken by all employees of the company, at all organisational levels, translated into obtaining the highest possible level of compliance, as the first entity in Europe to achieve this distinction.

Regardless of achieving the highest possible level of compliance, we will continue to take systemic measures to continuously improve our organisational processes. We are convinced that improvement is a never-ending process that guarantees a lasting competitive advantage’, says Józef Michalik, NEWAG S.A. Management Board Vice-President.

* UNIFE (French: Union des Industries Ferroviaires Européennes) - The European Railway Industry

About Bureau Veritas:

Established in 1828, Bureau Veritas is a global leader in TIC (Testing, Inspection and Certification), offering high-quality services which aim at supporting the clients in meeting more and more demanding requirements concerning quality, OHS, environmental protection and social responsibility. We hire 80,000 employees in 140 countries, on all continents. In Poland, Bureau Veritas has been operating since 1958.

Bureau Veritas Certification, the independent certification body of the Bureau Veritas Group, provides accredited certification and verification services worldwide under more than 60 accreditations, including UNIFE - for compliance with the IRIS Certification® standard.

For more information: www. bureauveritas.pl

About NEWAG S.A.:

Newag is a modern company, effectively combining innovative technical thought with traditions dating back to 1876. As one of the oldest railway companies in Poland, NEWAG S.A has many years of experience in the production and modernisation of rolling stock. NEWAG S.A is a leading Polish manufacturer of electric and diesel passenger vehicles, electric and diesel locomotives, as well as underground and tramway vehicles.

NEWAG S.A. has a stable and exceptionally strong position in the market of electric multiple units and locomotives in Poland. In recent years, the NEWAG S.A. capital group has dominated the domestic market for the production of electric multiple units, the production and modernisation of electric locomotives and the modernisation of diesel locomotives. In December 2013, NEWAG S.A became a listed company, successfully making its debut on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. For more information: www.newag.pl