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Knutsen Philippines Inc KPI maintains to be ISO certified despite ever changing odds

December 22, 2020
July 13 news cropped

In over the decade since its founding, KPI held on to its humble intention of conforming to the stringent global standards held by its primary clients under the Knutsen Group of Companies.

KPI’s main function is to provide competent, qualified Filipino seafarers for vessels operated by its principals. These vessels are collectively recognized to be among the most modern fleets in the world. Over the years, KPI’s services grew into other ancillary services to expand support for its clients’ global operations. To date, KPI proudly employs approximately 1,600 seafarers contracted for international trade under the industry’s leading operators of shuttle tankers and liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessels.

The recent widespread disruptions caused by the unforeseen pandemic challenged the traditional operations of the company, as it also did for virtually everyone else in the world. These sudden changes correspondingly brought out the genuine character of KPI’s people. The company’s culture of resilient perseverance became evident from the individual initiatives and collective actions from all its personnel. KPI’s Core Management Group frequently derives inspiration from everyone’s caring effort to accomplish their roles despite heightened personal risks. At the onset of the pandemic, the same management became directly aware that the abrupt turn of events likewise heightened the organization’s need to ensure the safety of all its personnel above all other considerations. By coupling consistent communication and adaptive coordination, everyone’s fervent contributions were leveraged into upholding the company’s central focus of ensuring all personnel’s safety while delivering services according to its customers’ expectations.

KPI’s enhanced support to its personnel included additional investments to accommodate contactless service, additional tools to increase work-from-home capacities, and organization-wide efforts emphasizing mental healthcare, among others. These efforts paid off as KPI was recognized by its clients to be among the few manning agencies who were able to deploy its qualified seafarers at a rate relatively higher than the industry average. This feat continues to be accomplished while remaining vigilantly faithful in keeping COVID-19 infections away from its active personnel.

When it as KPI’s time to be audited for its ISO 9001:2015 recertification, its management eagerly welcomed the auditor from SGS, Ms. Ellen S. Cruz. As mentioned in the Opening Meeting of its audit, KPI recognized the milestone as an invaluable opportunity to asses if the company was still able to maintain an acceptable level of certainty in the face of amplified uncertainty. The subsequent success of KPI in passing the ISO 9001:2015 recertification is rooted in its people, imbued with humane values towards upholding its corporate vision.

However, while this re-certification is by itself a testament of the company’s strict commitment to quality, KPI is mindful that quality is always an on-going concern that must remain appropriate to current relevant circumstances. This commitment should stand even when circumstances change on very short notice. These are among the invaluable lessons that the current pandemic teaches everyone; and are lessons which KPI particularly takes to heart.

Nevertheless, KPI acknowledges this achievement, as with all others, is made possible only through the helpful contributions  generously imparted by all its colleagues and personnel alike, as facilitated by its Core Management Group comprising: Mr. Bryant C. Arcilla (President and General Manager), Capt. Jerico G. Tungcab (Principals’ Representative), Mr. Brandy S. Ban-eg (Deputy Administrator/Operations Manager), Ms. Ma. Khenna Mae Dela Cruz (QA Manager), Ms. Leah P. Bartolome (Finance Manager), Ms. Judy Christine Suerte (Crewing Manager), Ms. Mary Ann B. Solis (Recruitment Manager), Ms. Daisy B. Villaseñor (HR Manager), and Mr. Rommel I. Echano (IT Support Supervisor).

Nelirene "NELI" M. Dablio
Certification and Business Enhancement
Marketing Manager, Learning Services Manager (Food)
m: +63 (917) 584 94 64
www.sgs.ph

ABOUT SGS

SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 89,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,600 offices and laboratories around the world.

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