SK Chemicals said on the 17th that the Pharma institutional sector obtained certification for ISO 22301, the international standard for business continuity management systems, from the global certification body LRQA.
ISO 22301 is an international standard established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) that assesses whether an organization has a management system to continue core operations and return to normal in the shortest time possible even in unexpected crises such as disasters, accidents, and supply chain disruptions.
Generally, this certification is often applied with a focus on manufacturing processes, but SK Chemicals' Pharma business built a companywide business continuity management system that covers not only the pharmaceutical production processes at the Cheongju plant but also key head office functions.
A company official said, "We broke down key tasks and processes at the head office and the Cheongju plant to check potential risks, and we refined the system so that rapid response and work recovery are possible in an emergency."
During preparation for certification, the company reviewed and advanced its crisis response and recovery system through internal audits of the business continuity management system (BCMS), drills based on hypothetical emergencies, training of internal auditors, and management reviews.
SK Chemicals said the certification laid the groundwork to proactively meet business continuity plan (BCP) standards required in the global pharmaceutical supply chain and further strengthened its overall risk management capabilities and supply stability response system.
Park Hyeon-seon, head of the Pharma business at SK Chemicals, said, "Global pharmaceutical companies value not only quality but also systems that can maintain production and supply during crises when selecting partners," adding, "Based on this ISO 22301 certification, we will further strengthen our competitiveness as a trusted partner in global CMO and CDMO businesses."
Meanwhile, the SK Chemicals Cheongju plant now holds three ISO international standard certifications—ISO 14001 (environmental management system), ISO 45001 (occupational health and safety management system), and ISO 22301.