HKICA Seminar on Quality, Certification & Professionalism cum Annual Dinner

The Hong Kong Institution of Certified Auditors (HKICA) organized Seminar on Quality, Certification & Profession cum the 7th Anniversary of HKICA Annual Dinner on 4 Dec 2014. I was honour to be invited joining both events. The summary of events was shown as follows.
In the beginning, Ms. Miranda Kwan (Vice President, HKICA) gave a welcoming remark and as MC for the whole seminar.

Ir. Dr. Tommy Lo (President, HKICA) gave a welcoming speech and shared some history of establishment of HKICA.

Group photo with all guest speakers
(Left: Ms. Maggie Lee, Mr. Patrick Pang, Ir. Dr. Tommy Lo, Mrs. Irene Cheng and Ir. Julian Lee)

Then guest speaker Ms. Irene Cheng (Assistant Director, Housing Authority) gave an opening speech. Firstly, she gave an overview of Quality, Certification & Professionalism and explained how Housing Authority (HA) driven for Quality, as well as their certification for contractors, Materials Suppliers.

Mr. Irene Cheng said Quality implied Excellence, Certification related to People and Professionalism was People’s Competence. HA had four core values called “4C’s” stated for Caring, Customer-focus, Creative and Committed.

The she briefed their quality journey since 1987. HA got ISO 9001 since 1993 and then continuously to achieve ISO 14001, ISO 26000, EFQM, ISO 50001 and OHSAS 18001.

Finally, she introduced the concept “Quality as a Discipline”. HA dedicated teams for System Management, Internal Audit, Materials Surveillance Audits and Testing Laboratory Audits, as well as, Quality Training for ISO 9001, ISO 14001, OHSAS 18001 and ISO 50001, as well as, European Foundation for Quality Management (EFQM) Excellence Model.

The first speaker was Ir. Dr. Tommy Lo (President, HKICA) and his presentation entitled “QMS Certification Scheme of Persons”. Dr. Lo briefed the background that HKCTC set up in September 2009 and then he started to think about standard for testing and certification personnel. In ISO 19011:2011, Quality in certification personnel included competence, professionalism and continuous development. The he had reference to ISO/IEC 17024:2012 “General Requirements for Personnel Certification Bodies/Certification Bodies for Persons” to set up personnel certification schedule in order to promote the status of ISO auditors to the public as a profession based on ISO/IEC 19011:2011.

Dr. Lo said they got the SME Development Fund for the Project named “To upgrade the QMS personnel certification scheme of HKICA in compliance with ISO/IEC 17024 for international accreditation”. And then seek for CNAS accreditation. The status of HKICA would be same as CCAA in China after accreditation.

Then Dr. Lo briefed the major change in the new revision such as using the term of Certification of Persons and Certification Body for Persons; Competence of Auditor should be Impartial and Objective; and Professional, Impartial and Ethics; as well as, Certification & Training should be Impartiality. Finally, Dr. Lo concluded that auditor equipped with professional knowledge and professionals also needed with audit knowledge.

During the break, HKQF team took a photo with Dr. Lo.
(Left: HKICA member, Ms. Miranda Kwan, Mr. Terence Wong (HKQF-TIC; Vice Chairman of HK Footwear Professionals Association), Mr. Patrick Pang (GM, Qualification Framework Secretariat), I, Dr. Tommy Lo, Ms. Camdy Chow (HKQF-TIC; GM-Public Affairs, TUV Rheinland), Ms. Julia Lee, and Mr. Matthew Yien (Qualification Framework Secretariat))

The second speaker was Ir. Julian Lee (Manager-Research, Construction Industry Council) and his topic named “CIC Role in Product Certification of the Construction Industry”. Firstly, he introduced the Construction Industry Council (CIC) and what challenges they faced. Then he stated their role in Product Certification.

Different functions in CIC was mentioned and included “Reflect needs and aspirations”, “Elevate the Quality & Competitiveness”, “Promote Good Practices”, “Workers Registration”, “Advance Skills through Training”, and “Enhance Cohesiveness”. Then Mr. Lee briefed QA & QC in construction from Testing to QC to QA in the typical Quality Management Process.

In order to ensure a high level of QA of construction materials, upstream quality monitoring, product certification conformity schemes (PCCSs) were initiated in Hong Kong since 1991. The existing PCCSs in Hong Kong was showed in following table. However, CIC should promote various PCCSs by liaising with related government authorities including Buildings Dept., Housing Authority, etc. as well as industry stakeholders from the private sector.

The third speaker was Mr. Patrick Pang (General Manager, Qualifications Framework Secretariat) and his presentation was “Promoting Professionalism through Qualifications Framework (QF)”. Mr. Pang introduced HKQF which established for knowledge-based economy and life-long learning to enhance local workforce competitiveness through enhancement of local workforce’s quality and capability.

The Hong Kong Qualifications Framework had separated into 7 levels to match between Vocational & Continuing Education and Academic level.

Mr. Pang introduced that HKQF was industry-led and implemented on industry basis through the formation of Industry Training Advisory Committees (ITACs) in which involved employer, employee, professional bodies and industry. For TIC ITAC set up on 15 August 2010. HKICA and HKSQ were professional bodies supporting the scheme.

Ms. Maggie Lee (Chief Gemmologist, Asia Pacific Gemmologist Society) was the last speaker and her topic named “Natural Fei Cui Quality Mark in Hong Kong and in the Fei Cui Audit”. In the beginning, Ms. Lee briefed different types of Jade included Nephrite and Jadeite (Fei Cui).

The definition of Fei Cui (GB/T 16553-2010) is “Natural FEI CUI is the mineral aggregate with craft value. It’s consist of jadeite or of jadeite and other sodic, sodium calcium pyroxene (kosmochlor, omphacite). It also can small amounts of amphibole, feldspar, chromite, etc. minerals.” She said trade of Fei Cui separated into two group that one was Natural and the other was Treated. Type A is Natural Fei Cui (Jadeite Jade). Type B is chemically treated and resin impregnated Fei Cui. Type C is dyed colour Fei Cui. Type B+C is chemically treated, resin impregnated and dyed colour Fei Cui. Then Ms. Lee mentioned the standard methods for testing Fei Cui in Hong Kong.

At the end, Ms. Lee introduced the audit for Natural Fei Cui Quality Mark in which was irregularly audit to make selection for testing from experience jadeite gemologist.

The 7th Anniversary of HKICA Annual Dinner was held on that night. Ir. Dr. Tommy Lo (President, HKICA) gave a welcoming speech and told us a story when he was auditor in China in about 1985. It was for ISO 9001 audit and found that the quality manager was very serious. He was on-site with Dr. Lo even though his daughter born in the same day of audit. Dr. Lo remember that he presented the ISO 9001 certificate was held in the Great Hall of the People in Beijing (北京人民大會堂).

Group photo of HKICA exco members for toasting

Then Mr. Kesson Lee (Secretary-General, Testing & Certification, HKCTC) gave a speech to introduce Hong Kong Council of Testing and Certification.

Photo with Dr. Lo

I took some photos with HKQAA and T&C friends.
(Left: Ms. Ronnie Ng, Dr. Jaime Yeung (Director-Technical, Score (Holdings) Ltd.), Ir. Wilman Chan, I, Mr. Ricky Hui, Ms. Amy Wong and Mr. Calvin Lo)

(Left: Ms. Julia Lee, I, Mr. Kesson Lee, Mr. ISO17024 (previous HKAS assessor), Mr. Lam Kam-kong (Senior Superintendent, Food and Environmental Hygiene Departement))

I also took a photo with Ir. Dr. Mckey Ho (Manager for Quality Management at the Hong Kong Housing Authority, HKSAR). HKSQ had invited Dr. Ho to present in World Quality Month seminar named "Quality Excellence Model - MBNQA & EFQM" on 9 Nov 2012.

I knew some new friends during the dinner.
(Left: Mr. Dominic Mok (Principal Geologist/Gemmolgist, Asian Gemmological Institute and Laboratory Limited), I, Ir. Lonnie Cheung (Chairman, The Hong Kong Institution of Plumbing and Drainage) and Mr. Andy S.M. Ip (Founding member, Registered Minor Works Contractor Signatory Association))

Reference:
HKICA – http://hkica.org/