Quality Policy

By following the footsteps of a modern approach in running the business and with a strong desire to accommodate all present and future needs and requests of clients for its products and services, the Highway Institute as of 1998 established the quality system according to the requirements of Standard ISO 9001:1996.

Quality system established within the framework of business operations of the Highway Institute was certified by domestic and foreign certifying organizations.

Domestic certification was carried out in June 1998 by the firm YUQS – Association for certification and supervision of the quality system from Belgrade. Based upon the positive report, the Federal Bureau for Standardization issued the confirmation of acknowledgement for the quality system, Certificate No. QS1-0055, whereby it was confirmed that the quality system implemented in the Highway Institute is fully in compliance with the Standard SRPS ISO 9001 referring to the following products and services: scientific-research work, preparation of designs, studies and other technical documentation, testing and expert-technical supervision in the field of construction of roads, tunnels, road facility supporting structures, bridges and airports.

Foreign certification was carried out in December 1998 by Austrian Certification Body ÖQS from Vienna in collaboration with the firm EVROCERT from Belgrade. Based upon the positive report, the Austrian Certification Body awarded the Certificate under the number 1432/0 whereby it was confirmed that the quality system implemented at the Highway Institute is fully in compliance with EN ISO 9001:1994.

Based on the Certificate obtained from the Austrian Certification Body, the Highway Institute also obtained the Certificate IQNet (The International Certification Network) No. A-1432/0 whereby it entered into the world-wide network of organizations which have established certified quality system in their respective business operations.

Supervising check-ups of the quality system in the course of 1999 and 2000 and subsequent recertification in 2001 have shown that the quality system established at the Highway Institute is operating; moreover, the policy of quality is reconsidered and supplemented, and that the quality system documents are added on, amended and improved. In the course of 2003, the Highway Institute adapted its quality system with the prerequisites of the Standard SRPS ISO 9001:2001 and thereby resulting in the certification at ÖQS (in collaboration with EVROCERT) by the beginning of 2004.

Recertification by EVROCERT was carried out on 26 and 27 January 2010, which was the basis for accreditation according to standard SRPS ISO 9001:2008. The scope of certification refers to the following services: scientific-research work in the road engineering, laboratory testing of road construction materials, geological-geotechnical investigations, preparation of geodetic maps, studies and analyses referring to the environmental protection and traffic, technical supervision, preparation of designs (roads, tunnels, tunnels, airports and other engineering facilities); expertise of technical documentation and facilities in service; certification of products – all confirmed by EVROCERT certificates No. Q 1016/06 as of 19 April 2010, Quality Austria No. 01432/0 as of 15 December 2010 and IQNet No. AT-01432/0 as of 15 December 2010. All obtained certificates are valid till 14 February 2013.

During the year 2001, this establishment obtained the accreditation for its four testing laboratories from the Yugoslav Accreditation Body. After the completion of accreditation procedure, the Yugoslav Accreditation Body JUAT issued the resolutions pertaining to the accreditation of testing laboratories within the Highway Institute:

  • Laboratory for stones and stone aggregates: Resolution No. 01-11/2001
  • Laboratory for soil mechanics: Resolution No. 01-07/2001
  • Laboratory for concrete and binders: Resolution No. 01-12/2001
  • Laboratory for asphalt, hydrocarbon binders and water-proofing: Resolution No.01-13/2001

The resolutions thereof are valid for 5 years.

The accreditation of laboratories was carried out in accordance with the requirements stipulated in the Standard/Guidance SRPS ISO/IEC Guidance No.25 General requirements for laboratory qualification to perform gauging and for testing laboratories (in other words SRPS EN 45001:1991 General criteria for operation of testing laboratories).

By the beginning of 2003 all four laboratories adapted their documentation and practice as required by the Standard SRPS ISO/IEC 17025:2001, after which JUAT carried out supervising appraisal in May and June. Based upon supervising appraisal and positive finding all four laboratories retained the resolutions which were previously awarded to them.

In the course of 2007 ATS – Accreditation Body of Serbia submitted to appraisal once again all accredited testing laboratories in compliance with the Standard SRPS ISO/IEC 17025:2006; Accreditation Rules JUAT-11-10-00-00, Laboratory Quality Manuals, attachments to manuals and reference standards in conformity with the scope of accreditation. Based on overall positive findings the accreditations were extended for all four testing laboratories, resulting in the issuance of accreditation certificates by ATS – Accreditation Body of Serbia as follows:

  • Laboratory for soil mechanics – accreditation number 01-009,
  • Laboratory for stones and stone aggregates  – accreditation number 01-013,
  • Laboratory for concrete and binders  – accreditation number 01-014,
  • Laboratory for asphalt, hydrocarbon binders and water-proofing  – accreditation number 01-015

 

In the course of 2011 the Accreditation Body of Serbia once again accredited all four testing laboratories. Their certificats are valid as of 30 October 2011 till 29 October 2015.

 

Declaration on the quality policy of the Highway Institute

MISSION

We are dedicated to provide:

  • Solutions on scientific and practical basis within the framework of development, construction and maintenance of road network and thus improvement of the overall social and economic progress in the country.
  • Improvement the road safety in accordance with permanent social commitment, the European Charter on Road Safety, international standards and experience in this field.

VISION

Our vision is to achieve the following:

  • Retain and strengthen the status of regional leader in the field of road engineering.
  • Be recognized by high-quality services in the country and abroad.
  • Retain and strengthen the role of an active and initiative business partner to various competent government authorities – our most significant Clients and having an extensive expertise and committment to social responsibility, to increase the credibility and a possible active impact on the public decision-making in the scope of our activities.
  • Become and remain a regular and important participant in all joint projects, nationally or internationally initiated, pertaining to this area of work.

POLICY OF QUALITY

In pursuit of our mission and vision, we follow best practices to achieve the following:

  • The company management is bound to comply with requirements of the quality management system based on standard ISO 9000, constantly striving for the business excellence.
  • We shall constantly develop the awareness of our personnel that meeting the requests of our clients is of the utmost importance.
  • Corporate responsibility for the general public interest will be shown through the overall Institute’s business activities, by eliminating short-term business goals that are harmful to the reputation, professional principles and strategic decisions.
  • We shall select solutions and projects which will contribute to human safety and environmental protection, with minimum consumption of non-renewable natural resources.
  • The management will involve all employees to continuously improve the processes, application of advanced technologies and promote the management system.
  • The Institute will closely monitor the development of legislation and standardization in the respective fields of work and actively participate in the efforts of the society and the state administration in terms of compliance with international criteria, to ensure an important role in the national quality infrastructure related to civil engineering.
  • Following the international development and introducing it into our business activities with the systematic training of personnel we will manage to adapt to new market demands.

The Highway Institute management is bound with this policy to constantly improve the management system based on quality and its services.

All employees at the Highway Institute must be acquainted with this policy appropriately.

Managerial structure of the Highway Institute is responsible for the implementation of this policy, whereas all employees have to put it into effect.

 

Quality system characteristics are as follows:

  • Requirements pertaining to a series of standards SRPS ISO 9000:2008 are applied in all organizational entities and refer to all processes and overall operation of the Highway Institute.
  • Quality management provides the fulfilment of users’ requests and continuous improvement of our performance.
  • Our quality system is compatible with the standards ensuing from other management systems.
  • Content of our users is attained with the quality of our services, and by fulfilling the stipulated time frames and costs.
  • Motivation of employees is achieved by good working conditions, living standard, continuing education and career promotion.
  • Environmental protection, rational energy consumption, preservation of natural resources, obedience to the law and adherence to the environmental standards are present in all our activities.
  • Reduction of costs through continuous efficiency improvement of all business processes.
  • By fostering the partnerships we provide for reliable procurements and suppliers.