Not every business needs, or can justify, a full-time quality, health, safety and environmental manager — but every certified management system needs someone accountable for keeping it live: scheduling audits, chasing actions, running management reviews and staying ahead of legal and standard changes. Retained QHSE support puts an experienced consultant in that role on a flexible, part-time basis.
It's commonly used by SMEs between QHSE hires, businesses that have outgrown an ad-hoc approach but aren't ready for a full-time role, or businesses that simply prefer to buy in the expertise rather than build it in-house.
You're certified (or need to be) but don't have anyone whose job it is to keep the system alive day to day.
Your QHSE manager has left, or you're recruiting, and need continuity so certification isn't put at risk.
Scope and hours are agreed to fit your business — from a few hours a month to a near full-time interim role.
Keeping documentation, registers and records current across ISO 9001, 14001, 45001 and any sector standards you hold.
Running or supporting management review meetings so they produce real decisions, on schedule.
Keeping your internal and supplier audit programme on track and corrective actions closing out.
Covering the QHSE manager role during recruitment, leave or a restructure, with minimal handover disruption.
Acting as your outsourced health & safety 'competent person' where that's the most practical route.
Managing the relationship and scheduling with your UKAS-accredited certification body.
We understand your standards, current system maturity and what you need covered.
We agree a fixed monthly retainer and scope — no open-ended, uncapped billing.
We review your existing system so nothing falls through the cracks in the handover.
We deliver the agreed scope every month, with a clear record of what's been done.
It depends entirely on your size, number of standards and current system maturity — anywhere from a few hours a month for a stable, mature system to several days a month for an interim management role. We'll recommend a realistic starting point on a scoping call.
For most SMEs, yes, particularly once salary, employer costs, training and management overhead are factored in — though the right answer depends on your size and growth plans, which is exactly what we'll discuss honestly on a scoping call.
We agree retainer terms up front, including notice periods, as part of your proposal — there's no indefinite lock-in.
ISO 9001, ISO 14001, ISO 45001, IATF 16949 and AS9100, individually or as an integrated system.
Yes — many clients start with a light-touch retainer (for example, quarterly audits and management review support) and increase scope as they grow or as trust in the relationship builds.
Most of our clients need more than one of these — here's what tends to go together.
Run ISO 9001, 14001 and 45001 as one lean, integrated system.
Internal audit programmes, VDA 6.3 process audits and second-party supplier audits.
Your outsourced, retained health & safety adviser — the 'competent person' the law requires.
Occupational health & safety management system implementation and certification.
Tell us about your current setup and we'll propose a fixed monthly retainer that fits.
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