About Commercial Cold Holdings
Commercial Cold Holdings (CCH) is Southern Africa's leading cold storage and logistics provider, committed to reducing food waste, enhancing food security and supporting economic growth across the continent. With facilities in South Africa, Namibia and Mozambique, CCH serves a broad range of industries including agriculture, fishing, fruit exports, retail and food services. As one of the 25 largest refrigerated warehousing providers globally, CCH operates in a highly regulated environment where food safety, quality assurance and environmental compliance are non-negotiable.
The challenge
- 01Fragmented SHEQ data across business units
- 02Manual compliance tracking and limited audit traceability
- 03Poor visibility into compliance risks, expiry dates and corrective actions
- 04Time-consuming incident and non-conformance reporting (NCR) processes
The solution
In partnership with OSA International, CCH implemented SHEQX®, a centralised, cloud-based compliance platform from XGRC® Software. SHEQX® was selected for its ability to digitally transform the way SHEQ is monitored, reported and managed across CCH's network. The platform allows CCH to unify its approach to workplace safety, environmental stewardship and food quality management, ensuring alignment with ISO 22000, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001.
Real-time incident, audit and inspection capture via mobile devices
A centralised, auditable database for all SHEQ documentation and data
Automated compliance tracking across sites, certifications and legal registers
Smart notifications and escalations for incidents, actions and document expiries
Live dashboards for compliance performance monitoring and decision support
Implementation
Implementation partner OSA International The rollout began in mid-2024 and followed a phased, well-governed implementation plan led by OSA International.
- 1
Core system configuration and document migration
- 2
Setup of employee profiles and training paths
- 3
Two focused training sessions for super users and administrators in July
- 4
Group-wide go-live on 1 August 2024
Modules implemented
- 01Profile Management
- 02Document Manager
- 03Action Manager
- 04Inspection and NCR Management
- 05Incident Management
- 06Mobile Application Access
The initial rollout covered major CCH facilities including Paarden Eiland, Duncan Dock, Epping, Walvis Bay, Midrand, Keystone, Richmond, Aeroton and Greenbushes, laying the foundation for group-wide standardisation.
The results
Since the go-live, CCH has seen meaningful improvements in both compliance capability and operational confidence. By consolidating SHEQ data into a single platform, CCH has unlocked better reporting, faster decision-making and a more responsive compliance culture.
- Group-wide, real-time SHEQ visibility across all operations
- Faster incident response and trend identification
- Improved audit readiness and ISO alignment
- Reduced manual effort and fewer data errors
- Greater assurance in maintaining export-critical certifications (FSSC 22000, PPECB, DALRRD, HACCP)
Lessons learned
- 1
Early stakeholder engagement drives smoother adoption
- 2
Super user training is key to building internal capability
- 3
SHEQ digitisation should be seen as an enabler, not an overhead, for performance, food safety and customer trust
In their words
Implementing SHEQX® has been a turning point in our compliance journey. We have not only digitised key processes but also gained real-time visibility into SHEQ performance across the group.
SHEQX® empowers our teams to manage risk proactively. With better data and mobile functionality, we have created a safer, smarter operating environment.
Conclusion
Through its partnership with OSA International and the adoption of SHEQX®, CCH has strengthened its position as a compliance-first, food safety-driven cold chain leader. The digitisation of SHEQ has enabled CCH to meet international expectations, support sustainable growth and build confidence with both regulators and customers.
