Environmental Standards
ISO 14001
An environmental management system (EMS) is a systematic approach to dealing with the environmental aspects of an organization. It is a 'tool' that enables an organization of any size or type to control the impact of its activities, products or services on the natural environment. The ISO 14001 standard "Environmental management systems — Specification with guidance for use" is the standard within the ISO 14000 series that specifies the requirements of an environmental management system.
The benefits of an environmental management system include:
- Assuring customers of commitment to demonstrable environmental management
- Maintaining rapport with community representatives and organizations
- Satisfying investor criteria and improving access to capital
- Obtaining insurance at reasonable cost
- Enhancing public image and market share
- Meeting vendor certification criteria
- Improvement in controlling costs
- Reduction in incidents that result in liability
- Demonstration of commitment to reasonable care
- Conservation of materials and energy
- Facilitation in attaining permits and authorizations
- Fostering development and sharing environmental solutions
- Improving industry-government relations
The key elements of an ISO 14001 EMS are:
Environmental Policy — the environmental policy and the requirements to pursue this policy via objectives, targets, and environmental programs Planning - the analysis of the environmental aspects of the organization (including its processes, products and services as well as the goods and services used by the organization);
Implementation and operation — implementation and organization of processes to control and improve operational activities that are critical from an environmental perspective (including products and services generated by an organization)
Checking and corrective action — the monitoring, measurement, and recording of characteristics and activities that can have a significant impact on the environment
Management Review — review of the EMS by the organization's top management to ensure its continued suitability, adequacy and effectiveness
Continual improvement — the concept of continual improvement is a key component of the environmental management system; it completes the cyclical process of plan, implement, check, review and continually improve. — International Organization for Standardization Technical Committee 207 (www.tc207.org)
