ISO 14001 Environmental Management System (EMS) is an internationally recognized standard that has been developed for managing environmental responsibility. In addition to helping gain access to the global marketplace, ISO 14001 certification is a sure way for an organization to demonstrate commitment to improving its environmental performance.
ISO 14001 addresses the impact of an organization’s processes, products, and services on the environment. The EMS provides a formalized structure for ensuring that environmental concerns are addressed and complied with to control an organization’s significant environmental effects and achieve regulatory compliance. Since ISO 14001 does not specify levels of environmental performance, the standard can be implemented by a wide variety of organizations regardless of their current level maturity as long as it follows EMS provided framework.
BENEFITS OF EMS CERTIFICATION
Globally close to 275,000 organizations have recognized the tangible benefits of ISO 14001
- Lower operating costs, reduced waste and improved staff morale
- Peace of mind that your organization is in compliance with current environmental legislation
- Decisive advantage over competition
- Framework to minimize waste and maximize the efficiency of your water, energy and raw materials consumption
- Helps protect your organization against environmental incidents
- Improved management transparency and integration with other management systems like ISO 9001, AS9100, and AS9120
- Reduced costs for emissions, discharges, waste handling, transport and disposal
- Increased process yields
- Reduced insurance rates
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS OF ISO 14001
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (EMS)
ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
The environmental policy and the requirements to pursue this policy by defining objectives, targets, and environmental programs.
PLANNING
The analysis of the environmental aspects of the organization, including legal and other requirements.
IMPLEMENTATION AND OPERATION
Implementation and organization of processes to control and improve operational activities that are critical from an environmental perspective: availability of resources, competence, training, operational control and emergency preparedness response.
CHECKING AND CORRECTIVE ACTION
Checking and corrective action including the monitoring, measurement, and recording of the 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 continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.
CONTINUAL IMPROVEMENT
Continual Improvement is a key component of the Environmental Management System; it is based on plan, do, check, act, and continually improve philosophy. |
