ISO 14001:2004 - Environmental Management Systems

Purpose:

The ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standard is primarily concerned with ‘Environmental Management’ issues. It is a generic standard, and as such can be applied to any size or type of organisation, whatever its product or service, in any sector of activity, and whether it is a business enterprise, a public agency or government department.

As with ISO 9001, the reference to ‘Management System’ refers to what the organisation does to manage its processes, or activities in order that its products or services meet its set objectives for example:

minimizing harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities, and to
achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance
complying with environmental regulations, or :
meeting environmental objectives.

Usage:

ISO 14001, along with ISO 9001 are the most widely adopted standards in the world. The ISO estimates there are currently 760,000 companies with ISO 9001 or ISO 14001 certifications in 154 different countries. There has been a marked increase in certifications within the last few years and the trend seems likely to continue at a faster pace than before driven by increased levels of international trade, reduced trading barriers and enlargements within harmonised markets such as the EU.

Compliance:

Compliance with the ISO 14001 Standard requires companies to undertake internal audits and undergo regular external assessment and audits of their Environmental Management System by a certification body in order to gain certification.

Benefits:

ISO 14001 certification is not a legal requirement, however, the environment is widely becoming accepted by governments and businesses in becoming a crucial facet of concern for all communities. Most companies opt to achieve certification for key business and environmental reasons including:

improvements in organisations efficiency and effectiveness
compliance with environmental regulations
lower costs and wastage and increased environmental performance
increased sales and profits
competitive advantage over rivals
requirement within ‘invitations to tender’
requirement within ‘supply chains’