ISO 14001 is an internationally recognised standard that provides a framework for a strategic approach to corporate environmental management. This standard gives organisations the means to identify and control their environmental impacts, improve performance and achieve their objectives and targets. The standard is independently audited, giving it great strength and integrity.
Due to its widespread adoption (e.g. Barclays, Credit Suisse and UBS in the financial sector), it now acts as a common reference for communication about environmental issues. ISO 14001 provides assurance to stakeholders on environmental claims and helps organisations meet requirements laid down by clients and investors.
Adoption of ISO 14001 is being driven by stakeholder concerns as well as the significant benefits on offer to adopters. Few companies are now exempt from government, client and investor demands for accountability and improved environmental performance. With brand and reputation on the line, it is a risky strategy to ignore these concerns.
However, choosing how to act is not a straightforward decision. Companies that rushed to announce their green credentials without independent verification and transparency fell foul of greenwash accusations and suffered perhaps more damage to their reputation than had they not acted in the first place. In response to this, many companies are now choosing to implement internationally recognised and independently audited environmental management systems such as ISO 14001.
The benefits of implementing ISO 14001 are extensive:
It immediately enhances corporate reputation and sends a clear signal of commitment to corporate responsibility. Accusations of greenwash are prevented by the transparent and robust approach of the standard.
Proactive environmental management increases attractiveness to investors, especially for Socially Responsible Investment (SRI), an area already accounting for £9 billion investment per year in the UK alone.
ISO 14001 accreditation may also bring financial benefits through increased market share. Firms can differentiate themselves from competitors as responsible companies as well as securing the rewards of first mover advantage in new markets. In addition, many buyers are now implementing sustainable procurement codes and stipulating conditions in Requests for Information (RFIs) where suppliers are required to have environmental credentials. Gaining ISO 14001 accreditation ensures access to environmentally demanding but high reward markets.
Financial benefits are not limited to increased investment and sales. Implementation of an EMS may produce significant cost savings that actually negate the initial outlay. With energy and waste prices rising sharply, environmental responsibility can produce a win:win opportunity.
Perhaps the most significant benefit for many will be the positive effect on attracting and retaining staff. With intense competition for the best staff, corporate responsibility is becoming a key criterion against which employers are judged.
Finally, responsible environmental management is quickly becoming a necessary condition for business, a socially accepted norm of behaviour. Those who fail to follow these norms risk damage to their reputation and the possibility of their social licence to operate being revoked.
A standard as thorough and robust as ISO 14001 has an equally thorough implementation process with extensive requirements for procedures and auditable document trails. Implementation follows the Plan-Do-Check-Review cycle and key required procedures are detailed in the diagram below. Implementation will entail the creation of at least 20 procedures and supporting documents. The procedures are all company-specific and must be tailored to suit individual operations. It is this level of detail that gives the standard such strength and integrity.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
The ISO 14000 Challenge
The building blocks of an environmental management system is an understanding of aspects and impacts.
Implementing ISO 14001 begins with identifying how an organisation’s business activities impact on the
environment.
Many organisations believe they are already aware of the significant aspects and impacts of their operations.
The process of implementing ISO 14001 may uncover significant impacts not previously identified and allows
for a consistent approach to analysis.
Generally this analysis is done department by department or centre by centre.
It is best if it is a team approach that involves the employees who do the activity. An employee’s
familiarity with a task is essential for both the identification of the environmental impacts of business
activities and the determination or implementation of control measures.
An aspect is any element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact with the
environment.
An impact is the change caused to the environment.
Impacts may occur during normal and abnormal operating conditions, such as accidents and
emergencies.
Aspects can often be isolated by analysing the inputs and outputs of an activity.
EVALUATION OF IMPACTS
Once the impacts have been determined they have to be evaluated.
Criteria for evaluation include environmental concerns such as the severity of the impact, and business
concerns such as potential regulatory and legal exposure, the probability of the impact occurring, the
cost of changing the impact and effect on public image.
This type of evaluation highlights the significant impacts. These, in turn, determine the significant
aspects. Once the significant aspects have been determined, targets and objectives can be set.
Implementing ISO 14001 begins with identifying how an organisation’s business activities impact on the
environment.
Many organisations believe they are already aware of the significant aspects and impacts of their operations.
The process of implementing ISO 14001 may uncover significant impacts not previously identified and allows
for a consistent approach to analysis.
Generally this analysis is done department by department or centre by centre.
It is best if it is a team approach that involves the employees who do the activity. An employee’s
familiarity with a task is essential for both the identification of the environmental impacts of business
activities and the determination or implementation of control measures.
An aspect is any element of an organisation’s activities, products or services that can interact with the
environment.
An impact is the change caused to the environment.
Impacts may occur during normal and abnormal operating conditions, such as accidents and
emergencies.
Aspects can often be isolated by analysing the inputs and outputs of an activity.
EVALUATION OF IMPACTS
Once the impacts have been determined they have to be evaluated.
Criteria for evaluation include environmental concerns such as the severity of the impact, and business
concerns such as potential regulatory and legal exposure, the probability of the impact occurring, the
cost of changing the impact and effect on public image.
This type of evaluation highlights the significant impacts. These, in turn, determine the significant
aspects. Once the significant aspects have been determined, targets and objectives can be set.
What Is an Environment Management System (EMS) ?
An EMS can be described as a program of continuous environmental improvement that follows a defined sequence of steps drawn from established project management practice and routinely applied in business
management. In simple terms these steps are as follows:
• Review the environmental consequences of the operations.
• Define a set of policies and objectives for environmental performance.
• Establish an action plan to achieve the objectives.
• Monitor performance against these objectives.
• Report the results appropriately.
• Review the system and the outcomes and strive for continuous improvement.
Not every system will present these steps in exactly the same way, but the basic principles are clear and easily understandable.
The ISO 14000 series is a series of standards for different aspects of environmental management. A number of these standards relating to environmental management systems have been adopted formally by
the members of the ISO, while others are in different stages of preparation.
The standards that have been adopted are (as of early 1997):
ISO 14001-1996 Environmental management systems:
specification with guidance for use
ISO 14004-1996 Environmental management systems:
general guidelines on principles, systems, and supporting techniques
ISO 14010-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
general principles of environmental auditing
ISO 14011-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
audit procedures; auditing of environmental management systems.
ISO 14012-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
qualification criteria for environmental auditors Standards currently available as draft international standards:
ISO 14021 Environmental labels and declarations:
self-declaration environmental claims; guidelines and definition and usage of terms.
ISO 14040 Environmental management: life cycle assessment; principles and framework
ISO 14050 Environmental management: vocabulary More than half a dozen others in this series have been drafted and are under discussion.
management. In simple terms these steps are as follows:
• Review the environmental consequences of the operations.
• Define a set of policies and objectives for environmental performance.
• Establish an action plan to achieve the objectives.
• Monitor performance against these objectives.
• Report the results appropriately.
• Review the system and the outcomes and strive for continuous improvement.
Not every system will present these steps in exactly the same way, but the basic principles are clear and easily understandable.
The ISO 14000 series is a series of standards for different aspects of environmental management. A number of these standards relating to environmental management systems have been adopted formally by
the members of the ISO, while others are in different stages of preparation.
The standards that have been adopted are (as of early 1997):
ISO 14001-1996 Environmental management systems:
specification with guidance for use
ISO 14004-1996 Environmental management systems:
general guidelines on principles, systems, and supporting techniques
ISO 14010-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
general principles of environmental auditing
ISO 14011-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
audit procedures; auditing of environmental management systems.
ISO 14012-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
qualification criteria for environmental auditors Standards currently available as draft international standards:
ISO 14021 Environmental labels and declarations:
self-declaration environmental claims; guidelines and definition and usage of terms.
ISO 14040 Environmental management: life cycle assessment; principles and framework
ISO 14050 Environmental management: vocabulary More than half a dozen others in this series have been drafted and are under discussion.
IS0 14001 HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT
Firstly ISO 14000 environment system standards was prepared in June of 1992 year in Rio at world apex and this standard brooks decisions of this world apex and Rio contract principles. After 1 year, ISO established one technique committee which is yielded by 50 different country representatives to prepare international environment management system in 1993 year. ISO 14001 environment management system standard was issued in September of 1996 year with works of this committee. ISO 14001 standard is used as voluntary now but ISO 14001 will be burden by coercions of societies, international organizations, states in the future. Levels which environment management system passed are the following briefly:
= Europe community countries issued I action plan in 1973 year (to practice protecting preventions of environment )= BS 7750 Standard in 1992= Rio Declaration in 1992 year= ISO/TC 207. Environmental management technique committee was established in 1993 year to develop ISO 14000 family standards= TS 9719 standard (environment management system – General features) in 1994 year= ISO 14001 standard in 1996 year= ISO 14001 current version in April of 2005 Nisan 2005
The www.iso9001store.com website provided the software very helpful to my company.
= Europe community countries issued I action plan in 1973 year (to practice protecting preventions of environment )= BS 7750 Standard in 1992= Rio Declaration in 1992 year= ISO/TC 207. Environmental management technique committee was established in 1993 year to develop ISO 14000 family standards= TS 9719 standard (environment management system – General features) in 1994 year= ISO 14001 standard in 1996 year= ISO 14001 current version in April of 2005 Nisan 2005
The www.iso9001store.com website provided the software very helpful to my company.
Monday, August 10, 2009
What Is an Environment Management System (EMS) ?
An EMS can be described as a program of continuous environmental improvement that follows a defined sequence of steps drawn from established project management practice and routinely applied in business
management. In simple terms these steps are as follows:
• Review the environmental consequences of the operations.
• Define a set of policies and objectives for environmental performance.
• Establish an action plan to achieve the objectives.
• Monitor performance against these objectives.
• Report the results appropriately.
• Review the system and the outcomes and strive for continuous improvement.
Not every system will present these steps in exactly the same way, but the basic principles are clear and easily understandable.
The ISO 14000 series is a series of standards for different aspects of environmental management. A number of these standards relating to environmental management systems have been adopted formally by
the members of the ISO, while others are in different stages of preparation.
The standards that have been adopted are (as of early 1997):
ISO 14001-1996 Environmental management systems:
specification with guidance for use
ISO 14004-1996 Environmental management systems:
general guidelines on principles, systems, and supporting techniques
ISO 14010-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
general principles of environmental auditing
ISO 14011-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
audit procedures; auditing of environmental management systems.
ISO 14012-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
qualification criteria for environmental auditors Standards currently available as draft international standards:
ISO 14021 Environmental labels and declarations:
self-declaration environmental claims; guidelines and definition and usage of terms.
ISO 14040 Environmental management: life cycle assessment; principles and framework
ISO 14050 Environmental management: vocabulary More than half a dozen others in this series have been drafted and are under discussion.
management. In simple terms these steps are as follows:
• Review the environmental consequences of the operations.
• Define a set of policies and objectives for environmental performance.
• Establish an action plan to achieve the objectives.
• Monitor performance against these objectives.
• Report the results appropriately.
• Review the system and the outcomes and strive for continuous improvement.
Not every system will present these steps in exactly the same way, but the basic principles are clear and easily understandable.
The ISO 14000 series is a series of standards for different aspects of environmental management. A number of these standards relating to environmental management systems have been adopted formally by
the members of the ISO, while others are in different stages of preparation.
The standards that have been adopted are (as of early 1997):
ISO 14001-1996 Environmental management systems:
specification with guidance for use
ISO 14004-1996 Environmental management systems:
general guidelines on principles, systems, and supporting techniques
ISO 14010-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
general principles of environmental auditing
ISO 14011-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
audit procedures; auditing of environmental management systems.
ISO 14012-1996 Guidelines for environmental auditing:
qualification criteria for environmental auditors Standards currently available as draft international standards:
ISO 14021 Environmental labels and declarations:
self-declaration environmental claims; guidelines and definition and usage of terms.
ISO 14040 Environmental management: life cycle assessment; principles and framework
ISO 14050 Environmental management: vocabulary More than half a dozen others in this series have been drafted and are under discussion.
Why is Six Sigma Fascinating in ISO 9000?
Six Sigma has become very popular throughout the whole world. There are several reasons for this popularity. First, it is regarded as a fresh quality management strategy which can replace TQC, TQM and others.
Many companies, which were not quite successful in implementing previous management strategies such as TQC and TQM, are eager to introduce Six Sigma.
Development process of Six Sigma in quality management
Six Sigma is viewed as a systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter (4S) approach for management innovation which is quite suitable for use in a knowledge-based information society.
Second, Six Sigma provides efficient manpower cultivation and utilization. It employs a “belt system” in which the levels of mastery are classified as green belt, black belt, master black belt and champion. As a person in a company obtains certain
training, he acquires a belt. Usually, a black belt is the leader of a project team and several green belts work together for the project team.
Third, there are many success stories of Six Sigma application in well known world-class companies. As mentioned earlier, Six Sigma was pioneered by Motorola and launched as a strategic initiative in 1987. Since then, and particularly from 1995, an exponentially growing number of prestigious global firms have launched a Six Sigma program. It has been noted that many globally leading companies run Six Sigma programs (see Figure 3), and it has been well known that Motorola, GE, Allied Signal, IBM, DEC, Texas Instruments, Sony, Kodak, Nokia, and Philips Electronics among others have been quite successful in Six Sigma. In Korea, the Samsung, LG, Hyundai groups and Korea Heavy Industries & Construction Company have been quite successful with Six Sigma.
Lastly, Six Sigma provides flexibility in the new millennium of 3Cs, which are:
• Change: Changing society
• Customer: Power is shifted to customer and customer demand is high
• Competition: Competition in quality and productivity
The pace of change during the last decade has been unprecedented, and the speed of change in this new millennium is perhaps faster than ever before. Most notably, the power has shifted from producer to customer. The producer-oriented industrial society is over, and the customer-oriented information society has arrived. The customer has all the rights to order, select and buy goods and services. Especially, in e-business, the customer has all-mighty power.
Six Sigma with its 4S(systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter) approaches provides flexibility in managing a business unit.
Many companies, which were not quite successful in implementing previous management strategies such as TQC and TQM, are eager to introduce Six Sigma.
Development process of Six Sigma in quality management
Six Sigma is viewed as a systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter (4S) approach for management innovation which is quite suitable for use in a knowledge-based information society.
Second, Six Sigma provides efficient manpower cultivation and utilization. It employs a “belt system” in which the levels of mastery are classified as green belt, black belt, master black belt and champion. As a person in a company obtains certain
training, he acquires a belt. Usually, a black belt is the leader of a project team and several green belts work together for the project team.
Third, there are many success stories of Six Sigma application in well known world-class companies. As mentioned earlier, Six Sigma was pioneered by Motorola and launched as a strategic initiative in 1987. Since then, and particularly from 1995, an exponentially growing number of prestigious global firms have launched a Six Sigma program. It has been noted that many globally leading companies run Six Sigma programs (see Figure 3), and it has been well known that Motorola, GE, Allied Signal, IBM, DEC, Texas Instruments, Sony, Kodak, Nokia, and Philips Electronics among others have been quite successful in Six Sigma. In Korea, the Samsung, LG, Hyundai groups and Korea Heavy Industries & Construction Company have been quite successful with Six Sigma.
Lastly, Six Sigma provides flexibility in the new millennium of 3Cs, which are:
• Change: Changing society
• Customer: Power is shifted to customer and customer demand is high
• Competition: Competition in quality and productivity
The pace of change during the last decade has been unprecedented, and the speed of change in this new millennium is perhaps faster than ever before. Most notably, the power has shifted from producer to customer. The producer-oriented industrial society is over, and the customer-oriented information society has arrived. The customer has all the rights to order, select and buy goods and services. Especially, in e-business, the customer has all-mighty power.
Six Sigma with its 4S(systematic, scientific, statistical and smarter) approaches provides flexibility in managing a business unit.
What is ISO14000 Environmental Management Systems
What is ISO 14000?ISO 14000 is a series of international standards on environmental management. It provides a framework for the development of an environmental management system and the supporting audit programme.
The main thrust for its development came as a result of the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992.
ISO 14000 is an Environmental Management System (EMS), which requires that an organization consider the environmental aspects of its products and services.
Iso14000 approach forces you to take a hard look at all areas of your business that has an environmental impact.
Iso14000 is the world’s first series of Internationally accepted Standards for Environmental Management Systems (EMS).
Iso14000 elevates Environmental Management to a Strategic Level that can be applied to any organization, from any industry, anywhere in the world.
ISO 14000 is a series of voluntary standards and guideline reference documents.
The part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.
ISO 14000 is an Environmental Management System (EMS) who’s purpose is:
· A management commitment to pollution prevention.
· An understanding of the environmental impacts (reducing) of an organization’s activities.
A commitment (pollution prevention) to employees, neighbors and customers
The History of ISO 14000As a number of national standards emerged (BS 7750 being the first), the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) created a group to investigate how such standards might benefit business and industry. As a result this group recommended that an ISO committee be created to create an international standard.
What is ISO 14001?ISO 14001 is the corner stone standard of the ISO 14000 series. It specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System against which an organization can be certified by a third party.
The environment cannot be protected by our convictions or goodwill alone. Efforts to protect the environment must be planned, coordinated and organized into a system, such as ISO 14001.
· ISO 14004 provides guidance on the development and implementation of environmental management systems
· ISO 14010 provides general principles of environmental auditing (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14011 provides specific guidance on audit an environmental management system (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14012 provides guidance on qualification criteria for environmental auditors and lead auditors (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14013/5 provides audit program review and assessment material.
· ISO 14020+ labeling issues
· ISO 14030+ provides guidance on performance targets and monitoring within an Environmental Management System
· ISO 14040+ covers life cycle issues
Of all these, ISO14001 is not only the most well known, but is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification authority.
ISO14000 – Introduction
After the success of the ISO9000 series of quality standards, the International Standards Organization published a comprehensive set of standards for environmental management. This series of standards is designed to cover the whole area of environmental issues for organizations in the global marketplace.
History of Development
The ISO 14000 series emerged primarily as a result of the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations and the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992. While GATT concentrates on the need to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade, the Rio Summit generated a commitment to protection of the environment across the world. The environmental field has seen a steady growth of national and regional standards. The British Standards Institution has BS 7750 , the Canadian Standards Association has environmental management, auditing, eco-labeling and other standards, the European Union has all of these plus the eco-management and audit regulations , and many other countries (e.g. USA, Germany and Japan) have introduced eco-labeling programs.
The main thrust for its development came as a result of the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992.
ISO 14000 is an Environmental Management System (EMS), which requires that an organization consider the environmental aspects of its products and services.
Iso14000 approach forces you to take a hard look at all areas of your business that has an environmental impact.
Iso14000 is the world’s first series of Internationally accepted Standards for Environmental Management Systems (EMS).
Iso14000 elevates Environmental Management to a Strategic Level that can be applied to any organization, from any industry, anywhere in the world.
ISO 14000 is a series of voluntary standards and guideline reference documents.
The part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.
ISO 14000 is an Environmental Management System (EMS) who’s purpose is:
· A management commitment to pollution prevention.
· An understanding of the environmental impacts (reducing) of an organization’s activities.
A commitment (pollution prevention) to employees, neighbors and customers
The History of ISO 14000As a number of national standards emerged (BS 7750 being the first), the International Organization for Standardisation (ISO) created a group to investigate how such standards might benefit business and industry. As a result this group recommended that an ISO committee be created to create an international standard.
What is ISO 14001?ISO 14001 is the corner stone standard of the ISO 14000 series. It specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System against which an organization can be certified by a third party.
The environment cannot be protected by our convictions or goodwill alone. Efforts to protect the environment must be planned, coordinated and organized into a system, such as ISO 14001.
· ISO 14004 provides guidance on the development and implementation of environmental management systems
· ISO 14010 provides general principles of environmental auditing (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14011 provides specific guidance on audit an environmental management system (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14012 provides guidance on qualification criteria for environmental auditors and lead auditors (now superseded by ISO 19011)
· ISO 14013/5 provides audit program review and assessment material.
· ISO 14020+ labeling issues
· ISO 14030+ provides guidance on performance targets and monitoring within an Environmental Management System
· ISO 14040+ covers life cycle issues
Of all these, ISO14001 is not only the most well known, but is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification authority.
ISO14000 – Introduction
After the success of the ISO9000 series of quality standards, the International Standards Organization published a comprehensive set of standards for environmental management. This series of standards is designed to cover the whole area of environmental issues for organizations in the global marketplace.
History of Development
The ISO 14000 series emerged primarily as a result of the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations and the Rio Summit on the Environment held in 1992. While GATT concentrates on the need to reduce non-tariff barriers to trade, the Rio Summit generated a commitment to protection of the environment across the world. The environmental field has seen a steady growth of national and regional standards. The British Standards Institution has BS 7750 , the Canadian Standards Association has environmental management, auditing, eco-labeling and other standards, the European Union has all of these plus the eco-management and audit regulations , and many other countries (e.g. USA, Germany and Japan) have introduced eco-labeling programs.
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