ISO 14001 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

WHAT IS ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 is the most popular and widely recognised standard for the management of organisations' environmental responsibilities. First published as a full international standard in 1996, following on and replacing the previous BS 7750. ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 standards contain the specifications, requirements and guidance for the development and implementation of an environmental management system.

HOW TO IMPLEMENT ISO 14001?

As for other management system standards, ISO 14001 is intended to be used as a model or framework for organisations to use when developing their environmental management system, that is relevant to an organisations processes and environmental impacts.

Below are some of the key elements, essential to the implementation of an effective environmental management system:

An environmental policy
The identification and evaluation of significant environmental impacts and aspects
Documented procedures and documentation control
Effective methods of communication and training
Planning, including emergency and crisis response
Corrective and preventive action and continuous improvement

ASSESSMENT AND CERTIFICATION

Once a company has completed the implementation of an ISO 14001 environmental management system which has been running for at least 4-6 months and completed a full systems internal audit and management review process, they are ready to begin making enquiries into choosing a Certification Body that can undertake the third party assessment and certification services that will complete the process of obtaining registration to ISO 14001.

AMTAC Certification Services Ltd is regulated by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) and accredited to undertake third party assessment and certification services to ISO 14001.

AMTAC TRAINING DIVISION

AMTAC Certification Services, Training Division has developed a series of training courses and workshops that are available on a nationwide basis. The courses are designed to facilitate a practical approach to implementing and auditing to this standard.

Click HERE for the ISO 14001 training page

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF IMPLEMENTING ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 aims to facilitate organisations in meeting their legal and regulatory requirements, whilst also providing tangible commercial benefits through the effective implementation, ongoing maintenance and continuous improvement of a documented management system.

Another, most quoted benefit attributed to ISO 14001 implementation, is linked with environmental legislation. In the United Kingdom, environmental law is clear in the concept of strict liability, meaning that if a manufacturer/service provider exceeds established parameters it must plead guilty in a court of law.

Should legal action against a manufacturer/service provider be brought to bear, the level of fines will be determined by the extent to which the manufacturer/service provider has exercised its 'Duty Of Care' and is able to provide objective evidence of having done so.

The implementation, assessment and certification of an environmental management system, that meets the requirements of ISO 14001, will provide organisations with the evidence of 'Duty Of Care'. Other major benefits include, reducing waste and increasing efficiency by:

Establishing a company policy on the effective management of waste e.g. the recycling of paper and packaging.
Conserving raw materials and reducing utility costs through the effective planning of processes and resources.

Commercial advantages to implementing ISO 14001 include:

Assuring interested parties, including customers, shareholders and the local community of an organisation's commitment to meeting their environmental responsibilities and the minimisation of their impact on the environment.
Increasing access to insurance cover at a reduced cost by having a management system that includes risk minimisation and planning.
The enhancement of an organisations commercial image, marketability and competitive edge through the achievement of a recognised management system certification.
An increase in staff motivation and communications by active participation in the processes of continuous improvement.
Improve relations with industry and environmental regulators through the implementation and management of a system that is designed to ensure that legal and regulatory issues are addressed and environmental impacts managed and where possible reduced by objectives and targets setting.