ISO 14001 is primarily concerned with the approach of “Environmental Management System”
and with the worldwide growing concerns regarding the living environment
ISO 14001 is regarded as an organization’s high level commitment to environmental
protection. These includes:
Prevention of pollution
Compliance with legislation
Continual improvement of the EMS
These commitments help drive the improvements in overall environmental performance
This standard can be used as a tool with focus on controlling your environmental aspects
or the way that your activities products and services interact with the environment; for
example, emissions to air, land or water.
Organisations are required to identify applicable legal, statutory and related
requirements. It is particularly important to identify how the legislation affects you
so that compliance measures can be adopted and periodically evaluated ensuring
requirements are understood by employees and implemented effectively./li>
Principles of ISO
14001
Systematic approach
Management system model
Policy
Planning
Implementation and operation
Checking and corrective and preventive action
Management review
Scope - Requirements for an EMS
To eliminate or minimise risk
Implement, maintain and continually improve a system
Give assurance of conformance with policy
Demonstrate such conformance
Seek 3rd party certification - or self declaration
Improved environmental performance led by top management commitment
Cost savings can be achieved through improved efficiencies in energy and water usage and
through waste minimization
Reduced risk of pollution incidents and other releases to the environment and therefore
avoidance of unnecessary clean up costs and/or enforcement action by regulatory bodies
Compliance with legislation through the identification of new legislation in adequate
time to address appropriate issues
Reduced risk of non-compliance with legislation and subsequent costs/prosecution
Improved brand image as customers will see an organisation that is in control of its
impact on the environment
Improved business focus and communication of environmental issues
Improved profitability through costs reductions and improved customer satisfaction.
Reduce visits of regulatory bodies, customers from abroad and other agencies by
providing confidence
