The Benefits
of implementing ISO 14001
Implementing an Environmental Management System
is a systematic way to discover and control the
effects your company has on the environment. Cost
savings can be made through improved efficiency
and productivity. These are achieved by detecting
ways to minimise waste and dispose of it more
effectively and by learning how to use energy
more efficiently. It verifies compliance with
current legislation and makes insurance cover
more accessible.
How do
you start to implement ISO 14001? What is involved?
Firstly, you need to evaluate the effect your
organisation has on the environment. You then
need to prioritise ways in which you might reduce
them. Next, identify the boundaries of your management
system and document your procedures for implementing
the requirements of ISO 14001. You will need to
ensure these procedures are implemented and then
audited. If you have ISO 9000 systems in place,
many of the requirements of ISO 14001 will already
be covered, or can be easily incorporated into
them.
Once developed, internal audits
are needed to ensure the system carries on working.
The setting of targets for the environmental policy
and continual measuring against it ensures the
system is maintained.
Why seek certification
to ISO 14001?
Once you have an environmental management system
in place, you may choose to have it externally
audited. Following a successful audit by an accredited
certification body, you will be issued with a
certificate of registration to ISO 14001. This
demonstrates that your organisation is committed
to environmental issues and is prepared to work
towards improving the environment. It also gives
a competitive edge to the company's marketing
and enhances its image in the eyes of customers,
employees and shareholders.
Assessment
to ISO 14001
Having chosen a third party accredited certification
body for your assessment, it will review your
documentation and carry out an initial audit of
your site (often called 'stage 1'). This will
look at the company's evaluation of environmental
effects and ascertain if targets set for the management
programme are measurable and achievable. This
is followed at a later date by a full audit (stage
2) to ensure that records and working practices
demonstrate that the company is following its
procedures.
After a successful
audit and the issue of a certificate, there will
then be surveillance visits (usually once or twice
a year) to ensure that the system continues to
work.
What is
the cost of assessment to ISO 14001?
We has produced a guidance price list for organisations
seeking registration to ISO 14001. It is contained
within our information pack (please contact us
for a copy. However, there are many variables,
such as an organisation's type and size, and the
possible resultant effect it has on the environment.
Consequently, we ask you to complete a short questionnaire
to help us learn about your organisation. If you
prefer, we will happily take these details over
the telephone. Click here for contact details.
From this, we can provide you with a fixed, written
quotation of the fees involved. Organisations
that are ISO 9001 registered with us may benefit
from reduced annual registration fees for ISO
14001 certification. This is because there are
some common elements to the auditing process.
Joint
ISO 14001 and ISO 9000 systems
There are several common elements between the
two standards, such as management review, document
control, corrective action and the requirement
for trained personnel. These can be combined into
a single, joint system (together with Health &
Safety if desired). Assessment of joint systems
is available and may be the most suitable and
cost effective approach for some companies.
