##ISO 9001 STANDARD ## ISO 14001 STANDARD >> ISO 9000 & ISO 14000 STANDARDS

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ISO 14001 Environment Management System (EMS)

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Introduction

ISO 14000 is primarily concerned with “Environmental Management”. In plain language, this means what the organization does to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities.

The efficient and effective management of processes of the ISO 14000 is going to affect whether or not everything has been done to ensure a product will have the least harmful impart on the environment, at any stage in its life cycle, either by pollution, or by depleting natural resources.

What is ISO 14000 – Environment Management System (EMS)

Improving the environmental performance of corporations is one way of limiting environmental damage. Environmental management systems (EMS’s), such as ISO 14001, provide a framework for organizations that wish to effectively manage their environmental affairs. Implementing an EMS that conforms to the ISO 14001 standard may help businesses integrate environmental values into their operations.

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.

ISO 14000 is a group of standards covering the following areas:

Environmental Management Systems (14001,14002, 14004)
Environmental Auditing (14010, 14011, 14012)
Evaluation of Environmental Performance (14031)
Environmental Labeling (14020, 14021, 14022, 14023, 14024, 14025)
Life-Cycle Assessment (14040, 14041,14042, 14043)

ISO 14001 is the only standard intended for registration by third parties. All the others are for guidance. ISO 14001 is a management standard, it is not a performance or product standard. The underlying purpose of ISO 14001 is that companies will improve their environmental performance by implementing ISO 14001, but there are no standards for performance or the level of improvement. It is a process for managing company activities that impact the environment.

Some unique and important characteristics of ISO 14001 are:

It is comprehensive: all members of the organization participate in environmental protection, the EMS considers all stakeholders, and there are processes to identify all environmental impacts.
It is proactive: it focuses on forward thinking and action instead of reacting to command and control policies.
It is a systems approach: it stresses improving environmental protection by using a single environmental management system across all functions of the organization

The Environmental Management System (EMS) contains the following elements:

An environmental policy supported by top management.
Identification of legal and other requirements
Environmental goals, objectives, and targets that support the policy.
An environmental management program
Definition of roles, responsibilities, and authorities
Training and awareness procedures
Process for communication of the EMS to all interested parties
Document and operational control procedures
Procedures for emergency response.
Procedures for monitoring and measuring
operations that can have a significant impact on the environment
Procedures to correct nonconformance.
Record management procedures
A program for auditing and corrective action.
Procedures for management review.

ISO 14001 Standards Video Clip

Posted under ISO 14001 Standards by everise on Saturday 24 July 2010 at 6:16 pm

Business benefits of ISO 14001 Standards

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Business benefits of ISO 14001 Standards

Any manager will try to avoid pollution that could cost the company a fine for infringing environmental legislation. But better managers will agree that doing only just enough to keep the company out of trouble with government inspectors is a rather weak and reactive approach to business in today’s increasingly environment-conscious world.
There is a better way. The ISO 14000 way. The ISO 14000 standards are practical tools for the manager who is not satisfied with mere compliance with legislation – which may be perceived as a cost of doing business. They’re for the proactive manager with the breadth of vision to understand that implementing a strategic approach can bring return on investment in environmentrelated measures. Implementing an ISO 14000-basedenvironmental management system, and using other tools from the ISO 14000 family, will give you far more than just confidence that you are complying with legislation.
The ISO 14000 approach forces you to take a hard look at all areas where your business has an environmental impact. And this systematic approach can lead to benefits like the following:
a. Reduced cost of waste managementb. Savings in consumption of energy and materialsc. Lower distribution costsd. Improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the publice. Framework for continuous improvement of your environmental performance.
The manager who is “too busy managing the business” to listen to good senseabout environmental management could actually be costing the business plenty. Just think, for example, of the lost opportunities for achieving benefits like those above.
The ISO 14000 standards are management tools that will help your businessachieve environmental goals that go way beyond acquiring a mere “green sheen”.

Posted under ISO 14001 Standards by everise on Friday 16 July 2010 at 6:58 am

Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

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Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

ISO/DIS 14001 is one of a series of emerging international environmental management standards aimed at promoting
continual improvement in company environmental performance through the adoption and implementation of an environmental management system. The (draft) standard specifies the core elements of an EMS, but contains only those elements that may be objectively audited for certification or self-declaration purposes. A companion guidance standard, ISO/DIS 14004 includes examples, descrïptions and options that aid in the implementation of an EMS and in integrating the EMS into overall management practices. It is not intended for use by certification/registration bodies.

ISO/DIS 14001 defines an overall environmental management system , closely modeled on the ISO 9000 quality systems standard , and covers the following key elements:

· Establishment of an appropriate environmental policy that is documented and communicated to employees and made available to the public, and which includes a commitment to continual improvement and pollution prevention, regulatory compliance and a framework for setting objectives;
· A planning phase that covers the identification of the environmental aspects of the organization’s activities, identification and access to legal requirements, establishment and documentation of objectives and targets consistent with the policy, and establishment of a program for achieving said targets and objectives (including the designation of responsible individuals, necessary means and timeframes);
· Implementation and operation of the EMS including the definition, documentation and communication of roles and responsibilities, provision of appropriate training, assurance of adequate internal and external communication, written management system documentation as well as appropriate document control procedures, documented procedures for operational controls, and documented and communicated emergency response procedures;
· Checking and corrective action procedures, including procedures for regular monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of the operations and activities, procedures for dealing with situations of non-conformity, specific record maintenance procedures and procedures for auditing the performance of the EMS;
· Periodic management reviews of the overall EMS to ensure its suitability, adequacy and effectiveness in light of changing circumstances.

The EMS as outlined in ISO 14001 provides a structured process for the achievement of continual improvement, the rate and extent of which is determined by the organization in light of economic and other circumstances. Although some improvement in environmental performance can be expected due to the adoption of a systematic approach, it should be understood that the EMS is a tool which enables the organization to achieve and systematically control the level of environmental performance that it sets itself. The establishment of an EMS will not, in itself, necessarily result in an immediate reduction of adverse environmental impact. Indeed, care needs to be taken that the mere establishment of an EMS does not lull the organization into a false sense of security. But effectively used, an EMS should enable an organization to improve its environmental performance and avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts over time.

Posted under ISO 14001 Standards by everise on Friday 16 July 2010 at 6:58 am

ISO 14001 Standards Certification

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ISO 14001 Standards Certification

Certification means that a qualified body (an “accredited certifier”) has inspected the EMS system that has been put in place and has made a formal declaration that the system is consistent with the requirements of ISO 14001.Countries that have adopted ISO 14001 as a national standard can accredit qualified companies as certifiers, and this will satisfy national legal or contractual requirements. However, the fundamental purpose of ISO is to achieve consistency internationally. If certificates from certain countries or agencies are not fully accepted or are regarded as “second class,” the goal will not have been achieved. It is probable that the international marketplace will eventually put a real commercial value on high-quality certificates, but this level of sophistication and discrimination has not yet been achieved. It is essential to the ultimate success of the whole system that there be a mechanism to ensure that certification in any one country has credibility and acceptability elsewhere.

ISO 14001 sets out a system that can be audited and certified. In many cases, it is the issue of certification that is critical or controversial and is at the heart of the discussion about the trade implications.

The standard allows for “self-certification,” a declaration by an enterprise that it conforms to ISO 14001. There is considerable skepticism as to whether this approach would be widely accepted, especially when certification has legal or commercial consequences. At the same time, obtaining certification can entail significant costs, and there are issues relating to the international acceptance of national certification that may make it particularly difficult for companies in some countries to achieve credible certification at a reasonable cost. For firms concerned about having certification that carries real credibility, the costs of bringing in international auditors are typically quite high, partly because the number of internationally recognized firms of certifiers is limited at present.

The issue of accreditation of certifiers is becoming increasingly important as the demand increases.

The ISO has outlined procedures for accreditation and certification (Guides 61 and 62), and a formal body, QSAR, has been established to operationalize the process. At the same time, a number of established national accreditation bodies heavily involved in ISO have set up the informal International Accreditation Forum (IAF) to examine mechanisms for achieving international reciprocity through multilateral agreements (MLAs). However, these systems are in the early stages, and many enterprises continue to use the established international certifiers, even at additional cost, because of lack of confidence in the acceptability of local certifiers.

Given the variability in the design of individual EMS and the substantial costs of the ISO 14000 certification process, there is a growing tendency for large companies that are implementing EMS approaches to pause before taking this last step. After implementing an EMS and confirming that the enterprise is broadly in conformance with ISO 14001, it is becoming routine to carry out a “gap analysis” to determine exactly what further actions would be required to achieve certification and to examine the benefits and costs of bringing in third-party certifiers.

Posted under ISO 14001 Standards by everise on Friday 16 July 2010 at 6:57 am

ISO 14001 – Application to Small and Medium Size Enterprises

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ISO 14001 – Application to Small and Medium Size Enterprises

Most of the development and application of EMS has taken place in large companies. The use of such systems in small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) has been limited—although it is in this segment of industry that some of the largest benefits might be anticipated, because of the difficulty of regulating large numbers of small firms and the potential efficiency improvements that are believed to exist. In practice, however, the characteristics of the typical SME make the adoption of EMS difficult: most SMEs do not have a formal management structure, they lack technically trained personnel, and they are subject to severe short-term pressures on cash flow.

Anecdotal evidence indicates that an EMS cannot be used to drive improved performance in a poorly organized SME. Targeted training in management and quality control can improve overall performance, including its environmental aspects, and can provide a basis for more specific EMS development. Many firms can reap significant benefits from introducing quality management concepts, even where they are not aiming at formal certification. Any steps in this direction should be encouraged.

An EMS, as normally envisaged, builds on existing production and quality management systems. Where such systems are weak or ineffective, as is often the case in enterprises that have poor environmental performance, a better management framework has to be established before focusing on the details of the EMS. The costs of establishing an EMS will therefore obviously depend on the starting point in terms of both management systems and environmental performance.

The ecoefficiency savings can, in some cases, pay for the costs of establishing the EMS, particularly if most of the planning and organizational work is carried out in-house. However, a poor performer will very likely have to invest in production upgrading or pollution control in order to meet environmental requirements, and these costs can be significant.

A full EMS can be complex and can require an appreciable commitment of operational resources.

However, the final system can be reached reasonably through a series of discrete steps, starting from a basic, simple procedure and becoming more comprehensive and sophisticated as capabilities and resources allow. In this way, even a small enterprise can begin to put in place the basic elements of an ISO 14001 system and can develop them at an appropriate pace. Once the basic EMS is in place, it is possible to carry out a gap analysis and to make a balanced judgment on the costs and benefits of seeking certification.

A related issue is the coverage of the EMS. Certification is normally for specific sites or facilities.

A large enterprise may have a number of different sites and production facilities and may choose to seek certification only for a subset of the sites.

Posted under ISO 14001 Standards by everise on Friday 16 July 2010 at 6:55 am

The ISO 9001 Standards & ISO 14001 Standards and the environment

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The ISO 9001 Standards & ISO 14001 Standards and the environment

The

In fact, ISO has two-pronged approach to meeting the needs of business, industry, governments, non-governmental organizations and consumers in the field of the environment.

On the one hand, it offers a wideranging portfolio of standardized sampling, testing and analytical methods to deal with specific environmental challenges. It has developed more than 350 International Standards (out of a total more
than 12000) for the monitoring of such aspects as the quality of air, water and soil. These standards are means of providing business and government with scientifically valid data on the environmental effects of economic activity.

They also serve in a number of countries as the technical basis for environmental regulations.

ISO is leading a strategic approach by developing environmental management system standards that can be implemented in any type of organization in either public or private sectors (companies, administration, public utilities). To spearhead this strategic approach, ISO establish a new technical commitee, ISO /TC 207, Environmental management, in

1993. This followed ISO’s successful pioneering experience in management system standardization with the ISO 9000 series for quality management.

ISO’s direct involvement in environmental management stemmed from an intensive consultation process, carried out within the framework of a Strategic Advisory Group on Environment (SAGE),set up in 1991, in which 20 countrie, 11 international organizations and more than 100 environmental experts participated in defining the basic requirements of a new approach to environment-related standards.

This pioneering work was consolidated with ISO’s commitment to support the objective of “sustainable development” dicussed at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro in 1992.

Today, delegations of business and government experts from 55 countries have participate actively within TC 207,

and another 16 countries have observer status. These delegations are chosen by the national standars institute concerned and they are required to bring to TC 207 a national consensus on issue being addressed by the commitee.

This national consensus is derived from a process of consultation with interested parties.

From its beginning, it was recognized that ISO/TC 207 should have close cooperation with ISO/TC 176, Quality management and quality assurance, in the areas of management systems, auditing and related terminology. Active efforts are under way to ensure compatibility of ISO environmental management and quality management standards, for the benefit of all organizations wishing to implement them.

ISO 14000 family of International Standards on environmental management is a relative newcomer to ISO’s portfolio – but enviroment-related standardization is far from being a new departure for ISO. The ISO 14000 family of International Standards on environmental management is a relative newcomer to ISO’s portfolio – but enviroment-related standardization is far from being a new departure for ISO.