ISO 14001:2015 STANDARD AND BENEFITS
What is ISO 14001:2015 standard all about?
ISO 14001:2015 is an international Environmental Management Standard developed and maintained by the International Organisation for Standardization (ISO). This standard provides requirements for an organisation to implement an Environmental Management System.
An Environmental Management System is a set of policies, processes and procedures that assists to improve their environmental performance through more efficient use of resources and reduction of waste, gaining a competitive advantage and the trust of stakeholders. The requirements specified in the Standard were designed to help organisations identify, manage, monitor and control their environmental issues in a “holistic” manner.
The ISO 14001:2015 standard requires that an organisation considers all environmental issues relevant to its operations, such as air pollution, water and sewage issues, waste management, soil contamination, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and resource use and efficiency.
The standard demands that top management demonstrate leadership and commitment towards the Environmental Management System, that it features prominently in its strategic direction and that it is proactive in protecting the environment from harm and degradation. Like all ISO management system standards, ISO 14001 includes the need for continual improvement of an organisation’s systems and approach to environmental concerns.
What are the benefits of implementing ISO 14001:2015?
Important benefits of implementing ISO 14001:2015 standard:
Demonstrate compliance with current and future statutory and regulatory requirements,
Expand leadership involvement and engagement of employees in environmental initiatives,
Enhance company reputation and the confidence of stakeholders through strategically directed communication,
Achieve strategic business objectives by incorporating environmental issues into business management,
Decrease the cost of insurance premiums,
Grows new market opportunities by meeting or exceeding environmental related tender requirements,
Reduce long term environmental liability by proactively managing harmful environmental outputs,
Provide a competitive and financial advantage through improved efficiencies, pursuance of viable business opportunities and reduced costs,
Encourage better environmental performance of suppliers by integrating them into the organisations business systems.
