EcoLogic Consultancy ___________________________________________________________________________

Introductory Insights into ISO 14001

Introduction to ISO 14001

EcoLogic ConsultancyCopyright © 2009

Photo Source: www.nationalgeographic.com

EcoLogic Consultancy ___________________________________________________________________________

Introduction to ISO 14001 2

ContentWhat is ISO 14001?

Why go for ISO 14001?How it works?

What is ISO 14001?Environmental issues have become more and more significant in recent past in light of global warming and continuously deteriorating environmental conditions. With increasing peer and regulatory pressure, there is paradigm shift in the way organizations are looking at the environmental issues. Minimizing the impact on the environment is considered as a responsibility rather than an obligation. But there is fundamental need of having such system which emanates from the philosophy that its moral responsibility of individuals and organizations to meet their needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Hence sustainability is cornerstone of an environment management system. Precisely for the same reason, ISO 14001, an environmental management standard has been developed by International Standards Organization. It provides guidelines for environment management system and applies to those environmental aspects which the organization has control and over which it can be expected to have an influence. Current version being used is ISO 14001:2004, which is revised version since the launch in 1996. An EMS meeting the requirements of ISO 14001:2004 is a management tool enabling an organization of any size or type to:

✦ Identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services✦ Improve its environmental performance continually✦ Implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets,

achieve these and demonstrate that they have been achieved.

Why go for ISO 14001?ISO 14001:2004 is a tool that can be used to meet internal objectives:➡ Provide assurance to management that it is in control of the organizational processes

and activities having an impact on the environment➡ Assure employees that they are working for an environmentally responsible

organization.ISO 14001:2004 can also be used to meet external objectives:➡ Provide assurance on environmental issues to external stakeholders – such as

customers, the community, and regulatory agencies

EcoLogic Consultancy ___________________________________________________________________________

Introduction to ISO 14001 3

➡ Comply with environmental rules and regulations➡ Support the organization's claims and communication about its own environmental

policies, plans, and actions➡ Provides a framework for demonstrating conformity via suppliers' declarations of

conformity, assessment of conformity by an external stakeholder - such as a business client

The systematic ISO 14001:2004 approach requires the organization to take a hard look at all areas where its activities have an environmental impact. And it can lead to benefits like the following:➡ Reduced cost of waste management➡ Reduction in waste generation through process improvements➡ Savings in consumption of energy and materials➡ Lower distribution costs➡ Improved corporate image among regulators, customers and the public➡ Framework for continual improvement of environmental performance.

How it works?The intention of ISO 14001:2004 is to provide a framework for a holistic, strategic approach to the organization's environmental policy, plans and actions. ISO 14001:2004 gives the generic requirements for an environmental management system. The underlying philosophy is that whatever the organization's activity, the requirements of an effective EMS are the same. ISO 14001 preaches the environment management system which operates on PDCA cycle. It is an continual improvement technique which has been integrated in ISO 14001 requirements. PDCA cycle for ISO 14001 requirements is discussed in brief as follows.

EcoLogic Consultancy ___________________________________________________________________________

Introduction to ISO 14001 4

________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________

EcoLogic Consultancy ___________________________________________________________________________

Introduction to ISO 14001 5

PLAN๏ Formulation of environment policy๏ Commitment of top management๏ Aspect and impact analysis๏ Gap analysis๏ Regulatory requirement and assessment

๏ Environmental objectives, targets, and programmes

๏ Programme criteria and intent

DO๏ Implementation and operations๏ Structure and responsibilities assignment

๏ Capacity build up through training๏ Documentation process implementation

๏ Operations control establishment๏ Emergency planning

CHECK๏ Monitoring and measurement๏ Evaluation of compliance๏ Record keeping and documentation

๏ Internal auditing๏ Checking and corrective action๏ Measurement and evaluation

ACT๏ Review by top management๏ Management review๏ Corrective action and improvement points

๏ Continual improvement

For further details and discussion, you can reach us at

enquiry@ecologicconsultancy.in +91-90287 88430

indrajeet@ecologicconsultancy.in 020-400 96 279

Please visit us at

www.ecologicconsultancy.in