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ISO 14000
IN THE MIDDLE EAST
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What is ISO 14000?
Many companies are now familiar with the 9000 series of international standards dealing with quality systems. As a continuation of this standardization process, the
ISO 14000 series of international standards have been developed for incorporating environmental aspects into operations and product standards. In September 1996, the international committee finalized the ISO 14001 standards for environmental management systems. Similar to the Quality Management System
(QMS) implemented for ISO 9001, the ISO 14001 requires implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with defined internationally recognized standards (as set forth in the
ISO 14001 specification). The ISO 14001 standard specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects & impacts of products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation & operation of programs to meet objectives & targets, checking & corrective action, and management review.
What does ISO 14001 require?
As with ISO 9001, the key to a successful ISO 14001 EMS is having documented procedures that are implemented and maintained in such a way that successful achievement of environmental goals commensurate with the nature and scale of our activities is promoted. In addition, the EMS must include appropriate monitoring and review to ensure effective functioning of the EMS and to identify and implement corrective measures in a timely manner.
ISO 14001 standards include the need for sites to document and make available to the public an Environmental Policy. In addition, procedures must be established for ongoing review of the environmental aspects & impacts of products, activities, & services. Based on these environmental aspects & impacts, environmental goals and objectives must be established that are consistent with the environmental policy. Programs must then be set in place to implement these activities. As with the
QMS, internal Audits of the EMS must be conducted routinely to ensure that non-conformances to the system are identified and addressed. In addition, the management review process must ensure top management involvement in the assessment of the EMS, and as necessary, addressing need for changes.
The Environmental Management System (EMS) document is the central document that describes the interaction of the core elements of the system, and provides a third-party auditor with the key information necessary to understand the environmental management systems in-place at the company. Consistent with the principles of
ISO 14001, the Environmental Policy and Environmental Aspects/impacts analysis, including legal & other requirements, shape the program by influencing the selection of specific measurable environmental goals, objectives, & targets. Specific programs and/or projects must then be developed to achieve these environmental goals, objectives, & targets (in
ISO 14001 terms, this would be referred to as "Implementation & Operation"). The checking & corrective action elements of the system help ensure continuous improvement by addressing root causes on non-conformances. The ongoing management review of the EMS and its elements helps to ensure continuing suitability, adequacy, & effectiveness of the program.
Why the concern about ISO 14001?
For many companies, conformance to ISO 14001 may become a contractual requirement of customers in both the U.S. and the European Community (EC). Also, because
ISO 14000 is a continuation of the ISO 9000 Product Quality standards, it is expected that
ISO 14001 will eventually become a requirement for attaining ISO 9001 re-certification. Thus, many companies are setting goals to establish environmental management systems that conform to
ISO 14001 guidelines in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace. For those companies who have already obtained
ISO 9001 registration and/or follow Total Quality Management (TQM) system principles, the
ISO 14001 registration is a logical next step because it is very similar to ISO 9001
and the principles of TQM. In addition to the product marketing benefits of obtaining
ISO 14001 registration, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently considering regulatory incentives under its Common Sense Initiative (CSI) program to benefit companies certified to
ISO 14001.
What is the benefit of being registered to
ISO 14001?
ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems. Conformance to the standard can help your company remain competitive in the marketplace. For many companies, both their competitors are seeking registration and their customers are beginning to demand conformance to
ISO 14001 guidelines (as with the ISO 9001 standard, the continuous improvement requirements of the standards lead to registered companies eventually needing to require that their suppliers also comply with the
ISO 14001 standards). In addition, by establishing and maintaining an Environmental Management System that meets the standards established by
ISO 14001, companies will be implementing a strong and effective environmental management program.
Some of the benefits of implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with the
1SO 14000 standards, include: identifying areas for reduction in energy and other resource consumption, reducing environmental liability and risk, helping to maintain consistent compliance with legislative & regulatory requirements, benefiting form regulatory incentives that reward companies showing environmental leadership through certified compliance with an internationally recognized EMS standard, preventing pollution and reducing waste, responding to pressure from customers and shareholders, improving community goodwill, profiting in the market for "green" products, respond to insurance company pressure for proof of good management before pollution-incident coverage is issued, and demonstrating commitment to high-quality.
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