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Environmental Management Systems

Definitely NOT calling all tree huggers!

By Karen MacKenzie
SQMC Associate

Since the 14001 EMS (Environmental Management System) includes everyone in the organisation and all aspects of the organisation that affect the environment, it can improve an organisation's environmental performance in many ways. This improved performance comes at a cost to the organisation, a cost which can be recovered by ardently seeking benefits.

"Meeting the standards of different countries can be expensive. ISO 14000 can reduce this effort by providing one standard."

A rough guide to Environmental Management Systems from Scotland's leading experts.

"This is the moment when we must come together to save this planet. Let us resolve that we will not leave our children a world where the oceans rise and famine spreads and terrible storms devastate our lands."

Barack Obama

Here are the benefits of ISO 14001:

Protecting the environment by coming into compliance reduces waste and...Reduces costs and inefficiencies. It preserves natural resources and reduces the cost of finding new and more resources. It makes greater use of materials already purchased and reduces purchasing costs. It makes for cleaner emissions and reduces the severity of spills, leaks, and other accidents. Reducing these events reduces permitting costsremediation costs, worker comp costs, insurance costs,law suit costs and finesAnd many other costs and fees.

Protecting the environment involves purchasing smaller amounts of materials or purchasing less toxic materials. These purchasing choices reduce OSHA reporting and record-keeping requirements and costs. These choices improve worker safety and morale, leading to more productive workers. Purchasing less hazardous materials reduces the need for and the costs associated with the need for special equipment, special training, and specially designed storage areas. These purchasing practices also reduce the cost of disposal. Protecting the environment by going beyond compliance helps keep regulators and inspectors out of the workplace.

Increased Profits
Implementing ISO 14001 today can provide a basis for implementing the other standards in the ISO series. This incremental approach can reduce overall costs to implement ISO standards because of lessons learned in each phase. The quantity of materials and energy required for manufacturing a product may be reduced thereby reducing the cost of the product, material handling costs, and waste disposal costs. An EMS can help reduce incidents of pollution and the associated expense of recovery.Recycling manufacturing waste and unused inputs could increase revenues. Recycling need not be within the same facility, but with another one that can use the waste as input to their production. Employee health and safety can be improved, thereby improving productivity, decreasing sick days, and reducing insurable risk.Insurance claims may be reduced, thus reducing the costs of coverage and settlements.Meeting the standards of different countries can be expensive. ISO 14000 can reduce this effort by providing one standard.

Operations
The EMS standards can define "best practices" and create a foundation for the next level of improvementAn EMS integrated with all other business systems improves management's ability to understand what is going on in their organisation, determine the effect on the company, and provide good leadership.An EMS includes procedures and metrics for measuring and evaluating wastes and the costs of environmental emissions. All management systems can lead to more reliable and predictable environmental performance which can reduce or limit the severity of incidents.ISO 14000 requires a common terminology which improves the communication of goals, procedures, impacts, and solutions. Improved communications can mean greater efficiency in decision making. ISO 14000 provides feedback on the operations of the organisation that can be used for daily action and to determine the appropriateness of pollution prevention strategies.Problems that could be expensive to resolve and damaging to the environment can be identified earlier. Early management awareness of problems would offer the best opportunity for efficient resolution.As ISO 14000 is accepted internationally, organisations will need to meet only one standard, thus simplifying environmental management.

Marketing
Establishing a strong environmental image can help attract environmentally conscious customers and create pressure on competitors. This image must be carefully marketed to receive these benefitsEmployees see ISO 14000 as good for their organisation and for them personally.Customers might favour companies with an EMS. These customers could be the ultimate consumer or industrial customers. As large, multinational manufacturers register to ISO 14000, they may favour suppliers with ISO 14000 registration.Community support for a facility could be increased by demonstrating concern for the local environment through an EMS.ISO 14000 registration demonstrates that the EMS meets international standards. Since registration requires third party auditing, it validates the EMS and the claims made by the organisation.A company's products may appeal to customers seeking green products.

Regulatory Compliance
Improved compliance with legislative and regulatory requirements could reduce penalties and remediation costs.An ISO 14000 EMS demonstrates to regulatory agencies that the organisation is proactive about reducing pollution and committed to continual improvement.

Social
ISO 14000 helps create a common language and way of thinking about environmental aspects which can help companies, communities, governments, and organisations communicate and work togetherCleaner air, water, and soil.Longer resource life through reduced usage.Progress toward a sustainable culture.Less waste in landfill