What is ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 is an international voluntary norm/standard for environmental management system that meets the needs of different organizations from all over the world providing them with a significant framework for solving the environment-related problems.

The standard enables an improvement of the environmental management which can facilitate the trade and it can raise the environmental protection at a higher level all over the world.

The key principles of ISO 14001

• should result in the improvement of the environmental management
• should be applicable in all the countries
• should incite the interest of the public and the norms/standards beneficiaries
• should be financially rewarding and flexible so that they can meet the different needs of all types of organizations from all over the world
• should be suitable for internal and external verification
• should be scientifically supported
• should be practical, useful and employable

Environmental management system

The environmental management system (EMS) is a systemic approach to the treatment of the environmental issues in any organization. This is a tool that enables an organization working in any area and of any size to have an insight to the influence of its activities, products or services on the environment.

What is the benefit of having implemented the environmental management system?

• assuring the buyers that the organization is committed to environmental management
• maintaining good relations with the public and local community
• maintaining good relations with the public and with the local community
• meeting the criteria of the investors and improving the capital availability
• getting insurance services for a reasonable price
• improving the “image” and the share of the market
• meeting the criteria of the certifying bodies
• reducing the incidents that result in responsibility
• improving the control over the expenditures
• showing reasonable care about the environmental state
• preserving the raw materials and energy
• facilitated conditions for obtaining permits and authorizations
• encouraging the development and obtaining a decision for the protection and promotion of the environment
• improving the relations between the industry and the state administration

Environmental policy

The environmental policy and the requests for being committed to this policy via long-term and short-term objectives and program for the environmental protection include:

Planning

The planning encompasses an analysis of all forms of influence of the organization on the environment (including processes, products and services).

Implementation and enforcement

The implementation and organization of the processes is made due to the control and promotion of the operational activities that are of a crucial importance for the influence on the environment (including the products and the services of that organization).

Review and corrective activities

The review and the corrective activities include supervision, measuring and registering the traits and activities that can have a significant influence on the environment.

Review by the management team

The management team reviews the environmental management system of the organization so that it is reassured of its continuous stability, impeccability and responsibility.

Continuous promotion

The concept of continuous promotion is a key component of the environmental management system. It wraps up the whole process of planning, implementation, checks, reviews and continuous improvement.

The ISO 14001 series requests can be divided into two main groups: those directed towards the organization and those directed towards the products. The requests directs towards the organization provide establishment, maintenance and estimation of the of the environmental management system. They establish relations with the other system and functions in the organization related to the environment. The request directed to the products refers to the determination of the influence of the products and services on the environment in the course of their life span/cycle marking and declaring the product and its adjustment to the environment. These requests will help the organization to collect information necessary for the support of the planning and decision-making process, while if it concerns more specific issues in the field of environmental protection they will be helpful for the buyers and for the other stakeholders.

What does ISO 14001 ask from the organization?

1. Establishing proper regulations regarding environmental protection.
2. Applicability of the regulations that have been adopted.
3. Providing ideal management structure that would enable you to put the permits, licenses, authorizations, etc. at one place and to be successfully applied in the working activities.