About ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is an Environmental Management System that can be independently assessed for compliance.

What does it do?
The System:

• Corresponds with ISO 9001 2000 exactly
• Makes a statement that your company cares about the environment, and is prepared to play its part in its preservation
• Opens new market opportunities

What does it require?

• Commitment
• An Environmental Policy
• A register of environmental aspects and legislation
• A management programme, with objectives and targets
• An Environmental Manual and Procedures
• Auditing and Management Review
• Continuous Improvement

What are the benefits?

• Ethical: Do we not have a duty to preserve the world in which we live for future generations?
• Economic: Less waste = lower cost. Plus insurance benefits.
• Legal: With increasing levels of legislation a system is required to ensure compliance
• Commercial: Larger organisations are taking ownership of their environmental responsibilities, and are expecting their sub-contractors to follow suit

What company personnel involvement is required?

• The period required to attain registration can be as short as 8 months for a smaller business (<40 employees).
• The time, management and staff would be required to spend, would be roughly the same as with ISO 9001 2000, with the time varying depending on level of involvement
• Companies with ISO 9001 2000 would probably achieve quicker timescales