Environmental Management System - ISO 14001
Environmental Management System - ISO 14001
Organisations are increasingly required to demonstrate proper handling of environmental, social and governance compliance. Successful handling of these bottom line factors provides many advantages to finances, marketing, insurance, legal/compliance requirements and so on. An environmental management system is a structured approach to address this bottom line according to the ISO 14001 standards.
The benefits of registration under ISO 14001 include,
- Reduced usage of raw materials and resources
- Reduced consumption of energy
- Process Efficiency Improvement
- Reduced waste and minimised disposal costs
- Utilization of recovered resources
What is an environmental management system (EMS)?
An EMS is a management system that consists of organisational structure, planning activities & responsibilities, processes, procedures, practices and resources for developing, achieving, implementing, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.
There are a set of processes and practices that organisations can implement to reduce various environmental pollution, such as land pollution, air pollution and water pollution. There are standards which define a method to achieve effective environmental management, based on which an EMS is designed. The most commonly used global standard for an environmental management system is the ISO 14001 standard.
The Pollution Control Board, either at the central level or state level, is responsible for taking care of the environmental standards related to air, water and land pollution. The board conducts research, regular assessments, and monitoring to make sure organisations comply with environmental laws. The Pollution Control Board consent requirements establish that organisations must obtain two important types of consent. One is the consent to establish (CTE), which is required before an organisation can start construction or any other physical activity related to a project. The other consent which is required is the consent to operate (CTO), which must be obtained before beginning any operations, including trials and tests.
What is ISO 14001?
The ISO 14001 standard is the latest version of the ISO 14000 series. Prior to the publishing of ISO 14001, the ISO 14000 standards were used for designing an EMS. The ISO 14000 series is a family of standards which were developed to act as a framework for creating environmental management systems.
Criteria for using ISO 14001
There are a number of steps involved for the complete utilisation of the ISO 14001 standards in your organisation’s processes.
- Define what you do and how your organisation does its business
- Record this in a documented system
- Fulfil what you say you do for business
- Ensure to do it effectively
- Demonstrate your capabilities to your stakeholders through registration
Implementation of an EMS
Purchase a copy of the standard
Before developing an EMS, get a copy of the standard. Read and familiarise with the concepts
Review supporting documents
A wide range of quality supporting documents are available on the Internet for better understanding and implementation.
Build a core team who agrees with your strategy
Start the implementation process by building the organisational strategy with top management. Since the responsibility for an EMS lies with top management, it is crucial to involve them from the beginning. Build a core team of process owners with the support from top management.
Take training
There are plenty of workshops, seminars and training courses whether you are a quality manager or process owner trying to implement an EMS or a senior manager seeking to increase your general awareness of ISO 14001, aspect impact study, product life cycle, etc.
Consider consultancy options
Get advice from independent third-party consultants like UQS Consultants on how best to implement your environment management system. They will take care to ensure that you avoid any costly mistakes owing to their experience in implementing an EMS.
Create an EMS
Establish, implement, maintain and improve the EMS continually in line with ISO 14001. The processes you create need to adhere to the Plan-Do-Check-Act + Risk Based Thinking methodologies. You need to understand the scope, aspect/impact, and applicable compliance obligations of your EMS, and manage it accordingly.
Make supporting documentation
An EMS documentation outlines why you do the business, how you apply the standards and how you operate your business in a systematic manner. It will include all the processes and procedures. Basically, it tells how you complete a task by describing who does what, in what order and to what standards.
Implement your EMS
Communication and training are cornerstones of proper implementation. During the implementation phase, everyone operates according to established procedures and collects data that demonstrates you are doing what you promised you will be doing.
Perform Internal Audit and Management Review
At regular intervals, conduct an internal audit and a management review to check whether the EMS is working according to the requirements. It should be effective and sufficient for your organisation’s operations.
Select a certification body
A registrar is a third party who comes and assesses the effectiveness of an EMS, and then issues a certificate if it meets the standards. Selecting a registrar can be challenging and you must consider factors like industry experience, price, geographic coverage, and level of service offered. The key is to find a registrar who meets your requirements. You can reach out to us for any help with choosing a registrar.
Get certification
Arrange an initial assessment with your registrar. The registrar will review your EMS and evaluate whether you are eligible for registration. If eligible, you will get a registration.
Continuous assessment
After receiving registration and getting the certificate, you can advertise and promote your business. You can maintain your registration by continuing to use your quality system. The registrar will periodically check this to ensure the EMS continues to meet the standards.
EMS Registration
Registration to ISO 14001 happens when an accredited third party visits an organisation, assesses the quality management system and issues a certificate to show that the organisation abides by the principles set out in ISO 14001:2015.
The EMS certificate is a sign of credibility which saves you from having to prove your quality standards to your customers. ISO 14001 provides a global validation. Once you are certified, it is valid for 3 years and is subject to the annual surveillance audit.
Why do I need registration?
Getting a registration to ISO 14001 through any of the different certification bodies will empower your organisation to flourish. Whether you are expanding locally to bring new business or seeking ways to operate internationally, ISO 14001 will let you demonstrate to potential customers that you commit to quality standards.
The frequent assessments will ensure the continual use, monitoring and improvement of your processes. The registration can improve the overall performance, eliminate uncertainty and increase market opportunities.
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