ISO 14001- Environmental management systems
This is an international standard that sets out the criteria for an environmental management system. Documented management system is a tool, that allows big and minor companies, to control the influence of their activity on the environment.
There are 6 key elements set in ISO 14001:
- Environmental policy – determines the intentions and obligations of the organizations to the environment
- Planning – analysis of the activity on the environment
- Performance – development and implementation of processes to achieve the goals
- Inspection and corrective actions – surveillance and measurement of environmental indicators
- Management review – review from company’s management, to check if the system is appropriate and works effectively
- Constant improvement – the system has to set purposes and tasks, the performance of which is to provide constant improvement of the activity related to the environment
The advantages of ISO 14001 are:
- Reduction of waste and pollution
- To get easily the necessary permits
- Effective usage of the resources – electricity, water, gas, etc.
- Accomplishing of the national and international requirements
- Advantageous relationships with insurance companies
- Risk reduction
- Elimination of fine loss, related to the environment
- Competitiveness on foreign markets