ISO 14001: 2004, Environmental Management System

Certification of Environmental Management System

ISO 14000 Emerges - In the Realm of Command and Control

In view of the global sensitization towards environmental protection and sustainable development, there has been growing interest and commitment to improve environmental management practices in different spheres of life. The regulatory agencies and regulated bodies, including industry and other trade organizations, strive to minimize environmental degradation.

We are facing some Global environmental issues, which are to be addressed in earnest sincerity by all to protect the globe & have sustainable industrial growth. Some of the global environmental issues are:

Global Warming
Ozone Depletion
Acid Rain
Photo Chemical Smog
Land Contamination
Noise & Nuisance
Water Contamination
Solid Waste
Air Contamination
Conservation of flora & fauna

Series of ISO 14000 Environmental Standard :

Environmental Management System (EMS)
Environmental Auditing
Environmental Performance Evaluation
Life-Cycle Assessment
Environmental Labeling
Environmental Aspects in Product Standards.

ISO 14001 Requirements :

The requirements of Environmental Management System is applicable to all types and sizes of organizations irrespective of their geographical locations or cultural / social conditions. The basis of approach is:

Formulation of Environmental Policy.
Environmental Planning.
Implementation and Operation of Environmental Management lans/programmes
Checking and Corrective actions.
Management Review.
Continual Improvement.

The overall aim of the standard is to support the environmental protection and prevention of pollution in balance with socio-economic needs.

Business Benefits of EMS :

Cuts Energy Costs.
Cuts wastes and disposal cost.
Cuts transport & distribution cost.
Cuts water use and cost.
Reduces emissions and discharges.
Ensures compliance with legislation.
Reduces risk of accidents.
Improves staff / employee morale.
Better community relations.
Better access to finance and insurance.

EMS Building Step by Step Plan

Management commitment
Choose a leader
Budget and schedule
Cross-functional team
Involve employees
Initial review
Establish plan
Identify environmental aspects
Establish environmental policy & objectives
Procedures/documents
Plan for change
Train employees
EMS implementation
Assess EMS performance
Certification By Third Party

EMS Audit Activity :

Audit Stage 1:

Suppliers Environmental Policy & Objectives.
Planning
Environmental Aspects and its significant impacts
Environmental Management System-Manual.
Management Control through internal
Regulatory requirements to
Plan Audit-stage

Audit Stage 2:

Audit plan will be based on Stage 1 audit findings.
Review of the Manuals and associated Procedures.
Environmental aspects and its significant impacts
Legal and other requirements.
Targets/Programs
Operational Control
Continuous improvement through Internal Audit & Management Review Meetings and corrective & preventive actions, etc.
Effectiveness of the environmental management system.
Environmental Records (Reports & Correspondences)

Certificate of Compliance To issue the 'Certificate of Compliance' issued to the organisation on the successful completion of the certification audit stage II.

Media Room

From 1 July 2013, under the Construction Products Regulation (CPR), it became mandatory for manufacturers to apply CE marking to any of their products covered by a harmonised European standard (hEN) or a European Technical Assessment (ETA). This was a major change in the United Kingdom as affixing of CE marking under the old Construction Products Directive (CPD) had been voluntary. This, coupled with other changes introduced by the CPR, left the construction industry facing its most significant change for a decade in the way in which construction products were to be sold in Europe. - See more at: Click Here .
ISO 9001 is being updated! ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems is under review, with the draft version now available for purchase. The final updated version is expected by the end of 2015. Learn more about the changes and how you can contribute to or purchase the draft version of ISO 9001:2015
On 13 November, leaders from the European and Japanese standardization organizations have signed a joint Cooperation Agreement in Tokyo. The Cooperation Agreement between CEN, CENELEC and JISC provides a new framework for closer collaboration on various aspects of standardization, which will facilitate trade in goods and services between Europe and Japan.
On July 11, 2014 the European Commission has published an updated list of European harmonized standards that pertain to the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC) in the Official Journal of the European Union. Besides updates to existing standards, this list (2014/C 220/01) also contains 16 new standards