How Does ISO 14001 Impact The Environment?

When the ISO 14001 standard was initiated, it served as a guide for gauging and monitoring the activities of a company and its impact on the environment. It is now considered a widely utilized standard for thousands of organizations around the globe to illustrate to the public and its constituents that it is environmentally responsible. As a result, more and more companies are able to monitor and correct any processes and systems that could be negatively affecting the environment, making the organization more eco-friendly.

An environmental management system such as ISO 14001 has numerous benefits and helps the environment.  Some of these include:

• Reducing waste and carbon footprint
• Cutting costs by conserving energy and input materials as well as decreasing incidents that can cause an organization to sustain liability expenses.
• Promotes a positive image and credibility to the public by pledging to customers an organization’s commitment to caring for the environment and preventing pollution
• Utilizing accurate data and information on the improvements to be made within an organization will decrease the chances these changes will be unsuccessful and require additional testing, resulting in more time and expense
• Fosters a positive attitude with employees who are motivated to work in an organization that demonstrates environmental responsibility.

Implementing an ISO 14001 environmental management system provides an organization the framework for monitoring its effects on the environment and how to improve and increase the positive impact. This commitment demonstrates the responsibility of an organization’s environmental effect, which in turn builds greater customer trust, employee confidence and potentially new business opportunities.  Establishing and upholding the environmental aspects of a company’s processes is the first step towards making helpful changes within an organization, its environment and around the globe, creating positive affects for years to come.