International Earth Day and the Role of ISO 14001

International Earth Day is celebrated on April 22nd and  the theme this year is “Restore Our Earth™”.   More than 1 billion people in 192 countries now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world!  We all need a healthy Earth to support our jobs, livelihoods, health & survival, and happiness. 

Earth Day reminds us how important it is to focus our corporate responsibility on the environment when we approach our daily tasks.  Every organization is different and so is its impact on the environment.  That’s why a range of industries look to the  ISO 14000 family of standards which are at the core of environmental management systems. These standards include supporting tools for climate change and designing environmentally friendly products and services.  Since its publication in 1996, ISO 14001 has  morphed into a system that not only works toward the best practices for the environment but also for leadership and communication. 

Those that hold an ISO 14001 certification ensure they are being good stewards of our environment.  Certification ensures that there is “a framework that a company or organization can follow to set up an effective environmental management system,” per the International Standards Organization (ISO). “Using ISO 14001 can provide assurance to company management and employees as well as external stakeholders that environmental impact is being measured and improved.”

In 2018 a total of 307,059 certificates were issued to ISO 14001 worldwide with 3,913 certificates across 7,583 sites in the U.S.* Organizations using ISO 14001 have found success across a range of areas, including:

• 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

On Earth Day, simpleQuE recognizes all the ISO 14001 organizations that are doing their part to be environmentally responsible.  Not only does our planet benefit, but they do as well!  Here are some of our many ISO 14001 clients that we have been proud to work with over the years:  Aisin Light Metals, Allied Motion Technologies, Cincinnati Steel Treating, Dana, Hapag-Lloyd, Janesville Acoustics, Kay Automotive Graphics, Lauren Manufacturing (Cooper Standard), Magnode, Powerex, Richmond Auto Parts Technology, Silberline, Voss Automotive, Wabco, and Yamakin (to name just a few).

If your organization is looking to reduce its impact on the environment, contact us to find out how your company can prepare for ISO 14001 certification through simpleQuE’s range of ISO 14001 training and consulting services.

*According to the latest ISO Survey released 9/11/2019