More Green Certifications: ISO 14000

My previous blog post on Green Certification Providers – Who Should You Choose? generated some comments on other green certifications. Namely, readers wanted more information on ISO 1400. Here’s my contribution on the topic.

ISO 14000 is a series of international standards on environmental management. Developed by the International Organization for Standardization, it defines a voluntary environmental management system and, when used in conjunction with the appropriate goals and management commitment, the standards help improve corporate performance.

ISO 14001, the cornerstone of ISO 14000, specifies a framework of control for an Environmental Management System (EMS) against which an organization can be certified by a third party. This standard monitors the environmental management system’s continual improvement towards goals such as resource efficiency, waste reduction, and effective management of environmental risks. To qualify, a business must streamline and improve its environmental programs, such as its green buildings, green fleets, and renewable energy programs.

According to Green Consumer Guide, there are five main elements of ISO 14000:

An environmental policy. This should commit businesses to legislative/regulatory compliance, continual improvement, the prevention of pollution and appropriate objectives and targets.

Planning. This covers a review of environmental aspects: legal and other requirements; objectives and targets; and the setting up of a management program to achieve them.

Implementation and operation. This includes management structure, training, communications, documentation, operational control and emergency preparedness. It means providing resources for staff, defining who does what, identifying training needs, communicating effectively and exerting effective control over the activities relevant to your significant environmental impacts.

Checking and corrective actions. These are monitoring and corrective actions, records and audits. This means using accurate measurement methods, regularly checking the progress towards objectives, taking action to rectify any non-conformance with environmental policy or legal requirements, recording the operation of your EMS, and conducting audits to identify problems and to prove conformity with the business requirements.

Management Review. This is necessary to close the loop. That is, to ensure that the system continues to be suitable, adequate and effective through changes made in light of experience.

It is important to mention that the ISO 14000 standards do not alone specify environmental performance goals. These must be set by the company itself, taking into account its effect on the environment and how stakeholders perceive it.

ISO 14000 motivates businesses to truly commit to environmental management and to track their progress. Many companies have reported a better bottom-line after pursuing this certification, by streamlining processes and reducing unnecessary waste. Employees at green businesses are also more motivated, and reports show most consumers would rather do business with an eco-friendly organization than one that doesn’t show any commitment to the environment.

Has your company achieved the ISO 14000 certification? What were the main obstacles you were faced with during the process?