Environmental management systems – new Standard on phased implementation to benefit SMEs
Issue 25 – March 2011
ISO has just published a new Standard to help organisations, and in particular small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), use a phased approach to implement an environmental management system (EMS).
Implementing an EMS is not always an easy task, especially for SMEs. The job will now be made easier by Environmental management systems – Guidelines for the phased implementation of an environmental management system, including the use of environmental performance evaluation ISO 14005:2010.
ISO 14005 outlines a model to help an organisation to implement an EMS in a flexible way – focusing on the organisation's needs, while growing the extent and scope of the system through time, in line with the organisation's objectives and the resources available.
ISO 14005:
- provides guidance for organisations on the phased development, implementation, maintenance, and improvement of an EMS in order to meet the requirements of ISO 14001. ISO 14001 provides the requirements for an EMS
- includes advice on the integration and use of environmental performance evaluation techniques
- applies to any organisation, regardless of its level of development, its activities, or its location.
A phased approach offers several advantages. Users can:
- readily evaluate how the time and money put into an EMS provides a return
- see how environmental improvements help to reduce costs, improve their community relations, assist them in demonstrating compliance with legal and other requirements, and help them live up to customer expectations
- track the benefits of their EMS while they implement their system step by step, adding or expanding elements as they provide value to the organisation
- focus on the issues that are critical for them, their customers, or supply chain.
An EMS meeting the requirements of ISO 14001:2004 is a management tool enabling an organisation of any size or type to:
- identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products, or services
- continually improve its environmental performance
- implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives, to achieving these objectives, and to demonstrating that they have been achieved
- ensure legal compliance.
Although accredited certification of conformity to ISO 14001 is not a requirement of ISO 14005 or of ISO 14001, many organisations choose to seek accredited certification as an independent confirmation that their EMS meets the requirements of ISO 14001. The ISO Survey of Certifications 2009 revealed that up to the end of December 2009, at least 223149 ISO 14001:2004 accredited certificates had been issued in 159 countries and economies.
→ Buy ISO 14005:2010 (hard copy)
Related Standards
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AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use
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AS/NZS ISO 14000 Set Environmental management Standards collection. Note: This collection includes the following environmental management Standards.
- AS/NZS ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use.
- AS/NZS ISO 14004:2004 Environmental management systems – General guidelines on principles, systems and support techniques
- AS/NZS ISO 14015:2003 Environmental management – Environmental assessment of sites and organizations (EASO).
- AS/NZS ISO 14021:2000 Environmental labels and declarations – Self-declared environmental claims (Type II environmental labelling).
- AS/NZS ISO 14031:2000 Environmental management – Environmental performance evaluation – Guidelines.
- AS/NZS ISO 14040:1998 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Principles and framework.
- AS/NZS ISO 14041:1999 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Goal and scope definition and inventory analysis.
- AS/NZS ISO 14042:2001 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Life cycle impact assessment.
- AS/NZS ISO 14043:2001 Environmental management – Life cycle assessment – Life cycle interpretation.
- AS/NZS ISO 19011:2003 Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management systems auditing.
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