ISO E NVIRONMENTAL M ANAGEMENT S YSTEMS (ERST 620) S EM 1/2016 F IONA J ÄGER 1

ISO – An Introduction Goals Requirements Important Terms Implementation Process Pros and Cons 2 S TRUCTURE

ISO Voluntary environmental management system standard Uses continual improvement approach Shows how an organization can improve its environmental performance – Core: Implementation of environmental management system Only Standard with requirements that have to be audited 3

Goals Getting the whole organization into environmental protection Gives direction for management, measuring, improving and communicating the environmental aspects of their operations Gives control over impacts of an organization‘s activities, products and services on the environment Documentation of every environmental related aspect of the organization 4

Requirements Publicly available environmental policy Establishment of procedures to identify environmental aspects and their impacts Employee‘s role must be clearly defined – All employees must be aware of their impact on environment Constant monitoring and documenting of environmental effects 5

Important Terms Environmental Policy – Frame for Measures to Determine Environmental- related Goals – Shows the Overall Focus of the Organization Concerning Its Environmental Performance Environmental Management System – Part of the Management System of an Organization – Helps Developing the Environmental Policy 6

Implementation Process 1.Preliminary Inventory – Review of the Current Situation – Aim: Consider all Environmental Aspects of the Organization – Four main parts: Determination of Environmental Aspects Determination of Legal Obligations Examination of Consisting Environmental Management Practices Evaluation of Previous Accidents 7

Implementation Process 2.Goals and Measures – Program – Programs to achieve its goals have to be introduced, realized and maintained by the organization – Programs have to include the responsibility, resources and the time frame needed for their implementation 8

Implementation Process 3.Documentation – Has to include the following aspects Environmental Policy Objective and single targets Scope of the Environmental Management System Description of the main elements of the Environmental Management System Correlation of the main elements Related documents – Requested by Norm – Considered important by company 9

Implementation Process 4.Audit Scheme Internal – Process to be performed and documented individually by the organization – Regular repetition necessary 5.Definition of the Environmental Performance – Has to be defined as measurable outcomes 6.Audit Scheme External – Certification – Compliance can be confirmed by third parties and external bodies – No publication of documents necessary 10

Implementation Process 7.Continuous Improvement of Environmental Management – Constant Process of improvement to enhance environmental oriented performance in accordance with the environmental policy of the organization 11

Pros and Contras Advantages Applicable to any organization Helps identifying areas for reduction in energy and other resource consumption Internationally recognized Provides reliable credentials about the organization Disadvantages No actual system, just a system standard Leaves most interpretation to the industry Costly Highly bureaucratic 12

References Edwards, A. (2003). Environmental Certification Step by Step, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. ISO 14001:2015. (2015). Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use. Jackson, S. (1997). The Implementation Guide: Creating an Integrated Management System, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York. Rondelli, D. & Vastag, G. (2000). Panacea, common sense, or just a label?: The value of ISO environmental management systems. Whitelaw,.(2012). ISO 14001: Environmental Systems Handbook, Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann, Oxford. 13

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