FAQ

WHAT IS ISO14000?

Many companies are now familiar with the 9000 series of international standards dealing with quality management systems. As a continuation of this management systems standardization process, the ISO 14000 series of international standards have been developed for environmental management. In September 1996, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) finalized the ISO 14001 standard for environmental management systems (a revision is anticipated to be issued in 2004). Similar to the Quality Management System (QMS) implemented for ISO 9001, the ISO14001 requires implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with defined internationally recognized standards (as set forth in the ISO14001 specification). The ISO14001 standard specifies requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects & impacts of products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation & operation of programs to meet objectives & targets, checking & corrective action, and management review.

REQUIREMENTS OF ISO14001

As with ISO9001, the key to a successful ISO14001 EMS is having documented procedures that are implemented and maintained in such a way that successful achievement of environmental goals commensurate with the nature and scale of activities is facilitated. In addition, the EMS must include appropriate monitoring and review to ensure effective functioning of the EMS and to identify and implement corrective measures in a timely manner.

ISO14001 standards include the need for sites to document and make available to the public an Environmental Policy. In addition, procedures must be established for ongoing review of the environmental aspects & impacts of products, activities, & services. Based on these environmental aspects & impacts, environmental goals and objectives must be established that are consistent with the environmental policy. Programs must then be set in place to implement these activities. As with the QMS, internal Audits of the EMS must be conducted routinely to ensure that non-conformances to the system are identified and addressed. In addition, the management review process must ensure top management involvement in the assessment of the EMS, and as necessary, addressing the need for changes.

The Environmental Management System (EMS) document is the central document that describes the interaction of the core elements of the system, and provides a third-party auditor with the key information necessary to understand the environmental management systems in-place at the company. Consistent with the principles of ISO14001, the Environmental Policy and Environmental Aspects/impacts analysis, including legal & other requirements, shape the program by influencing the selection of specific measurable environmental goals, objectives, & targets. Specific programs and/or projects must then be developed to achieve these environmental goals, objectives, & targets (in ISO14001 terms, this would be referred to as "Implementation & Operation"). The checking & corrective action elements of the system help ensure continual improvement by addressing root causes on non-conformances. The ongoing management review of the EMS and its elements helps to ensure continuing suitability, adequacy, & effectiveness of the program.

CONCERNS ABOUT ISO-14001

For many companies, conformance to ISO14001 may become a contractual requirement of customers in many countries. Also, because ISO-14000 is a continuation of the ISO-9000 Quality standards, it is expected that ISO-14001 may eventually become a requirement for attaining ISO-9001 re-certification. Thus, many companies are setting goals to establish environmental management systems that conform to ISO14001 guidelines in order to remain competitive in the global marketplace. For those companies who have already obtained ISO9001 registration and/or follow Total Quality Management (TQM) system principles, the ISO-14001 registration is a logical next step because it is very similar to ISO-9001 and the principles of TQM.

BENEFITS OF  ISO14001

ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems. Conformance to the standard can help your company remain competitive in the marketplace. For many companies, both their competitors are seeking registration and their customers are beginning to demand conformance to ISO14001 guidelines (as with theISO9001 standard, the continual improvement requirements of the standards often lead to registered companies eventually needing to require that their suppliers also comply with the ISO14001 standards). In addition, by establishing and maintaining an Environmental Management System that meets the standards established by ISO-14001, companies will be implementing a strong and effective environmental management program. Some of the benefits of implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with the ISO14000 standards, include: identifying areas for reduction in energy and other resource consumption, reducing environmental liability and risk, helping to maintain consistent compliance with legislative & regulatory requirements, benefiting form regulatory incentives that reward companies showing environmental leadership through certified compliance with an internationally recognized EMS standard, preventing pollution and reducing waste, responding to pressure from customers and shareholders, improving community goodwill, profiting in the market for "green" products, respond to insurance company pressure for proof of good management before pollution-incident coverage is issued, and demonstrating commitment to high-quality.

How we can help you?

For more information on how we can assist your facility with achieving certification to any MS standards , contact:

Abubakar Bello;

Tel. (+234) 0805 502 7755, 0803 786 9508, 09 671 3570

Email: ambello@eemslimited.com. or simply complete an online customer service inquiry

EEMS Limited has the capacity to assist you in the entire process from development of programs to implementation and achieving registration/certification. We can also provide you with information on what to expect during the audit process and how to successfully plan & strategize to become ISO14001 certified. EEMS Limited assisted AshakaCem Plc in becoming the second Nigerian Cement Manufacturer to achieve ISO 9001 certification in Nigeria. We have also provided support and guidance to British American Tobacco, Zaria and ARMECO in Kaduna that lead their being certified to the NIS ISO 9001 by Standard Organisation of Nigeria. In addition, we have provided environmental program management services for several companies that incorporate ISO14001 principles..