Companies who provide proof through outside certification that they are continually focused on improving their environmental practices find it “more advantageous to getting tenders” (Monk Office). Larger companies are becoming increasingly focused on providing measurable evidence that they (or their supply chain) are doing business in an environmentally and socially conscious fashion. Product and service providers to large corporations and government will soon be expected to provide regular reports that monitor greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement, ongoing reduction of waste (paper, electricity, fossil fuels), and other important initiatives that demonstrate their Sustainability.
Incorporating an environmental management system into a company business model can positively influence:
• Competitive advantage
• Reputation (“Great PR”: Schneider Electric, Monk Office)
• Ability to “attract and retain employees” (Schneider Electric), customers, or clients
• Employees' morale, commitment and productivity (“Everybody deep down is proud of what we’re doing”: Monk Office)
• Views of investors, owners, and the financial community
• Relationship with companies, governments, the media, suppliers, peers, customers and the community in which the company operates.
• The planet
The Environmental Standard
The ISO 14001:2004 standard outlines the requirements of an Environmental Management System (EMS). This management system enables an organization of any size or type to:
• identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services, and to
• improve its environmental performance continually, and to
• implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets, to achieving these and to demonstrating that they have been achieved.
As Schneider Electric found, ISO 14001 is not “costly, rigid or prohibitive” as it is designed to work with any kind of company. Auditors do the initial certification audit after the EMS has been in operation for at least three months. Yearly surveillance audits are conducted, with recertification audits required every third year.
In Victoria, Schneider Electric and Monk Office have both used the ISO 14001 Standard to create their Environmental Management Systems. It can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to get certification; there is no standard rule as it depends on management’s commitment of time and resources to the process. Registrars charge anywhere from $1000 - $1800 per day to audit a company’s EMS. To learn more about this standard or to inquire about ISO 14001 courses available, please contact:
Monk Office has kindly offered their time should anyone in the Victoria tech industry wish to meet with them to discuss the certification process and advantages. Please contact:
Deanne Turnbull Loverock
Using ISO 14001 To Your Advantage
Companies who provide proof through outside certification that they are continually focused on improving their environmental practices find it “more advantageous to getting tenders” (Monk Office). Larger companies are becoming increasingly focused on providing measurable evidence that they (or their supply chain) are doing business in an environmentally and socially conscious fashion. Product and service providers to large corporations and government will soon be expected to provide regular reports that monitor greenhouse gas (GHG) measurement, ongoing reduction of waste (paper, electricity, fossil fuels), and other important initiatives that demonstrate their Sustainability.
Incorporating an environmental management system into a company business model can positively influence:
• Competitive advantage
• Reputation (“Great PR”: Schneider Electric, Monk Office)
• Ability to “attract and retain employees” (Schneider Electric), customers, or clients
• Employees' morale, commitment and productivity (“Everybody deep down is proud of what we’re doing”: Monk Office)
• Views of investors, owners, and the financial community
• Relationship with companies, governments, the media, suppliers, peers, customers and the community in which the company operates.
• The planet
The Environmental Standard
The ISO 14001:2004 standard outlines the requirements of an Environmental Management System (EMS). This management system enables an organization of any size or type to:
• identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services, and to
• improve its environmental performance continually, and to
• implement a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives and targets, to achieving these and to demonstrating that they have been achieved.
As Schneider Electric found, ISO 14001 is not “costly, rigid or prohibitive” as it is designed to work with any kind of company. Auditors do the initial certification audit after the EMS has been in operation for at least three months. Yearly surveillance audits are conducted, with recertification audits required every third year.
In Victoria, Schneider Electric and Monk Office have both used the ISO 14001 Standard to create their Environmental Management Systems. It can take anywhere from 3 months to 2 years to get certification; there is no standard rule as it depends on management’s commitment of time and resources to the process. Registrars charge anywhere from $1000 - $1800 per day to audit a company’s EMS. To learn more about this standard or to inquire about ISO 14001 courses available, please contact:
Bert Hettrich
International Certification Ltd.
11518 Briar Drive
Coldstream, BC, V1B2A5
Phone 250 545 9849
Cell 250 503 8502
bert@iso-certification.com
Monk Office has kindly offered their time should anyone in the Victoria tech industry wish to meet with them to discuss the certification process and advantages. Please contact:
Debbie Schultz
Monk Office
Executive Assistant
250-384-0565 ext. 201
dschultz@monk.ca