An Environmental Management System (EMS) is an effective framework that helps reduce an organisation’s carbon footprint as well as increase operational efficiency.
It’s a brilliant tool that is custom-designed to each company’s individual goals and objectives.
Set up in 1996, the ISO 14001 is the most popular framework for EMS implementation. It is built on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology, which helps companies reduce waste, enhance operational efficiency and become environmentally responsible.
So, whether you’re looking to implement Environmental Management Systems in order to simply meet the requirements of ISO 14001 or to become a responsible environmental corporate citizen, here are 5 ways you can benefit from it.
1. Increased Regulatory Compliance
An effective Environmental Management System helps a company attain its targets through continuous review, analysis and the improvement of environmental performance. Companies aim to identify and improve their environmental practices through the cycle of review and evaluations.
When you’re running an EMS system, it becomes easier to take care of your legal environmental duties on a daily basis. Your environmental management consultant will tell you how increased regulatory compliance comes with benefits of its own too.
When you’re meeting all your legal requirements, you’re also preventing your company from pollution-related penalties and poor publicity linked to environment-damaging incidents.
2. Good Public Image
While many corporate organizations integrate practices such as CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) in order to build their company image externally, getting ISO 14001 certification is another way to achieve just that.
Your company’s continuous commitment to the implementation of environmental improvement practices can be great material to advertise publicly. This may not only increase your sales but also create an excellent reputation with all your internal and external stakeholders.
Your company employees will also feel a sense of pride and feel motivated to associate themselves with a business that is environmentally friendly.
3. Increased Business Opportunities
In a lot of scenarios, you must have come across various governmental departments and many big firms who refuse to do business with you until your company implements an Environmental Management System.
Getting the ISO 14001 certification or Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) will not only come with added benefits but will also provide competitive advantage and open many doors of potential business opportunities for your company.
4. Higher Efficiency
The review and evaluation process with an EMS in place can help your company identify areas of improvement. The implementation of ISO 14001 or EMAS allows to integrate eco-thinking with all business processes.
This will enable you to design and implement strategies that will result in the effective use of company resources such water, energy or materials, cause minimal waste, therefore reducing your operational costs and increase efficiency and profit.
Implementation of the EMS also encourage environmental performance of suppliers, so that you can achieve not only direct benefits, but also indirectly through the improvement of supply chain and implementation of green procurement practices.
5. Increased Credibility
If you take a step back as a company representative and put yourself in your customers’ shoes, what are the list of things that will help you trust a company? Does an internationally recognized certification effect your decision-making? Does it lend credibility to the company and by extension make it more trustworthy?
The answer is obvious. Not only do international certifications, such as ISO 14001 or EMAS help increase the credibility of your business and boost customer trust, but also makes your company look socially responsible. It helps improve your relationship with the local community as well as with many environmental groups.
If you want to improve your company’s environmental performance by implementing ISO 14001 or EMAS, working with an expert is a great idea. At EQM Consult, we help our customers in implementation, maintenance and auditing of their Environmental Management Systems. To get in touch with our expert consultants, fill the contact form and we’ll get back to you.
Ph.D. Beata Paliwoda
Founder and Owner of EQM. Environmental and quality consultant and auditor. Professional career built in Quality Assurance departments in various companies from the automotive, aerospace, railway industries, as well as a management systems consultant. Successfully completed many complex projects related to the implementation of management systems, process improvements and business transformation. Auditor of ISO 9001, ISO 14001, AS 9100, project manager of APM, lecturer at the Poznan University of Business and Economics, researcher on the effectiveness of EMS and QMS in organisations.
