There have long been recognized operational benefits for organizations to adopt an environmental management system (EMS), these include:
- Supporting compliance to relevant environmental regulations
- Creating a strong base for process improvements
- Streamlining operations and reducing costs
- Improved risk management
- Increasing competitive advantage through enhanced brand reputation and market access
In an age of heightened environmental awareness, organizations are facing growing sustainability reporting requirements and increasingly, stakeholder and customers are expecting better sustainability outcomes. These evolving requirements mean that, in addition to understanding the operational benefits, it is increasingly valuable for organizations to understand how adopting a robust, certified EMS can form the basis to maximize environmental and sustainability opportunities and help accelerate progress towards a sustainable world.
What’s driving the need for an EMS?
A recent BSI survey found that 71% of respondents globally agree that climate change is the most critical issue facing the world at present, and 83% believe it is important for organizations to take action to reduce their emissions. This increased focus on climate change and the need for society to reduce our emissions is one of the key drivers for organizations to prioritize their sustainability commitments.
In response to this, many organizations are pursuing the goal of net zero carbon. Here, an EMS can play a critical role in providing a structure for a net zero roadmap and benchmarking progress toward achieving it. A certified ISO 14001 EMS includes processes for monitoring and measuring environmental impact meaning organizations can leverage data collection tools and technologies to track various environmental factors, from emissions levels to resource use. This allows organizations to assess the effectiveness of both risk mitigation efforts, as well as opportunities—such as energy transition, lifecycle optimization, and biodiversity conservation.
Building your foundation on best practice for impact
Organizations from every industry look to the most widely recognized environmental standard, ISO 14001 - Environmental Management System (EMS), to help them align to best practice. With more than 500,000 certifications in over 180 countries around the world, ISO 14001 provides a robust foundation upon which to build sustainability initiatives by enabling organizations to set, measure and continually make progress towards specific objectives and targets. By implementing an EMS based on ISO 14001, organizations can take a proactive approach that will result in tangible benefits and signal a commitment to sustainable business.
The reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) is an example of how ISO 14001 can support driving tangible impact through operational optimization. Implementation of the standard will help to identify direct emissions from operations, such as fuel combustion and industrial processes, as well as indirect emissions from energy consumption and supply chains. This will enable organizations to prioritize GHG emission reduction efforts and allocate resources effectively. Initiatives might include energy efficiency improvements to buildings and processes or transitioning to renewable energy sources.
Increasing customer and stakeholder confidence
In communicating progress to stakeholders and customers, organizations run the risk of greenwashing. With BSI research finding that 70% of survey respondents globally are conscious of businesses making misleading environmental claims, it is evident that organizations can benefit from building trust into their sustainability commitments and claims. Certification plays a key role in achieving this, with 74% of respondents saying they are more likely to trust a business’s environmental claims if they can provide evidence of verification or certification that validates them. By independently demonstrating a commitment or claim through certification to ISO14001, organizations can avoid the risk of greenwashing and enhance their brand reputation and stakeholder confidence.
Whether it’s managing use of natural resources, lowering GHG emissions, or addressing other environmental challenges, we can assist your journey towards a more sustainable future. Learn more about our ISO 14001 offerings and the certification process here
Supporting your environmental management journey
We put operational and environmental sustainability at the heart of our organization and have the knowledge and expertise to help you do the same.
