New service - ISO 14001 - environmental management
The ISO environmental standard, ISO 14001, is now being provided
by Assessment North East, who will be working with Bill Moore and
his company, DRBM Consultancy, to provide the accreditation.
ISO 14001 is a voluntary, internationally-recognised standard,
and applies to aspects of environmental impact a company can
control, such as emissions and noise. The three key elements are
continual improvement, prevention of pollution and legal
compliance.
Bill, who has run DRBM Consultancy for ten years, and before
that spent 30 years in the chemical and pharmaceutical industry,
said it is increasingly important for businesses to have an
environmental management system (EMS) in place, to show their
commitment to minimising their impact on the environment.
"This standard is now widely recognised as an effective system
in helping sustain the environment for future generations and also
helping ensure the long-term survival and prosperity of business,"
he said.
Benefits of implementing an EMS are numerous, and are becoming
increasingly attractive to small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs). Potential business benefits include:
• Increasing customer
satisfaction and the opportunity to use certification as a
marketing differentiator.
• Cost savings from the review of energy and raw material
consumption.
• Creates awareness of applicable environmental legislation
so as to avoid any breaches and potential fines or
prosecutions.
• Potential to take advantage of future incentive schemes
such as lower insurance premiums and improved access to finance
which may come into operation.
• Increasing employee motivation and enhanced personnel
skills.
Bill added: "A company with an accredited environmental
management system is demonstrating its commitment to minimising its
impact on the environment.
"It is an important thing to consider - for many companies, the
main driver for environmental improvement is supply chain pressure,
with larger automotive and aerospace manufacturers - as well as
some Government and local Government Departments - have been
driving their suppliers to improve their environmental performance
and remain on their approved supplier lists."
For more information on implementing an EMS, or on the ISO 14001
accreditation, contact Assessment North East on 0191 5166464.