What is ISO 14005 - Environmental management systems about?
Every business has an impact on the environment. Identifying this impact and taking proactive steps to mitigate or minimize this impact involves systematic planning. ISO 14005 gives you guidelines for a phased approach to establish, implement, maintain, and improve your environmental management system plan.
A systematic approach to environmental management provides the means for the management of business risk and demonstrates a high level of environmental commitment. Many organizations already benefit from a formalized Environmental management system. But many more organizations, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), lack a formal system and therefore lose the benefits that an increased formality can bring. ISO 14005 shows how you can implement an environmental management system, using a phased approach to ultimately meet the requirements of ISO 14001. Each phase incorporates six consecutive stages. The number of phases is flexible. This allows you to develop the scope, i.e. the activities, products and services included, and maturity of your environment management system, in line you’re your objectives and available resources.
Who is ISO 14005 - Environmental management systems for?
ISO 14005 is for you, if you are looking for guidance to implement environmental management systems in a phased manner. ISO 14005 is useful for:
- Organizations looking to implement environmental management systems
- Small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
ISO 14005 provides guidance on environmental management systems that applies to any SME organization regardless of their current environmental performance.
Why should you use ISO 14005 - Environmental management systems?
When industry causes the environment to deteriorate, your role in this comes under scrutiny. Regulators, consumers, clients, local communities, and others may demand assurances from you that your activities are not harming the environment. Anticipating and planning for natural disasters is another aspect of environmental management systems.
Proactively managing your environment lets you take control of this situation. You will be able to use resources more efficiently, reduce negative effects on the environment, comply with legal requirements, and improve customer relations; using a systematic approach to environmental management.
ISO 14005 on environmental management systems guides you to evolve your environmental management system in a phased manner. The guidelines given in ISO 14005 let you develop your environmental management system at your own pace, over several phases, according to your own circumstances.
A phased approach offers several advantages. You can readily evaluate how the time and money put into an environmental management system provides a return. This approach can help you to see how improvements in environmental management can reduce costs, demonstrate legal compliance, improve community relations and help to fulfil the expectations of interested parties.
The maturity matrix in ISO 14005 is a tool for measuring your progress of environmental management system implementation. It lets you track your achievements. You will be able to ensure the efficient use of financial and human resources. And an online assessment sheet and examples within ISO 14005 supports users.
