| Copyright (c) 2008 Ed Bones | | | | effectively. |
| There is an increasing stress on the management of | | | | ISO14001 appears to be similar to its companion |
| environmental factors affecting our personal lives, our | | | | Standard (ISO9001), but in detail its requirements are |
| community and the world at large. As individuals, it is | | | | structured with a different emphasis. While the 9001 |
| hard to see how our contribution can have any | | | | document appears to demand certain attributes and |
| effect on the grand scheme of things, but equally, | | | | actions, its companion, in essence, requires only that |
| any large scale change comes about as a | | | | the organisation develops a working program to |
| consequence of numerous small changes. Individual | | | | move towards a series of environmental |
| efforts tend to be focussed more on cash savings | | | | improvements, over a time scale agreed amongst |
| than on the general good - no harm in that, but | | | | the interested parties. In this way environmental |
| overall, no great benefit either. | | | | improvement is a steady improvement process |
| At the administrative level, much is being done by | | | | structured to suit the ability of the organisation to |
| government and by local authorities to conserve | | | | achieve its goals. This steady improvement is in |
| energy and limit waste, particularly through recycling | | | | opposition to the ISO9001 structure that demands |
| schemes, and because this has a financial benefit to | | | | compliance from the outset. |
| local authorities through the levy on buried waste, | | | | ISO14001 has a number of documentation and |
| and on individuals through the reduction in energy | | | | operational requirements, the 'housekeeping |
| costs, this will continue for the foreseeable future. | | | | requirements 'aimed at managing and monitoring the |
| The focus of this article is on the corporate approach | | | | improvement in environmental performance that |
| to environmental management. | | | | already exist within the Quality Management System, |
| Clearly, the benefits that accrue to individuals through | | | | requiring comparatively little adjustment to fit into an |
| waste reduction and recycling schemes are available | | | | integrated management system. Integrating the |
| to commerce and industry; however, additional | | | | Environmental aspects of ISO 14001 into an existing |
| benefits can come from an independent recognition | | | | ISO9001 Quality Management System should |
| of an organisation's commitment to environmental | | | | therefore be a straightforward task, dependant only |
| management. Stockholders have come to make out | | | | on the manner in which the original documentation |
| that a corporate concern for the environment is | | | | was assembled. The application of these Standards |
| good management practice, and that this good | | | | can be a straightforward matter, however, only |
| practice can be a sign of excellence across the | | | | when there is a clear understanding of the intent, as |
| organisation. Share price - a measure of management | | | | opposed to the letter, of each requirement, with |
| success, is enhanced by this recognition. Share value | | | | effort being applied to minimising the bureaucracy of |
| equals company value. | | | | the application. Unfortunately, the reverse was often |
| But what of this independent recognition? How is it | | | | true during the early days of ISO9001 |
| achieved and at what cost, and are the costs really | | | | implementation, with the quality of the application |
| matched by the benefits? | | | | task being measured by the quantity of documents |
| Organisations large and small have adopted the | | | | produced. |
| ISO9001 Quality Management Standard as a | | | | For achieving maximum benefit from a Dual Standard |
| mechanism to demonstrate in some way their | | | | management system, a review of the original |
| concern for customer and stakeholder interests. Few | | | | documentation followed by a rationalisation exercise |
| companies of significance now operate outside the | | | | is the ideal route. Having reached a stable and |
| ISO9001 registration scheme, and while some might | | | | acceptable system, compliant with the Quality |
| argue that ISO9001 has not materially affected their | | | | Management Standard, the development of an |
| business performance, a large proportion claim to hold | | | | integrated system combining the Standard for Quality |
| on to their registration simply because the market | | | | and Environment is comparatively straightforward. |
| believes differently. | | | | Organisations determined to embrace this route |
| Whatever the real truth may be, this one fact is | | | | should beware of consultants offering to carry out |
| clear; companies holding an ISO9001 registration are | | | | the task for the traditional 'Daily Rate' compensation. |
| well on the way to being qualified for ISO14001 | | | | That method of payment for services leads |
| (Environmental Management System) registration if | | | | inevitably to overpayment, due either to greed or a |
| the implementation is carried out efficiently and | | | | lack of understanding on the part of the contractor. |