ISO 14001 as the world’s first widely used environmental management system of international standards, has helped improve their environmental performance over 300000 global organizations. At present, the standard has been since 1996 officially released the first major revision, the new standards have been released in September 15th.
The new standard can ensure that it can continue to help the organization to improve business processes, save cost and respond to future environmental challenges. Environmental experts from more than 70 countries / regions participated in the revision, the revised standards into a series of updates to business conditions to help organize the process changing from climate change to the supply chain management.
ISO 14001 for the organization to provide a framework to enable it in the continuous development of the business growth at the same time, reduce the waste to reduce the impact on the environment, energy saving,.ISO 14001 can help companies more innovative, improve the management system, to meet the requirements of relevant laws and regulations, strengthen the enterprise in the eyes of investors, customers and the public credibility keep synchronous changes. Eventually, this new standard will help enterprises and the environment, to ensure that its always in the leading position.
The changes to ISO 14001 include:
The new high order structure (HLS) uses the general terms, definitions, titles, and text of all management system standards to achieve easy integration in the implementation of multiple management systems.
For senior management, it is a new opportunity to further ensure the integration of environmental management into the core business processes and goals
The risk of refocusing the organization (such as the price volatility of raw materials) and the opportunities that these risks bring (higher resource energy efficiency)
The new thinking of organizational environment helps them understand their environment and their impact on the environment, as well as understand the impact of environmental issues (e.g. climate change) on the enterprises themselves.
From the date of the new edition of the standard, the existing certified customers will have a three-year transition from the 2008 version to the new edition.
The significance of ISO14001 certification to the development of enterprises
For Chinese enterprises, the significance of extensive ISO14000 certification to its own development can be seen from the following aspects:
1, establish a corporate image, enhance the visibility of the enterprise. According to UN statistics, with a green logo products increasingly favored by consumers. Therefore, the establishment of ISO14000 environmental management system of enterprise, can bring the change of environmental performance, the formation of a good image in the eyes of the public, so that enterprises and products to improve, and perception identity at the same time, the corporate image and brand image will be greatly improved.
2, promote enterprise consciously abide by environmental laws, regulations, and in its production, its impact on the environment, the standard of the.ISO14000 enterprises to comply with environmental laws and regulations and promised to consider business activities, and require the enterprises to determine their activities will have a major impact on the environment factors and the implementation of control measures, reduce enterprise active pressure on the environment. Therefore, the implementation of ISO14000 through the promotion, can enable enterprises to improve their own law-abiding consciousness, change from passive to active law-abiding law-abiding, promoting China’s environmental laws and regulations and management system implementation.
3, if an enterprise obtains the certificate of ISO14000, it is equal to obtaining a “green pass” for export so as to avoid the “green trade barrier” set by developed countries.
4, encourage enterprises to save energy, recycling waste, reduce operating costs, support enterprises to implement continuous improvement of cleaner production standard of the.ISO14000 enterprises for pollution prevention and environmental behavior of commitment, and the major environmental factors to develop feasible environmental objectives and targets, through environmental management plan implemented in accordance with the requirements of ISO14000. The enterprise may, in accordance with their own situation, and gradually realize the regeneration of reduced energy consumption and waste utilization. It can reduce resource consumption, reduce pollution, and reduce production cost.
5, encourage enterprises to strengthen environmental management.ISO14000 environment management system is a scientific management system, the establishment and implementation of the system, can make the enterprise environmental management has been significantly improved, resulting in environmental performance. At the same time, the organization and the ability to control the environmental management of enterprises will be greatly improved. In addition, the provisions of ISO14000 the requirements of the standard is consistent with the modern management organization theory, management theory and management efficiency theory, after implementation of the system, the function of distribution system, training system, information communication system, strain capacity, evaluation and supervision system will be significantly improved. So ISO14000 certification standards in addition to the environmental management of enterprises also the other management has a significant role in promoting.
6, enhance the environmental awareness of employees. In view of the fact that employees in China are not strong enough in environmental awareness and lack of skills training, it is necessary to consider their environmental awareness and environmental benefits in their work according to the requirements of ISO14000.
In conclusion, only by grasping the weapon of ISO14000 can we really break through the green barriers in international trade, which is needed by the international situation, and is also a powerful impetus to China’s environmental management and environmental protection. It is also an effective way for Chinese enterprises to achieve rapid development.