ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a worldwide standard for environmental management systems. Audits to ISO 14001 consider both environmental management systems and environment-related operation for organizations that wish to improve their environmental performance.

Among others, these include the obligation to undertake an environmental review, to make use of the best technology available and to present the environmental management of the organization to the general public in the form of an environmental statement. The objective is to achieve continual improvement over and above legal environmental requirements.

Certification according to ISO 14001 can in principle be used by any organization. Decisive factors are the sector, sales market and objectives in the area of public relations. Certification content Amongst other aspects, certification according to ISO 14001 takes the following into consideration:

• Environmental policy, objectives and programs
• Continual improvement of environmental performance
• Audit scheme
• Adherence to environmental legislation/legal conformity
• Registration with the relevant Chamber of Industry and Commerce/Chamber of Trade and Crafts

• Voluntary obligation to actively operate an environmental management system means that non-calculable risks are avoided and entrepreneurial opportunities opened up. Benefits which are worthwhile in many ways:
• Cost saving through continual improvement of operational/active environmental protection
• Saving of resources (e.g. energy, water)
• Timely implementation of environmental protection measures
• Reduced fees for approval procedures
• High level of legal compliance and demonstrability with regard to measures designed to create trust in relation to customers, official authorities, insurance companies and the general public
• Fulfilment of customer requirements as regards environmental friendliness (prerequisite for approval as supplier)
• Image enhancement as an environmentally-aware organization
• Reduction of environmental risks