Why is ISO 14001 Certification Worth Your Effort?

Summary
If you have a doubt about the relevancy and effectiveness of ISO 14001 certification, then you have come to the right place. Go through this article to learn why ISO 14001 is worth your effort.

“I own an enterprise-level business; do I need ISO 14001 certification?”

This is one of the frequently asked questions that the ISO consultants face regularly. Well, the answer is “No”. However, if someone flips the question –“Is ISO 14001 certification worth effort?” the answer would be “yes”. In this article, we are going to explain the answer. To understand the relevance of the standard, it is important for you to explore the accurate definition of the standard. This understanding will help you communicate with the ISO 14001 certification consultants as well.

What is ISO 14001 Standard?

Certification to an ISO standard is a way of establishing your compliance with ISO 14001. Though it is not mandatory, many organisations pursue the certification process through an accredited certification body. An Environmental Management System or EMS is at the core of the requirements of this standard. The main aim of this system is to reduce the environmental impact of an organisation.

Gone are the days when people believe the standard to be a luxury. The growing environmental concern has made this certification a necessity for most the businesses. Most of the people belonging to developed countries like Australia have already become well aware of environmental degradation and its dangerous consequences. This growing consciousness has worked as a catalyst and enhanced the acceptance of ISO 14001 certification.

What is Stats Saying?

• 346,289 companies were certified to ISO 14001 Standard all over the world in the year 2016
• It is almost 70% grown since 2004
• In 2016, this ISO certification had been issued in 159 countries
• As per a survey conducted by Nielson, 52% of the consumers want to check the labels before buying a product. They also determine whether the brand is dedicated to preserving the social and environmental impact or not.

Several ISO 14001-certified companies have admitted the reduction of gas emission, water wastage, noise, solid residual waste, and geological aspects. This certification not only reduces the negative impact of your business on the environment but also motivates the environmental sustainability.

Major Benefits of ISO 14001 Certification

It is an open secret that the customers and the stakeholders are inclining towards sustainability. ISO 14001 certification is a method to make your business stand apart from the rest of the businesses. Let’s have a quick look at the key benefits of this standard:

• Proves compliance with current and existing statutory and regulatory requirements
• Improves leadership engagement and people engagement
• Boosts company reputation
• Enhances confidence of the potential customers and the shareholders
• Enables an organisation to achieve the strategic business goals through implementation of environmental issues into the core business process
• Avails a competitive and economic advantage through boosted efficiencies and reduced costs
• Motivates better environmental performance of the suppliers by incorporating them into the core business management system

Above points are enough to justify the fact that ISO 14001 certification is beneficial not in terms of environmental sustainability only, but also in terms of marketing. In this context, it is important to note that all of the benefits you can avail only with the help of dependable and experienced ISO 14001 certification consultants.

What do you Need to Gain the Certification?

First, you need to understand that the International Organization for Standardization or ISO does not provide any certification. If you want to gain ISO 14001 certification for your business, you need to hire an accredited third-party certification body.

Now, let’s head towards the certification process. It is, more or less, a direct process. The process includes certain steps. These are-

• Develop and implement an environmental management system considering the guideline of ISO 14001 Standard
• Arrange an audit in collaboration with an accredited certification body
• In the event of finding any gaps or loopholes, fix the nonconformance as soon as possible
• Once your organisation has met all the requirements, you will be able to receive the certification.

These days, most of the companies are hiring ISO 14001 consultants to make the certification process a bit easier and less time-consuming.

A Final Takeaway
What’s your take on the question with which we started our discussion? Of course, your answer will be “yes”. ISO 14001 certification is completely worth your effort. Moreover, it is a necessity for your business.