How are Australian Firms Leveraging the Benefits ISO 14001 Adoption?

You may have heard a lot about the implementation of the ISO 14001 standard. But do you know what benefits the Australian firms (maybe some of your competitors) are gaining from this particular standard that you are deprived of due to lack of compliance to ISO 14001? Go through this article to have an idea about the real picture.

Australian Industry has been experiencing an increasing urge of the customers and regulators requesting the firms implement the ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard for the last 15 years. What is constantly increasing the demand of this ISO standard? No one can deny the fact that sustainability of the surrounding environment has become a burning concern and a critical issue in the industrial activities in Australia. Environmental Management System or EMS requires successful integration of nature and business and weighs the environmental issue in business decisions, manufacturing, or development process, and in the strategic plans. This is one of the most striking benefits of this standard- a perfect amalgamation of the environmental motifs and the business objectives of an organization. In this article, we will discuss how Australian firms that have been compliant with ISO 14001 are advancing their business. If you own an organization that is not compliant with ISO 14001, you must go through the discussion to learn you are depriving your business of which benefits offered by ISO 14001 certification that your competitors are enjoying.

What is the Reason behind the Emergence of EMS?

The growing importance of EMS is greatly fueled by the constant deterioration of our surrounding environment. Do you need examples? Look at the diminishing resources of the raw materials, overflowing landfills, smoky air polluted by our adored industrialization, and of course, how could you forget the threats posed by the global warming? Enterprises can’t shake off their environmental responsibilities as the activities of their organizations are also causing the deterioration. Moreover, their voluntary actions can demonstrate their corporate responsibility towards the environment. The Environmental Management Standard bolsters the fact the firms should balance and enhance their triple bottom line reporting or 3BL to ensure the benefits for their profit, people in general, and the planet. It has drawn huge managerial attention.

In this modern era, EMS has become an integral part of the business management system. It has been said that the EMS practices can bring remarkable organizational impacts regarding the strategic directions, business functions, and performance-oriented results. We are going through an age where environmental management and sustainability are two of the most topical issues in the developed countries. Australia has been identified as the highest carbon emitters per capita in the world of trade. To be more specific, the Australian manufacturing industry has a great contribution to the growth of the carbon emission. This stat has made Australian Government target 5% reduction in carbon emission by 2020. The government started a plan for a fixed carbon price from 1st July 2012. It continued until 2016 to meet the goal. The government initiatives clearly demand the readiness of Australian industry for dealing with the new rule of playing the cards for preserving the environmental sustainability. Therefore, adoption of EMS has somehow become a necessity of the firms.

How are Australian Firms Utilizing the Benefits of ISO 14001 or EMS?

Most of the Australian firms adopt ISO 14001 mainly because of five organizational motives. These motives are-

• Meeting Customer Satisfaction
• Complying with the Regulations
• Availing Competitive Advantages
• Seeking for cost reduction
• Ensuring continuous progress and profit

Apart from these organizational objectives, a large body of environmental literature can be working behind the increasing popularity of the EMS. This literature upholds different performance implications including eco-performance, market, sales, and financial consequences. The enterprises in Australia consider EMS either as a business tool that would escalate their profitability or as an opportunity to stand ahead of their competitors. The second approach upholds the adoption of ISO 14001 as an eco-friendly business tool concerned with corporate potential and responsibilities to strive for high-performance and cost.

In reality, EMS is not a cost center but a value driver. To provide an organization with all the benefits of ISO 14001 certification, the entrepreneurs need to use the EMS as a management approach so that they can increase their efficiency to compete. It implies that ISO 14001, in reality, offers the firms ample scopes for meeting their business objective under the veil of environment management. On the other hand, the desire for growth and profit is compelling the firms to adopt ISO 14001 standard. As an outcome, the environmental issues are driving attention and the sustainability is heading towards further improvement.

See, how most of the Australian firms are enriching their profitability and brand with the help of ISO 14001 standard! If you are one of those entrepreneurs, who have had never considered ISO 14001 as one of their trump cards, you are depriving your business of all the beneficial outcomes offered by ISO 14001 Environmental Management Standard.
Still, you are waiting for what? Look at the competitors who are breathing down your neck! They might have been already enjoying the benefits offered by ISO 14001, which are still out of your reach. Waste no more time and avail the benefits now!