Summary
If you are running an IT firm and looking for ISO 14001 certification, you have come to the right place. Go through this article to learn how IT firms should deal with this standard.
The growth of the IT industry in recent years is remarkable. In this context, it is important to understand that duties come along with responsibilities. When it comes to environmental responsibilities, the IT sector is not beyond the responsibilities. Interestingly, a number of businesses are looking for the implementation of the ISO 14001 standard. Some businesses are making this choice under the pressure of their customers and peers. Some other businesses are still avoiding the standard thinking that IT industry has very little to do with environmental impact. However, here, we are going to discuss why ISO 14001 certification is important for the IT companies and how they should deal with it.
Environmental impacts IT companies should consider
What is the environmental aspect? It’s an element of the activity, product, or service of an organization that may have an impact on the surrounding environment. When your IT firm is looking for ISO 14001 implementation, first, you should identify this activity, product, or service having an environmental impact. Once the impact is detected along with its sources, you need to brainstorm for analyzing the perceived impact. IT industry is a combination of technology and services. Hence, the identification of aspects is comparatively less significant in this industry. We have listed below some possible environmental aspects that can be found in an IT firm:
Purchasing Policy
An organization is able to make remarkable improvements by implementing ISO 14001:2015 principles into the purchasing requirements. You need to clarify these requirements to the supply chains. You need to motivate environmental improvement in the supply chain. It would be better if you can sit down with your suppliers and explain the benefits of ISO 14001:2015 Standard. It should clearly define the new criteria you are applying to the purchasing process that is existing within your business set up. At once, this trick can help the suppliers understand the importance of the purchasing process. This process will enable them to apply similar requirements to the procurement process while examining their own environmental impacts and taking action to decrease the environmental effects. Apart from reducing the environmental impacts, you will be able to encourage environmental sustainability within your organization.
Internal Impact
Every company has a different set of impacts, and ISO 14001guidelines can help you find out and control the impacts. Internal impacts include everything from employee travel to utility consumption and food and packaging waste. Before making an effective plan for the implementation of ISO 14001, you should identify the internal issues. The way ISO 20000 certification requires identification of internal risks, ISO 14001 requires identification of internal environmental impacts.
Legislative and Regulation Issues
Like every single industry, IT sector also has some regulatory requirements, which must be met and the process should throw up further opportunities for improvement. It can effectively enhance the employee well-being process as well. For instance, consider the use of the right gases in your air conditioning system. It is also important to consider whether the heating system is clean or not. There are many other tiny things, which may have a greater impact on your overall environmental management system.
Travel
Travel should be segregated because it is an integral part of the organizational activities. Traveling is required for meeting potential clients or visiting the sites to provide maintenance services. First, the existing traveling policy should be reviewed and determine whether it can reduce the traveling by 25 to 30% without having any negative impact on the client base.
A Final Takeaway
Most of the IT firms offer purchasing services, reconfiguration, and supply of hardware of software. By performing a detailed analysis, you may find various implications in terms of the life cycle of these bespoke products. Earlier, hardly any emphasis was given on this issue. However, the revised version of ISO 14001 certification has attached great importance to it.
While running an IT firm, you must know which areas of your business may cause environmental impact. Once you know the areas, you can easily initiate appropriate precautions. If you are completely unaware of the fact that an IT firm too may have some environmental impacts, conduct thorough research about the impact of the IT industry on the environment.
To know more about ISO 14001 Standard, keep an eye on the upcoming articles!
Damon Anderson is an ISO auditor who has been providing his clients with ISO internal audit services for years. He is a regular blogger as well. Apart from ISO 14001 certification, ISO 9001 certification, and ISO 20000 certification, he pens down informative blogs and articles on the effectiveness of several other standards and their requirements.