Should You Get ISO 14001 Certified?

As the scrutiny on environmental impact grows, more and more organizations are looking for ways that can help them both satisfy emerging regulations and customer concerns regarding the sustainability of their practices. And while there are a few options that may suit, ISO 14001 represents one particularly advantageous avenue.

However, those familiar with ISO certifications generally will know that standing up the management systems required by varying ISO standards is no easy lift no matter which framework it is. So then, why should you pursue ISO 14001 certification and put in the requisite effort to implement an environmental management system (EMS)?

In this article, we’ll explain the many benefits of becoming ISO 14001 certified so that should you ever decide to initiate efforts to improve your environmental impact, you’ll know just what you’ll gain by going down this particular road.

Who Needs ISO 14001 Certification?

As a framework, ISO 14001 asks that your organization consider all the environmental aspects and impacts relevant to your operations—this includes your air pollution, water usage, waste management, and resource use. The standard also requires you to take steps to implement an EMS to both minimize those environmental impacts and better manage your overall environmental responsibilities.

Therefore, pursuing ISO 14001 certification would benefit any organization looking to improve its environmental posture and is willing to commit to the implementation of an environmental management system—meaning, it’s suitable for any organization no matter the shape, size, or sector.

7 Benefits of ISO 14001 Certification

But why actually go through with it? Why pool what will be considerable resources into satisfying this framework’s holistic approach to your sustainability efforts?

Aside from the obvious—enhanced mitigation of your environmental impacts—there are several other reasons why any organization would benefit from investing in this compliance initiative:

• Increased Stakeholder Confidence: As ISO 14001 is a well-respected environmental management standard globally, achieving certification against this standard will demonstrate to your customers, investors, and employees that your organization is committed to sustainability.
• Boosted Brand Reputation: ISO 14001 won’t just help with current stakeholders—as we remain amidst the ever-evolving climate change crisis, an ISO 14001 certification can also prove to the rest of the market that you not only prioritize reducing your environmental impact but also make efforts to continuously improve your performance in this area.
• More Comprehensive Risk Management: Because ISO 14001 requires that you identify and mitigate environmental risks associated with your operations, supply chain, and products, you’ll reduce the likelihood of environmental incidents and accidents, along with the related liabilities and fallout.
• Reduced Insurance Costs: Better risk mitigation—and the strong due diligence in managing your environmental program that you’ll demonstrate through ISO 14001 certification—may also lead to lower insurance premiums.
• Demonstrate Compliance with Regulations: New regulations regarding environmental impact are emerging all the time, some of which will likely require organizations to understand and document aspects of their environmental responsibilities and management—ISO 4001, and the third-party validation that comes with certification, can go a long way in preparing you for compliance with those.
• Selling Point for Employee Candidates: Corporate social responsibility is becoming more and more of a priority among the workforce as people want to work for companies whose values match their own—ISO 14001 certification is a great way to advertise to the talent pool that your organization is actively engaged in reducing your environmental footprint, which could make you more attractive as a potential employer.
• Potential Cost Savings: During the process of ISO 14001 certification, you’ll be asked to identify opportunities for resource efficiency, waste reduction, and energy conservation, and addressing those identified areas through improved operational efficiency and reduced resource consumption can lead to overall cost savings.
  

One Other Big Bonus: Better Organizational Synergy Through Integration with Other ISO Management System Standards

Aside from all those valuable advantages, there’s one other big advantage of getting ISO 14001 certified—one you gain from combining your EMS with your existing ISO management systems. They call these integrated management systems (IMS), and they’re actually encouraged by ISO.

Some other common ISO certifications that can be integrated with ISO 14001 include:

• ISO 27001 and its information security management system (ISMS)
• ISO 9001 and its quality management system (QMS)
• ISO 22301 business continuity management system (BCMS)

Integrating your ISO management systems so that they work together and enhance each other allows you to streamline your overall management processes and reduce duplication of efforts, improving operational efficiency.

And while—yes—integration will take additional planning and coordination aside from the initial implementation of your EMS and other chosen management system(s), in the end, the effort will help your organization demonstrate an even more comprehensive commitment to high standards regarding both environmental management and the focus of your other MSS.

Questions to Ask When Considering ISO 14001 Certification

But even with such possible gains, your organization actually pursuing ISO 14001 certification will still depend on various factors related to your organization's goals, industry, and environmental management practices.

Here are four questions to ask and answer to help you make an informed decision: 

Want to Get Started with ISO 14001 Certification?

Overall, ISO 14001 certification—and its required integration of environmental considerations into business operations and decision-making processes—can lead to an enhanced reputation among current customers and prospective ones, potential cost savings, and better overall risk management while also setting you up nicely to comply with current and upcoming environmental regulations.

Given what you’ve just read, you may already be sold on this initiative—but you also may not be. Either way, our team is ready to help so contact us today to address any lingering questions you may have and to learn if Schellman is the right Certification Body for you.