There’s More to Come for People Who Want an ISO 14001 Certificate (Demo)

According to Envirotech-online.com, the ISO 14001 standard will receive further revisions and updates in the near future, following the creation of a committee draft last April 2013. Among the improvements the ISO standard will include are provisions that businesses and organizations can use for the management of natural resources and the adaptation to climate change. The process is still underway, however, and the new standard is not expected to be published until 2015. For now, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) aims to address environmental issues through the current ISO 14001:2004 standard, part of the 14000 family of standards. 14001 deals with, among other things, creating a reliable system for waste management, pollution prevention, and more efficient energy consumption; those who can present solid policies that tackle these are liable to be ISO 14001-certified. The ISO itself doesn’t offer certification services because it relies on independent entities like an accredited certification body such as International Standards Authority, Inc., instead. Unlike other standards, ISO 14001 isn’t specific to any industry or organization. Indeed, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) even encourages individual communities and neighborhoods to meet the standard’s requirements not only to improve their reputation, but also to do their part in preserving the environment. ISO also has standards for testing the heating and electrical performance of residential and commercial properties, standards that are also currently being reviewed and revised. According to the EPA, ISO 14001 can easily incorporate any and all current environmental management practices that an organization or community employs. This means that people only have to be concerned about going through the ISO certification process itself and not about creating new management strategies. The improvements to 14001 are being made with adopting international standards in mind, especially those that manage finite natural resources. Adopting ISO 14001 standard also has the simple benefit of encouraging others to obey the law. Indeed, the local government of Edmonton, Canada, acknowledges the importance of 14001 in enhancing the city’s image as a home to institutions and organizations that have Mother Nature’s interests in mind. The feeling seems to be mutual: the ISO itself is planning to call for the public’s involvement in 2014 with regards to improving the current provisions of 14001. These plans are still a long way from the present, but those seeking ISO 14001accreditation should expect to have more things to do in the future. Despite the added responsibilities, however, people shouldn’t treat the certification process as a drag. After all, when it comes to protecting and saving the environment, literally everyone needs to do their part.