The term “global” is ubiquitous in our daily lives. Like the economy, human rights, and peace, the environment is often discussed in global terms because that’s the only way to bring about profound change. Now, global warming--even though its full extent is unknown--has brought a sense of urgency to improving the environment.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) brings together stakeholders from around the globe to develop international standards that provide structured means to systematically manage improvement. ISO 14001--”Environmental Management Systems--Requirements,” along with a separate guidance document for its use, is the basic environmental management system ( EMS) standard being implemented globally to help manage environmental aspects of an organization. An EMS can be an effective tool in maintaining compliance with regulatory and other requirements, preventing pollution, and driving continuous improvement.
Third-party certification provides credibility to an organization’s EMS. This is important on a global scale because environmental regulations and management practices differ widely. Some global organizations use an EMS to ensure that their policies and commitments to the environment are adhered to at all facilities. Likewise, organizations located in certain regions of the world can provide evidence of environmental stewardship in the absence of effective governmental regulations and support. Accredited EMS certification can help environmental management by providing a higher level of consistency in implementing the system.
Global environmental initiatives can be more effectively managed through an EMS. Many organizations are implementing their own environmental policies and programs, including water- and energy-use reductions, waste and emission reductions, and other beneficial aspects such as community support and improvement programs. For example, greenhouse gas emissions are being reduced by some organizations through communication of a corporate objective. These concepts are inherent in ISO 14001, which provides a systematic approach to implementing and verifying such initiatives.
According to the recently released “ISO Survey of Certifications 2007,” the total number of ISO 14001 certifications globally increased from at least 128,211 in 140 countries and economies in 2006 to at least 154,572 in 148 countries and economies in 2007, representing a 20.6-percent increase. In Africa and West Asia, certification growth was reported in India (+624), the United Arab Emirates (+63), and Israel (+53). In Central and South America, growth was reported in Argentina (+149), Chile (+117), and Costa Rica (+46). Europe realized many more certifications, with significant increases in Spain (+2,727), Italy (+2,232), and the United Kingdom (+1,253). Far East countries experienced the largest increases of all, led by China (+11,647), Japan (+5,002), and the Republic of Korea (+499). In North America, both the United States and Canada reported decreases due to a survey methodology change from previous years.
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