Do You Need ISO 14001 Certification?

It’s always a good time to line up for a session with an ISO 14001 consultant. For most companies, this is really a good way of looking better. In reality though, certification can do so much more than polish company image. It is also the best way to make sure that a company has such strong values that its systems are structured in such a way as to limit negative environmental impact.

For a lot of businesses, general objectives revolve mainly around making more profits. These days though, it is hardly feasible or wise to maintain only this single-minded drive. Nearly every business, regardless of type or size can have an impact on the environment. Whatever you do can either worsen environmental degradation or help in preservation. It is now therefore, every business owner’s responsibility to strike a balance between making profits and promoting environmental responsibility. This is where becoming ISO 14001 certified becomes important.

To be exact, certification is a form of acknowledgement. Certified companies are recognized as holders and users of comprehensive environment management systems. What the 14001 standards really seek to provide are generic standards. This can’t be helped. Specific points are difficult to come up with since businesses aren’t all the same. This isn’t exactly a negative aspect though. After all, there are many general terms and standards that are applicable and even necessary to companies that belong to different sectors.

Certification is beneficial in a number of ways. First of all, a company that passes ISO 14001 certification comes out as automatically compliant with legal requirements. What partly keeps you in business other than customer satisfaction is compliance with government standards.

Legal compliance or going beyond this is advantageous in other ways. It is for example a good business image boost. With certification under your belt, you are able to build a great reputation for yourself, your company and your brand. This can then lead to attracting more customers and getting more sales conversions.

Naturally though, the top benefit of all is achieving control over how your processes affect the environment. By helping preserve the environment, you get the extra perks of power and cost conservation, thereby reducing your operational expenses.

An ISO 14001 certified system is important because it is what gives structure to your processes. With a solid structure on your side, you can be certain that your bid to make more profits and your commitment to preserving the environment are both on the same playing field.

Companies can perform self audits to prepare for the process of certification. Some business owners however immediately hire consultants to help with the preparations. Consultants do charge high fees but great service providers can actually help you save more in the long run. Specialists typically assess the system already in place, recommend changes for improvement and provide suggestions for staff training and documentation. It’s generally a good idea to tap expert help if you are a bit lost on where to begin. If you aren’t even yet compliant with mandatory requirements, getting help is a must.

Read more on ISO 9001 Standards at http://www.iso9001store.com