There are numerous benefits to be gained by striving to reduce your carbon footprint and in the current climate, both economic and environmental, it really makes sense for a business to focus on their waste management. Not only will the introduction of an Environmental Management system (EMS) help to reduce a business’s negative impacts on the environment, but it could save considerable amounts time and money. An affective EMS should introduce and develop more efficient ways of working and can help to bring a multitude of other great benefits for any company.
There is a great deal of branding, image and publicity elements wrapped up in how “green” a business is. Many consumers make buying decisions based upon factors that ‘set’ aside a company from its competition. This may well mean that a company that is working diligently to reduce their carbon footprint may well make more sales. A firm can also set their own targets, mark themselves out as being an environmentally friendly company and perhaps even be in line for recognition or rebates from local authorities.
When it comes to reducing a Companies carbon footprint and working towards having a more effective Environmental Management System in place, it can be helpful to utilise the criteria provide by ISO14001:2015. This provides a framework for a business to set up or improve their very own EMS, offering confidence to all employees and management level staff that the impact on the environment is being properly measured, managed and improved. This information can also be relayed to customers or stakeholders outside of the firm, boosting the company’s image or identity.
Some of the most obvious benefits of implementing ISO14001:2015 include:
- Reducing the cost of waste management
- Implementing more effective distribution routes and plans
- Lowering the use of energy and materials, saving money in the process
- Improving the image and identity of the business
- And obviously, reducing the negative impact that your company has on the environment.
When a firm has a continuous improvement plan in place, it is easy to ensure that everyone in the company is working towards the same goals and the business can achieve success more readily. Improving a business’s carbon footprint is one way to achieve increased profitability and therefore using the ISO14001:2015 to achieve this is a sensible idea.
Companies need to be increasingly reactive and comply with the ever-growing stringent requirements of ever-changing environmental legislation. Effective environmental management is paramount for any business, from the largest corporation to the smallest of businesses. The ISO14001:2015 can provide a framework to run an EMS, helping you to keep up to date and inline with current environmental legislation, thus removing the risk of legal prosecution.
Businesses need to be able to calculate their carbon footprint
The first step in improving your businesses carbon footprint is being able to calculate it and this is one of the major benefits of the ISO14001:2015. Businesses implementing this system will be able to report on their carbon footprint AND be able to verify it. A Company that can disseminate environmental information and raise awareness around their business, will ensure a confidence amongst their customers and employees alike. When implemented properly the range of ISO systems will ensure that a business can work towards an environmental goal in the right manner. Regardless of how much traveling or distribution a firm undertakes, knowing the current carbon footprint and understanding how it is developed creates a strategic starting point for improvement.
As a business you may not have the biggest level of environmental focus that you could have or wish you had. Perhaps time is a limiting factor? This is why ISO14001:2015 can really help as it will give your company the knowledge, understanding and opportunity to meet all of their aims in one move. Ultimately, the goal of an EMSis to reduce your organisations environmental impact, whilst simultaneously improving efficiency, saving money and boosting your Corporate Social Responsibility commitment.
Here at Mark1 we are committed to supporting you in maintaining and upholding exacting standards in environmental management. We work with you to plan, implement, monitor, evaluate and continually review the way you operate. Furthermore, we can offer you our bespoke paperless ISO management system Titan™. The Titan System provides a structured framework which significantly simplifies the ISO process aiding you on the path to accreditation.
For more information on how we can support you to achieve ISO 14001, or to request a free trial of our products and services, contact 0161 359 4329 / info@mark1systems.com
