Environmental Management Systems - General Guidelines

ISO 14004 provides general guidelines on environmental management systems – detailing how to establish, implement and maintain an environmental management system, and how to coordinate it with other management systems.  According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), an effective environmental management system (EMS) is a tool that enables an organization to:

•     identify and control the environmental impact of its activities, products or services;
•     improve its environmental performance; and
•     implement a systematic way to set and achieve environmental objectives.

Impact

ISO 14004 provides guidance and a framework for environmental management and does not serve as a regulatory standard.  Consumers have become very eco-conscious and are forcing every company to revisit their impact on the environment.   Organizations that have any products or processes that may affect the environment can benefit from the development and implementation of an EMS in order to mitigate any potential risk or impact, and satisfy concerned consumers. Whether an organization’s goal is to “green” the supply chain, use sustainable materials, or reduce their overall carbon footprint, ISO 14004 will provide general guidance on environmental management systems, while the related standard, ISO 14001 establishes specific requirements of an EMS.

Challenge

Implementing an environmental management system can be challenging, much like developing any sort of risk management program. Risk management often occurs in silos, particularly in complex, international  organizations with many facilities. When you are dealing with sensitive environmental factors that may be different from site to site, it can be difficult to create a system that is consistent and adheres to corporate mandates. Understanding the impact of your operations on the environment can be difficult to quantify, making it challenging to understand how to best mitigate those potential risks. Because each industry and type of organization will have different challenges and business objectives, the ISO 14004 guideline does not provide specifics, but rather provides an overall framework of how to approach an environmentally sustainable action plan.  Determining what type of approach an organization wishes to take, and dealing with a myriad of different compliance regulations can be time-consuming and complicated.

The Dyadem Solution

Dyadem can help organizations establish an environmental management system strategy.  Its Stature enterprise software covers all aspects of the ISO 14004 guidelines, enabling companies to identify, analyze, mitigate and monitor environmental risks across the organization. Stature offers an integrated lifecycle model that can help organizations ensure that all parts of the process and product are safe and secure, and minimize impact to the environment and surrounding community.

With the use of both Dyadem and ISO 14004, organizations can create a common platform for risk management, and provide accurate risk profiles to help businesses quantify environmental risk mitigation.  With a standardized, comprehensive approach to environmental management, Dyadem can ensure any organization is better able to predict and control potential risks to the environment, and help organizations remain environmentally sustainable.