ISO 14001:2015 – Environmental Management Systems

19 Sep 2018

The local and global community, including consumers and organisations, are recognising the need to explore and implement operational behaviour that is aimed at reducing the impact of their activities on the environment.

The increasing global awareness of the impact of human activities on the environment has amplified the need for companies to demonstrate compliance with independently audited and accredited environmental management systems.

Locally, this is illustrated by the Johannesburg Stock Exchange’s mandatory requirement for listed companies to disclose their financial statements, social and ethics committee reports and their environmental and sustainability report in terms of the renowned King IV Report on Corporate Governance for South Africa, 2016.

Whether implemented to ensure compliance with the principles of the King IV Report or to illustrate good corporate governance, environmental management systems effectively improve an organisation’s operational structure, economic performance and environmental sustainability.

The globally recognised ISO 14001:2015 International Standard for environmental management systems, developed by the International Organisation for Standardisation, provides organisations with a uniform, comparable and industry recognised framework for the implementation of an environmental management system.

An environmental management system is a set of policies, processes and procedures developed and implemented to control the way in which an organisation interacts with the natural environment.

The ISO International Standards and related documents provide consumers, regulators and organisations in both public and private sectors with documented tools that are technically sound, credible, promote effective operational behaviour, fulfil stakeholder needs, support regulatory compliance and enhance investor confidence.

The environmental team at Eversheds Sutherland can provide comprehensive advice on the implementation of the ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management System and are certified to independently audit the environmental management system from a legal perspective.

Click here to find out more about the Plan-Do-Check-Act (“PDCA”) model that underlies all ISO management system standards, and the key benefits of implementing an environmental management system.

See also:

• Opening the lock gates to the potential of the waste economy
• Environmental law: Sustainable development and planning

(This article is provided for informational purposes only and not for the purpose of providing legal advice. For more information on the topic, please contact the author/s or the relevant provider.)