The environment is considered vital to meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability to meet the needs of future generations, ensuring a balance between society and the economy. Achieving the sustainable development goal is achieved by balancing these three elements of sustainability.
Social expectations for sustainable development, transparency and accountability have gradually increased with increasingly stringent legislation, increasing pressure on the environment caused by pollution, inefficient use of resources, inappropriate waste management, climate change, devaluation of the ecosystem and loss of biodiversity. This has pushed organizations to adopt a systematic approach to environmental management by implementing ISO 14001:2015 environmental management systems in order to contribute to the environmental dimension of sustainability.
Purpose of the environmental management system The purpose of the ISO 14001:2015 standard is to provide organizations with a framework to protect the environment and respond to changing environmental conditions in balance with socioeconomic needs. ISO 14001:2015 sets requirements for organizations to achieve the intended outcomes that the organization sets for its management system. A systematic approach to environmental management provides top management with information and options to create long-term success and contribute to sustainable development by:
- Protecting the environment by preventing or mitigating negative environmental impacts,
- Mitigating the potential negative effects of environmental conditions on the organization,
- Assisting the organization in meeting its compliance obligations,
- Increasing environmental performance,
- By using a life cycle approach that can prevent environmental impacts from increasing unintentionally throughout the life cycle, the organization's products and services; Controlling or influencing the design, manufacture, distribution, consumption and disposal of
- Providing financial and operational benefits that may result from environmentally sound alternatives that strengthen the organization's position in the market,
- Sharing environmental information with relevant parties.
Success factors
The success of an environmental management system depends on commitment at all levels and functions of the organization, under the leadership of its top management. In order to prevent or reduce negative environmental impacts, organizations can increase opportunities to increase beneficial environmental impacts, especially those with strategic and competitive dimensions. Top management manages the environment; can effectively identify risks and opportunities by integrating environmental management into the organization's business processes, strategic direction and decision-making, and other business priorities, and by integrating environmental management into all of the organization's management systems. Demonstration of successful implementation of the ISO 14001:2015 standard can be used to assure interested parties that an effective environmental management system exists.
Adopting ISO 14001:2015 does not in itself guarantee optimal environmental outcomes. Application of the ISO 14001:2015 standard may vary from organization to organization (in the context of each organization). Two organizations may carry out similar activities but comply with the requirements of this standard even when they have different compliance obligations, different commitments in environmental policies, different environmental technologies and different environmental performance objectives. The level of detail and complexity of the environmental management system will vary depending on the context of the organisation, the scope of the environmental management system, the compliance obligations of the management system and the nature of its activities, products and services (including the environmental aspects of the management system and associated environmental impacts).
Plan – Do – Check – Take Action model
The essence of the approach that forms the basis of the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system is based on the concept known as Plan–Do–Check–Act (PDCA). The PDCA model provides an iterative process used by the organization to achieve continuous improvement. ISO 14001:2015 can be applied to the environmental management system and each element of this system. PDCA can be briefly expressed as follows:
- Plan: Establishing the objectives and processes necessary to achieve results, in accordance with the organization's environmental policy.
- Implement: Implementation of processes as planned.
- Check: Monitoring and measuring processes against environmental policies, including commitments, environmental objectives and operating criteria, and reporting results.
- Take action: Taking measures for continuous improvement.
ISO 14001:2015 covers the requirements for an environmental management system that an organization can use to improve its environmental performance. The ISO 14001:2015 standard is intended for use by organizations that contribute to the environmental dimension of sustainability and aim to manage their environmental responsibilities with a systematic approach. ISO 14001:2015 standard, the organization; It helps achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management system that add value to the environment, the organization itself and the parties involved. Consistent with the organization's environmental policies, the outputs of an environmental management system include:
- Increasing environmental performance,
- Fulfilling compliance obligations,
- Achieving environmental goals.
ISO 14001:2015 determines that all organizations, regardless of their size, type and structure, can control or influence the organization with a life cycle approach; can be applied to the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services. This standard does not specify specific environmental performance criteria. All or part of the ISO 14001:2015 standard can be used to systematically improve environmental management. The statement of compliance with the ISO 14001:2015 standard can only be achieved if an organization's environmental management system covers all the conditions of the ISO 14001:2015 standard and all of the conditions are met without exception.
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