ISO 14001
The international standard for establishing environmental care systems
ISO 14001:2004 is an international standard that makes requirements of an organization's environmental care system and the organization's attitude to environmental care.
An environmental care system is the systematic implementation by the business of the whole system of measures (policy related, organizational and administrative) aimed at gaining insight into, controlling and (where possible) reducing environmental impact of its operations.
The elements of an environmental care system are as follows:
- (Environmental) policy declaration - herein the management declares its emphatic support for the (environmental) management system.
- Environmental aspects matrix and environmental year plan - The first of these demonstrates the connection between business operations and environmental impact. The environmental year plan lists activities, priorities and time planning as regards environmental care.
- Integration - Integration into its operations is necessary to anchor environmental care within the organization.
- Internal checking - Internal checking is necessary to verify the correct implementation of the agreements.
- Measurements and recordings - These are necessary to provide insight into environmental impact.
- Internal guidance and training - Important to increase involvement and motivation.
- Internal and external reporting - This happens in order to inform management, governmental bodies and stakeholders about progress in the field of environmental care.
- Audit of the whole environmental care system - This is to safeguard the currency and practicability of the (environmental) management system.
- The organization can obtain a certificate by means of an external audit that confirms that it meets the requirements imposed by the standard. This is a sign for the organization and parties with an interest in it that the organization behaves in an already stated and structured way as regards environmental care.
OVET gained this certificate on 12 September 2005 and is valid till 27 April 2012.
