Sustainable Manufacture: ISO-14001 and its Applicability

This article discusses the ISO-14001 standard and its applicability in sustainable manufacturing. It explores the strengths and weaknesses of ISO-14001, its geographical applicability, and alternative practices. The article also highlights the benefits of applying ISO-14001 standards for organizations.

Sustainable Manufacture

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................1
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO-14001)...............................................1
Geographical Applicability of ISO-14001...................................................................................2
Applicability of ISO-14001 to a range of products or services...................................................2
Assessment of the alternatives of ISO-14001..............................................................................3
Strengths and weaknesses of ISO-14001.....................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................6

INTRODUCTION
With increasing population, consumption of resources is rising at an alarming pace today,
which is certainly not sustainable, because environment cannot regenerate the materials at same
rate. On comparing data of 1950s to 2005, it has evaluated that metals production at worldwide
level, has been grown six fold, consumption of natural gas by 14-fold and oil with eight fold
(Talapatra and et. al., 2019). Considering this fact, if rate of consuming and wastage of resources
will grow continuously in then, accessibility of same for future generations will not meet in
desired way. Therefore, to preserve nature, environment and protect ecosystem from excessive
consumption and harmful production, a number of environmental standards have been
established yet. It includes Green Dot, ISO, Carbon Trust, Green Label and more, which are
applicable for various nations to meet environmental standards (Matuszak-Flejszman, Szyszka
and Jóhannsdóttir, 2019).
A discussion is made on one of the environmental standard, i.e. ISO (International
Organisation for Standardisation) under present report. A critical review is done to evaluate
strengths and major weaknesses of applicability of this standard in developing and developed
countries. Along with this, an identification is also done for assessment of alternatives that
countries or companies apply, to meet their quality standards.
MAIN BODY
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO-14001)
ISO refers to an international standard setting body, which is composed of the
representations from a number of national standards organisations. It brings together experts via
its members to share knowledge and develop relevant market international standards, on the
basis of consensus and voluntary for supporting innovations as well as providing strategies to
overcome from global challenges (Poltronieri, Ganga and Gerolamo, 2019). It is established in
1946, where in London 65 delegates from twenty-five nations, for meeting the future of
International Standardisation. But officially, it came into existence in 1947, with more than 67
technical committees. This quality management standard is mainly formed to set standards for
increasing efficiency of organisations, as well as help them in reducing risk from product
failures. It describes one of the best way for manufacturing a product, by managing process,
delivering supply materials or services, which covers a wide range of activities (Zhang, Zhang
1

and Cao, 2020). In this regard, ISO 14001:2015 mainly specifies requirements regarding with
environmental management system (EMS), which firms can utilize for meeting and enhancing
sustainable performance. This standard is also intended for organizational use, in order to to
manage environmental responsibilities, which contributes to development of sustainability pillar
in a systematic manner. Applying set rules of ISO-14001, aid firms in achieving the intended
outcomes of EMS, that add value for environment and associated people (Liu and et. al., 2020).
In meeting consistently with environmental policy of organizations, some intended outcomes
include: achievement of compliance obligations and objectives; increase environmental
performance; etc.
Geographical Applicability of ISO-14001
ISO 14001 provides solutions with guidance to companies for utilising resources in best
manner, so that risk of product failure and high wastages can be reduced, by relating with
effective environmental systems (Sameer and Bringezu, 2019). A number of standards included
in ISO family that focus on some specific approaches like audits, labelling, life cycle analysis,
communications, as well as the environmental challenges like climate change. Currently, near
about 300k certifications to ISO 14001 like ECOLOGO, are applied in more than 171 countries
of the world such as The United Kingdom and other 28 EU nations. For managing the climatic
changes and set standards of business, various companies of both developing and developed
nations follow the guidelines and rules set by ISO certified programs (Li, Wang and Lee, 2020).
In the race for meeting global climatic goals, each and every organization today, are increasingly
expected for communicating environmental policies of them, including commitments and
implications of their operational and other activities. Such effective actions seem as a powerful
catalyst in terms of sustainable change in organisation.
Applicability of ISO-14001 to a range of products or services
It has evaluated that ISO 14001 is applicable to all firms, regardless of their type, size, type
and nature. This would can apply to different environmental aspects of organisational activities,
products or services, which helps in determining if manufacturing process is in control or it
influences a life cycle perspective (Shuai and Fan, 2020). Today, instead of other standards such
as Carbon Trust, Green Label and more, companies of both developing and developed nations
are seeking to follow ISO 14001 mainly. As it sets out the criteria to meet environmental issues
and it also map out a framework which organizations can follow for setting up an effective EMS
2

i.e. environmental management system. In this regard, designed for companies regardless of their
type of sector, activity or more, ISO provides assurance to company in terms of management to
improve sustainability (Talapatra and et. al., 2019).
ISO 14001 requires from organisations to maintain properly the documents, which provide
evidence about EMS that meets required standard or no. However, the clear requirements are
being made under ISO about type of documentation regarding way of operating business,
production process and management of wastages within minimisation, but way to record such
data is not dictated by this standard (Matuszak-Flejszman, Szyszka and Jóhannsdóttir, 2019).
The main purpose behind such documentation is to ensure about companies that their robust
environmental processes have been kept in place. Such documents also serve as key
demonstration about awareness of environmental objectives by entire organisation. Such
objectives that meet ISO certification includes use of resources such as usage of energy or water;
recycled materials; emissions of toxic gases to air through smoke or fumes; process of disposal
of wastage materials, like wastewater; any kind of pollutants, risks of leaks, spillage and more.
Therefore, relying on these aspects companies that apply ISO standards concerns more, reduce,
reuse and recycle of resources, by developing organisational policies accordingly that help them
in meeting environmental standards, for achievement of long term sustainability in business
(Poltronieri, Ganga and Gerolamo, 2019). Organizations that are using ISO 14001 got success
across the wide range of areas, such as reduced energy and water with less consumption, better
systematic approach for meeting legal compliance, improvement and enhancement of overall
environmental performance.
Assessment of the alternatives of ISO-14001
As today a number of countries or companies operating over there, shows evidence of
sustainability by getting ISO certification in business. But other nations or companies that do not
follow rules set by this standard, seems not to be unstainable if they follow other alternatives
(Zhang, Zhang and Cao, 2020). Various smaller organisations considering the formality,
complexity as well as costs of upgrading business under ISO Certification as off-putting,
therefore, they consider alternative practices which are under their budget. It includes
Earthcheck, EKOnergy, DIN-Gepruft, CSSR quality standard and more. EarthCheck is one of
the benchmarking certifications and refers to be as advisory group regarding for travel and
tourism (Liu and et. al., 2020). It has come into existence in 1987 by UK, that helps
3

organisations, communities and governments for delivering clean, safe, healthy and prosperous
destinations to visit for travellers. This approach has also been established to help tour operators
in breaking the resource challenges into some manageable actions, which could be taken forward
through eco-friendly management system (Sameer and Bringezu, 2019). Similarly, CSSR
Quality Standard i.e. The Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility Research certifies mainly
research corporations who undertake CSR based Research, to identify deliver profiles of
companies and provide ratings to the Social Responsible Investment sector. One of the
requirements for passing the standard is covering system or group factors such as quality
management systems, HR and complaint management.
Strengths and weaknesses of ISO-14001
ISO-14001 Certification recognises at worldwide as best practice for management of
disciplines in companies (Li, Wang and Lee, 2020). This internationally agreed standard sets out
various requirements for an EMS to help organizations for improving their environmental
performance via usages of entire resources in more efficient manner, with reduction of waste,
achievement of competitive advantages and stakeholders’ trust. It is suitable for every type
organization whether small or big, private, public, not-for-profit or any governmental. As per the
instruction sets out in this certificate, to meet environmental standards, firms are required to
consider all issues which are relevant to their operations and possess potential to affect
ecosystem (Sameer and Bringezu, 2019). It includes air pollution, discompose of wastages and
pollutants, water and sewage based issues, soil contamination, mitigation of climate change and
its adaptation, in-efficiency in usage of resources etc. Along with this, ISO-14001 not only helps
companies in evaluating the identified issues, but also ways to overcome from such challenges in
a sustainable manner. Furthermore, like other ISO certification based management system
standards, it has evaluated that ISO 14001 includes requirement for continual improvement of
organisational systems as well as approach, based on environmental concerns (Liu and et. al.,
2020). In this regard, revising aspects of ISO-14001 standards, some benefits with key
improvements like increased environmental management prominence within strategic planning
processes of organisation, greater input need to be taken from leadership as well as stronger
commitment for proactive initiatives which boost environmental performance etc. in following
way –
4

Benefits of applying ISO-14001 standards –
There are a number of reasons present which shows importance of getting ISO certification
for organization, that assists them to take the strategic approach for improving their
environmental performance (Zhang, Zhang and Cao, 2020). It includes demonstration of
compliance of business with current as well as future statutory within regulatory requirements;
Enhancement of leadership involvement with engagement of employees; Improvement in
company reputation with stakeholders’ confidence via strategic communication; Achievement of
strategic goals and business aims through incorporating the environmental issues that might arise
into business management and more (Poltronieri, Ganga and Gerolamo, 2019). Along with this,
by following rules and regulations, set within ISO-certification, companies get benefits in terms
of achieving competitive or financial advantage with improvement in efficiencies and
minimisation of operational costs. This standard also boosts environmental performance even
more better, of suppliers through integrating them into business systems of organisations.
Weaknesses of ISO-14001 standards –
ISO-14001 aims mainly for providing specific guidance and solutions on audit EMS system
(an environmental management system). The intention of this standard is to provide
organisations a framework structure for prevention and minimising the environmental impacts
which could arise due to manufacturing processes, or operational procedures (Matuszak-
Flejszman, Szyszka and Jóhannsdóttir, 2019). But apart from various benefits and good
intentions, this standard has several flaws, which reduce its positive impact on environment. This
would also result in creating the variation as well as inconsistency within success rate of
organisations. Such weaknesses could minimise sustainability of business for longer period of
time (Talapatra and et. al., 2019). There is a lack of awareness of ISO 14001 within two key
areas mainly, that are small organisations; and general public. Because awareness of this
standard is widespread more within larger organisations despite of smaller businesses. In other
words, ISO-14001 is a process designed usually for larger companies instead of general public,
where lack of engagement considers as major omission. The integration of this standard with
local communities however, seems as a missed opportunity for achievement of support behind its
programme. So, this would also emphasis more pressure on companies to embrace ISO-14001 to
meet standardisation.
5

REFERENCES
Books and Journals
Li, D., Wang, M. Q. and Lee, C., 2020. The waste treatment and recycling efficiency of
industrial waste processing based on two-stage data envelopment analysis with
undesirable inputs. Journal of Cleaner Production. 242. p.118279.
Liu, C. and et. al., 2020. Large creep formability and strength–ductility synergy enabled by
engineering dislocations in aluminum alloys. International Journal of Plasticity,
p.102774.
Matuszak-Flejszman, A., Szyszka, B. and Jóhannsdóttir, L., 2019. Effectiveness of EMAS: A
case study of Polish organisations registered under EMAS. Environmental Impact
Assessment Review. 74,.pp.86-94.
Poltronieri, C. F., Ganga, G. M. D. and Gerolamo, M. C., 2019. Maturity in management system
integration and its relationship with sustainable performance. Journal of Cleaner
Production. 207. pp.236-247.
Sameer, H. and Bringezu, S., 2019. Life cycle input indicators of material resource use for
enhancing sustainability assessment schemes of buildings. Journal of Building
Engineering, 21, pp.230-242.
Shuai, S. and Fan, Z., 2020. Modeling the role of environmental regulations in regional green
economy efficiency of China: Empirical evidence from super efficiency DEA-Tobit
model. Journal of Environmental Management. 261. p.110227.
Talapatra, S. and et. al., 2019. MAIN BENEFITS OF INTEGRATED MANAGEMENT
SYSTEMS THROUGH LITERATURE REVIEW. International Journal for Quality
Research. 13(4).
Zhang, Z., Zhang, C. and Cao, D., 2020. Is ISO14001 certification of the corporate
effective?. Nankai Business Review International.
6