Why is ISO 14001 certification important?

We live in a globalized world in which the most competitive companies value environmental conservation because it is part of the moral conduct of organizations and also of society as a whole.
At IES we obtained the ISO 14001:2015 certification for the first time in 2018, and it is since then, given that we work with leading companies from the environmental point of view, and also because of the firm commitment towards sustainability and the environment, we continue to be audited annually to ensure compliance with the standard. This certification together with the IS0 9001 is approved and renewed since 1999 complements in the continuous improvement from a more integral point of view. That is why today we want to talk about the ISO 14001 standard and its main benefits for companies.

This regulation is an international standard that defines how to implement an effective environmental management system (EMS). It is designed to help companies incorporate their environmental responsibilities into internal processes and contributes to business growth for a variety of reasons. This implementation not only benefits companies but also their suppliers, customers, environmental and international organizations or individuals who wish to work in companies that are moving towards sustainability.

What are these advantages?

Improve the Environmental Management System. The standard improves the existing elements of environmental management in the company by providing a better internal policy and the necessary adjustments in environmental matters to make the company more competitive in the market. “Under this regulation, we keep control over everything that is generated as a by-product/waste during the production process, over the emissions and discharges into the environment, which are periodically reviewed and optimized (if not eliminated, if possible), as well as the impact on the environment of the packaging/packaging that is put on the market. Keeping control over everything that IES involves for society has led us to control and permanently optimize management”, says the quality department manager at IES Soler.

Increased profitability. By reducing energy and waste costs, the company works more efficiently and improves overall profitability. Reducing costs by preventing pollution is another major benefit of ISO 14001.

Improvement of the company’s image. Adhering to the use of a sustainable seal, such as the ISO 14001 seal, together with the company’s brand is a good way of informing the market that we are acting in a correct way with the environment, something very important since it makes it attractive to other companies and suppliers, as well as to people who want to work in it.
The brand image increases and a series of positive concepts are linked to the company, such as: transparency, environmental responsibility and the idea of a “clean” organization that does not harm the environment.

New business opportunities. Having this certification makes it easier for new business opportunities to arise as entrepreneurs want to do business with companies that are more sustainable and respect environmental standards. Having ISO 14001 makes it more difficult for future environmental scandals such as air pollution, leaks, spills or toxic waste to occur.

Compliance of environmental legislation. In situations where there are environmental catastrophes derived from the errors of industries or production companies, the fines can reach really important amounts, rising to billions of euros. In addition to the fact that this is a major crisis for the company (first in terms of communication and then with a damaged image that is difficult to change), there have also been cases of companies that have even had to close down due to the enormous expenses they had to face and could not.

Therefore, ISO 14001 certification provides both large corporations and small companies with the necessary knowledge of the current legislation regarding the area of activity and also the main guidelines to be adopted by companies to avoid problems at this level. Having the environmental seal of this regulation will avoid sanctions and fines for damaging the environment.

Increased international competitiveness. Many international companies require certification to certain standards, including ISO 14001, when signing a contract. This standard opens up a wide range of business opportunities abroad. It is common for companies that focus on environmental values to prefer to maintain relationships with other corporations that have the same company policy. This favors the brand and brings sustainable values to the company.

Customer experience and talent attraction. Receiving a quality product or service that complies with environmental legislation promotes customer satisfaction. It is in people’s interest that the product or service they enjoy is produced correctly and complies with environmental standards. This is especially true for the new generations. According to different studies, the millennial generation prefers to work in companies that have a transcendent purpose and do not simply focus on obtaining economic benefits.

Positive social impact. Michael Porter’s “Shared Value” theory states that the most successful companies in the future will be those that are able to create shared value, in other words, social, environmental and economic value. In this sense, the same manager concludes that “this regulation helps us and serves us to become aware (and to check that we are really aware) of the environmental tasks we carry out, to give society what it needs, with the minimum possible negative impact”.