Why Is Iso 14001 Relevant To A Sustainable Initiative?
No one can be quite certain about the date of the sustainable revolution but it can be argued that the turning point came after Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 for his work on Climate Change. Of course I am referring to the documentary film docufilm: An Inconvenient Truth.
These days it is almost uncharacteristic of any company big or small not to have a program that addresses or claims to the issue of sustainable best practices or environmental friendly processes.
Within the IT community Ive seen my fair share of announcements among IT vendors of their green plans. Ive spoken to a few senior executives who are more than happy to share their view as to what their companies are doing in terms of green. And you know what? I am still a skeptic because Ive seen enough vaporwaretype initiatives that get announced with a lot of publicity but no substance to back it up.
So its refreshing to know that there are a few companies that have embodied a green initiative quietly internally long before the Al Gore docufilm.
The FujitsuWay
Take the case of Fujitsu a Japanese company specializing in semiconductors computers telecommunications and services. Historians claim that the company started its road to green in 1935 at the behest of its founder Manjiro Yoshimura.
Although its green initiative wasnt formalized until 1992 the company started deploying environmental control systems across its factories as early as 1972. click here for a list of environmental activities The companys Green Policy 21 provided the basis for the creation of environmental management system EMS framework which today offers a common management structure to deal with environmental regulations.
However Green Policy 21 is not restricted to Fujitsus internal operations. It has been extended to include business partners and suppliers that form part of the companys supply chain.
Fujitsu joins the ranks of over 130000 companies worldwide that have achieved ISO 14001:2004 certification since the standard was first published in 1996. Fujitsu achieved worldwide ISO 14001 certification in March 2006 with an EMS framework encompassing over 126000 employees.
ISO 14001 the guidepost of all things green
ISO 14001 is concerned with environmental management. This refers to what an organization does to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities and to achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance said Alan Bryden ISO** Secretary General.
Why ISO 14001? Apart from recognition that the company has a green policy what does a company gain from being certified?
Bryden notes that there is mounting pressure worldwide from both private and public sector to show responsibility towards the environment. An environmental system based on ISO 14001 provides a structured systematic approach which is internationally recognized adds Bryden.
ISO 14001 is a processbased not a performancebased standard. The focus is on establishing internal policies procedures objectives and targets. It is not a oneoff project but one that calls for continual improvement.
According to Russell V. Thornton manager of environmental certification for Det Norske Veritas DNV* ISO 14001 does not explain how to achieve goals nor does it quantify a necessary level or type of performance improvement. Compliance with applicable laws is mandatory but the use of the standard is voluntary. Selfdeclaration is an option.
Thornton says certified companies report increased operational efficiency marketing advantages more organized or systematic regulatory compliance greater regulatory flexibility and community recognition. Certified companies have identified financial benefits such as improved stock value and have experienced some reduction of trade barriers
The pressure to pursue a green initiative is not always voluntary. IT vendors are increasingly under pressure by their enterprise customers to be seen as green or faced being left out of the list of accredited suppliers.
Within the next few years it may not be possible to conduct business in most of the world unless you can prove your green credentials says Bob Hayward Director of IT Advisory at KPMG.
Hayward notes that being green is seen as a competitive differentiator. Many organizations are prepared to pay more for green products and services since in the long run this will save them money he adds.
As an industry that has long been accustomed to hyping new capabilities one would wonder if this green initiative among IT vendors is nothing more than a fad.
Hayward believes that vendors like Google HP Dell Microsoft and Fujitsu have embarked on major programs and investment to design build and deliver more environmentallyfriendly products. Pursuing a green initiative is neither trivial nor cheap. Its a commitment with serious investments involved.
For example Fujitsu invested 19.43 billion yen in FY2007 on a range of green initiatives including pollution prevention global environmental conservation RD and environmental remediation.
Can you sell green without being one yourself?
Phillip Sargeant Managing Vice President for Gartner reckons it is possible but IT vendors that have themselves deployed a green initiative have a stronger story to tell to enterprise customers looking to understand how to design build and deploy a sustainable or green initiative.
The right approach to green
You cant be green unless you are willing to spend some green bucks. Like all other certification exercises ISO 14001 doesnt come cheap. If the sole objective is to obtain a certificate to hang on the wall then the cost may indeed be high and the organization may well find that the certificate is not the passport to business which it imagined said Bryden.
Sargeant worries that green equating green solely on energy savings in other words saving money. It is much more than that. Green can be associated with recycling better supply chain management better use of technology to reduce overall operating costs such as using telepresence technology in favor of physically travel to conduct business meetings says Sargeant.
Cost savings should not be the beall and endall of a green initiative. Going forward they need to give thought to sustainability. Organizations need to change their mindset from simply saving dollars to being able to do something for the rest of society social responsibility. A lot of organizations are not yet there adds Sargeant.
Bryden concurs and offers his thoughts.
If implementation with or without certification is seen as an investment on which there should be a return then the cost can be balanced against savings made in the use of materials energy and transport reduced waste. Whether or not an organization implements ISO 14001 it will become more and more difficult for the management of organizations to ignore environmental issues and such ignorance has a high potential cost concludes Bryden.
* DNV is a supplier of accredited management systems certification services worldwide.
** ISO International Organization for Standardization is the world’s largest developer and publisher of International Standards with a network of the national standards institutes of 157 countries one member per country with a Central Secretariat in Geneva Switzerland that coordinates the system.
About the writer: Current I am the content director and web strategist for Questex Asia Ltd. I also have 6 years of Marketing and Communications experience with Hitachi Data Systems in Asia. Other prior stints include senior industry analyst for Dataquest a Gartner Group brand and account director at Euan Barty Associates a PR firm in Hong Kong.
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