FAQs: Environmental Management System

This list of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provides a resource of answers to commonly (and some uncommonly) asked questions regarding sustainable development, environmental management systems, and related categories.

• Sustainable Development
• Environmental Management Systems
• International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ISO 14000 Series

Sustainable Development

What is sustainable development?
The most widely accepted definition of sustainable development is from the World Commission on Environment and Development, or the "Brundtland" Commission, in 1987: "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." This definition has been expanded and debated, but its essential declaration of ethical responsibility to future generations remains the same. Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of action to be taken globally, nationally and locally by organizations of the United Nations System, Governments, and Major Groups in every area in which human impacts on the environment. Agenda 21, the Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, and the Statement of principles for the Sustainable Management of Forests were adopted by more than 178 Governments at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 3 to 14 June 1992.

What is an ecological footprint?
The Ecological Footprint measures the human impact on nature. It shows how much productive land and water we occupy to produce all the resources we consume and to take in all the waste we make.

According to the nonprofit organization Redefining Progress, the average American uses 30 acres to support his or her current lifestyle. This corresponds to the size of 30 football fields put together. In comparison, the average Canadian lives on a footprint one third less, and the average Italian on 55 percent less. Nature provides an average of 5 acres of bioproductive space for every person in the world. If everyone lived the way we do, it would take 6 planet earth's to support us. With an expected global population of 10 billion for the year 2050, the available space will be reduced to 3 acres. This should also give room for the 25 million other species. Already, humanity's footprint may be over 30 percent larger than what the world has to offer as it consumes more than what nature can provide.

Calculate your personal ecological footprint.

How does sustainable development relate to ISO 14000 and Environmental Management Systems?
In order to support the June 1992 U.N. Conference on Environmental Development held in Brazil, ISO made a commitment to determine ways in which it might support the concept of "sustainable business development". Discussions were initiated by ISO with its members on appropriate roles for ISO toward this end through the formation of the Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE). Aware of the strong international desire to improve environmental performance in the business community, SAGE also saw the real potential that diverse national and regional environmental standards may result in unintended technical barriers to international trade and commerce. A critical need was recognized for voluntary international standards for environmental management systems and tools. Therefore, SAGE recommended the formation of ISO Technical Committee 207 in 1993 to develop such standards, the ISO 14000 series, in the areas of environmental management systems, environmental auditing, eco-labeling, environmental performance evaluation, life cycle assessment, and environmental management terms and definitions.

In 1992, based on the SAGE findings, ISO formed Technical Committee #207 (TC-207) for Environmental Management Standards. Currently, 47 countries have signed on to TC-207 as full voting members, with an additional 13 countries as observers. The U.S., which is a voting member, participates in the process through a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Under delegated authority from ANSI, the TAG is administered by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

TC-207 has six subcommittees. Each contains several working groups, plus one working group on Environmental Aspects in Product Standards that reports directly to the full TC-207.

Environmental Management Systems

What is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?
An environmental management system is a management process designed to help an organization achieve and demonstrate improved environmental performance. It is a process by which an organization’s management identifies the regulated and unregulated environmental interactions of its operations, assesses current performance, including compliance, and develops targets and plans to achieve both significant and incremental environmental improvements. Environmental aspects arise from human or industrial activities, products, or services that can interact with the environment. Environmental aspects are evaluated as to whether they can cause significant environmental impacts or changes.

An EMS integrates environmental management into the organization’s overall management system by identifying the policies, environmental targets, measurements, authority structures and resources necessary to produce both regulatory compliance as well as environmental performance "beyond compliance." A continual improvement cycle is established through this process, as shown in the figure.

There are several models for EMSs. The most widely adopted model, ISO 14001, is a voluntary, global standard for environmental management systems governed by the International Organization for Standardization, a non-governmental international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. In the United States, organizations can elect to be certified (registered) to the ISO 14001 Standard by an independent auditor registered by the American National Standards Institute Registration Accreditation Board (ANSI RAB).

What benefits can be gained from implementing an environmental management system?
The potential benefits associated with an effective EMS will depend on the type of organization. For Cal/EPA Boards, Departments, and Office, the expected benefits include:

• integrating pollution prevention and waste reduction into our daily work and strategic operations planning,
• conserving resources,
• assuring interested parties and stakeholders of commitment to demonstrate environmental management,
• increasing consistency and continuity of environmental performance,
• communicating achievements in reducing our ecological footprint.

Business and industry can benefit from

• maintaining good community and public relationships,
• satisfying investor criteria and improving access to capital,
• obtaining insurance at reasonable cost,
• enhancing image and market share,
• meeting vendor criteria,
• improving cost control,
• reducing incidents that result in liability,
• demonstrating reasonable care,
• improving industry-government relationships.

International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and ISO 14000 Series

What is ISO?
ISO is the International Organization for Standardization, a non-governmental international organization based in Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1947, ISO promotes the international harmonization and development of manufacturing, product and communications standards. ISO has promulgated more than 8000 internationally accepted standards for everything from paper sizes to film speeds. More than 120 countries belong to ISO as full voting members, while several other countries serve as observer members. The United States is a full voting member and is officially represented by the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). ISO produces internationally harmonized standards through a structure of Technical Committees (TCs). The TCs usually divide into Subcommittees which are further subdivided in Working Groups where the actual standards writing occurs.

What are ISO’s Environmental Management Standards (14000 Series)?
ISO's Environmental Management Standards (EMS) are a series of voluntary standards and guideline reference documents which include environmental management systems, eco-labeling, environmental auditing, life cycle assessment, environmental performance evaluation, and environmental aspects in product standards. The focus on “management” distinguishes these standards from “performance" standards. EMSs help an organization to establish and meet its own policy goals through objectives and targets, organizational structures and accountability, management controls and review functions, all with top management oversight. EMSs do not set requirements for environmental compliance nor do these standards establish requirements for specific levels of pollution prevention or performance. The Environmental Management Systems specification document calls for environmental policies, which include a commitment to both compliance with environmental laws and prevention of pollution.

How did the effort to develop ISO 14000 come into being, and who is responsible for the development of ISO 14000?
In order to support the June 1992 U.N. Conference on Environmental Development held in Brazil, ISO made a commitment to determine ways in which it might support the concept of "sustainable business development". Discussions were initiated by ISO with its members on appropriate roles for ISO toward this end through the formation of the Strategic Advisory Group on the Environment (SAGE). Aware of the strong international desire to improve environmental performance in the business community, SAGE also saw the real potential that diverse national and regional environmental standards may result in unintended technical barriers to international trade and commerce. A critical need was recognized for voluntary international standards for environmental management systems and tools. Therefore, SAGE recommended the formation of ISO Technical Committee 207 in 1993 to develop such standards, the ISO 14000 series, in the areas of environmental management systems, environmental auditing, eco-labelling, environmental performance evaluation, life cycle assessment, and environmental management terms and definitions.

In 1992, based on the SAGE findings, ISO formed Technical Committee #207 (TC-207) for Environmental Management Standards. Currently, 47 countries have signed on to TC-207 as full voting members, with an additional 13 countries as observers. The U.S., which is a voting member, participates in the process through a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). Under delegated authority from ANSI, the TAG is administered by the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM).

TC-207 has six subcommittees. Each contains several working groups, plus one working group on Environmental Aspects in Product Standards that reports directly to the full TC-207.

Are there U.S. national standards at this time in the subject areas covered by ISO 14000?
At this time there are six American National Standards in the subject areas related to ISO 14000. The organizations ASTM, ASQC and NSF International are jointly sponsoring the U.S. national adoption of the ISO 14001 and ISO 14004 EMS standards and the ISO 14010, ISO 14011 and ISO 14012 Environmental Auditing standards as American National Standards. In addition, ISO 14040, in the field of Life Cycle Assessment, has recently been adopted as an American National Standard. The U.S. has not yet taken any decisions on the national adoption of other documents under development in the ISO 14000 series as American National Standards. It should also be noted that ASTM has additional standardization efforts related to Environmental Auditing, Environmental Site Assessments, and Life Cycle Assessment.

What might ISO 14001 related registration/certification require?
It is expected that registration will require evidence of implementation of ISO 14001, which also includes: procedures to maintain compliance to applicable laws, commitment to continual improvement (in a broad sense), and commitment to prevention of pollution.

Why do organizations pursue ISO 14001 certification?

Whether an organization decides to seek third-party registration or certification to ISO 14001 will be dependent on the objectives it has in conforming to ISO 14001, as well as the market and public context in which the organization operates. For some companies, third-party certification may be the most reasonable option. For example, companies selling products to markets in Europe might face considerable pressure to obtain third-party certification. However, even in Europe, companies should not presume certification will be necessary. It is very important to understand that the ISO 14001 standard is quite clear that either third-party certification or self-declaration are available options. Third-party certification is not mandated by ISO 14001. Non-profit or governmental organizations may decide to pursue registration as a means to communicate commitment and independent verification of system effectiveness.

If at any time you have questions or suggestions, please contact us at ems@calepa.ca.gov.