ISO 14001 as a decision making tool

Hi people,

I am trying to use ISO 14001 to develop procedure for making decision on a state level on a specific topic. Intention is to use basic principles which are behind ISO 14001 standard - continuous improvement, different levels of outline of documentation, building of capacities, and goals, plans and programs.

Is there any experience, or someone else doing simillar thing?



Homer 73

I think typically the aspects you cited:

continuous improvement, different levels of outline of documentation, building of capacities, and goals, plans and programs

Click to expand...

are basically ISO 9001 based. I'm not sure why you would use ISO 14001 as the base when it is based, with respect to the aspects you cite, on ISO 9001.

>
> Thank You for reply. I use ISO 14001 instead of ISO 9001 because of
several
> reasons:
>
> 1. I deal with environmental aspects, to be specific with air
emission.
>
> 2. There is a plenty of stakeholders (citizens, non-governmental
> organizations, industry, banks, universities etc.)
>
>
> I am trying to develop regular algorithm for making decision about
emission
> ceilings (maximum quantity of pollutant on the state level which is
allowed to
> be emitted into air according to international agreements).
Stakeholders
> should be visible on that algorithm.
>
> Standards ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are based on the same philosophy
expressed in
> Deming PDCA cycles. But, the big difference between ISO 14001 and ISO
9001 is
> that ISO 9001 is only directed towards pleasure of customer.
>
> As I see this forum is mainly visited by professionals specialized in
ISO 9000
> series. Also, I suppose that you are specialist for ISO 9000. I deal
with
> standard ISO 14001 within the whole family ISO 14000.
>
> Anyway, thank you very much for your reply.

ISO 14001 as decision-making tool

Hello everybody,

I am new here on this forum.

I am trying to develop algorithm for making decision about national emission ceiling using basic principles of ISO 14001 (continuous improvement, different levels of making decision and outline of documentation, making of environmental objectives and targets, and concrete operating goals)

If there is anyone who can recommend me a simillar example of using ISO 14001 as a tool for making decision on a state level

You're looking at ISO 14001 in the wrong way. It is not intended, nor can you use it as a tool to develop an alogorithm. ISO 14001 is specifically a mechanism you can employee to address environmental performance improvement...It is to be used as a management process and not as a scientific development tool.

14001 isn't going to give you the answer you seek.

Hello homer73,

We have set a very simple algorithm to take decisions about identified environmental issues. The company is ISO 14001 certified and some of the identified issues are,
Water consumption
Electricity consumption,
Recycling of materials,
Use of paper

We set a benchmark according to our business plan and statutory requirements,
Databases (mostly in .xls format) are set up to collect data and monitor the trend for each identified issue (results are issued on a quarterly bases).
Corrective actions are taken in accordance with the results obtained.

To a great extent we use the results as performance indicators, as we can make projections for the years ahead.



The following site may shed some light on how to go about setting your algorithm http://www.icfconsulting.com/Markets/Environment/envmgmt01.asp#1

I hope to have been of some help

Marc said:

I think typically the aspects you cited:are basically ISO 9001 based. I'm not sure why you would use ISO 14001 as the base when it is based, with respect to the aspects you cite, on ISO 9001.

Click to expand...

How intreguing

ISO 14001 was the base standard for the Continuous improvements Process not product orientation and so on that went into 9000:2000

9000:2000 went to the 14001 model not the other way around.

I am a QuEnSH specialist which means 9000/14000/18000, based in the UK home of beaurocracy

Having said that I have nothing else to add because I actually don't understand what you are asking for in terms of algorithms

I do pretty much what the last poster does.

I plot the issues in an access db rather than a spready but that is style not substancial difference.

I dobn't trust maths to define things as you describe....because common sense is much more effective at describing issues thatn a math programme can ever be.

However I have a few other things that may help

When I identified my key aspects I also identified the incident reporting procedure as the key.

This is more effective at identifying your key aspects and the risk involved than just theory and a lot more effective than monitoring the usage figures to identify key performance indicators

It has actually identified the real issues that aspect/risk assessment did not truly predict.

My continuous improvement is based initially on my statutory requirements(CO2 reduction and other legal handcuffs) but realistically it is all based around stopping the incidents near misses spells and other unplanned discharges.

Hope that helps

homer73 said:

Hi people,

I am trying to use ISO 14001 to develop procedure for making decision on a state level on a specific topic. Intention is to use basic principles which are behind ISO 14001 standard - continuous improvement, different levels of outline of documentation, building of capacities, and goals, plans and programs.

Is there any experience, or someone else doing simillar thing?



Homer 73

Click to expand...

Hi,

I am not sure if I have understood your question right. Still I thought that I should share my experience with you, at least a part of it may be useful to you. I have established an ISO-14001 for my HQ, Hong Kong. The scope of this system is: "Provision of Leadership and Direction to Lighting Business in the Asia Pacific Region". In this system we have addressed the activities of managers in driving the business. For example the aspect and impact analysis of the CEO goes as follows:

Activities (e.g): To develop mission, vision, values and ethics of the organization (derived from the EFQM model)
Related Aspects (of the above): 1. To develop organizational vision and mission taking into consideration environmental aspects of the business
2. To get actively involved in environmental improvement activities
3. To prioritize environmental improvement activities
(all the above three are derived/adapted from the EFQM model)
Impacts: For (1), (2) and (3) above: Impact on Water Pollution
Impact on Air Pollution
Impact on soil pollution
Impact on generation of Waste
Impact on biodivesity
Impact on depletion of resources
The above impacts on various aspects then can be analysed if they cause actual or potential impacts, direct or indirect impacts, long term impacts,legal impacts, economic impact etc. Impacts are also classifed as positive or negative to assess the significance. (For example, a decision by the CEO to opt for a clean technology will definitely improve the environmental performance of the organization - leading to a positive impact)

Similar exercise was carried out for all the activities of the CEO, Business Heads, Chief Financial Officer, Chief Information Technology Officer, Chief of Marketing, Chief of Manufacturing, Chief of Quality, Chief of Logistics and so on.

Significant aspects (those which cause significant impacts) are used further in developing the system: used in developing objectives/targets/programmes, support organizations (e.g. environmental council), training programmes, communication, operational control procedures etc.

This system has been certified by DNV (HK) and in my opinion (I am the Management Representative) helps the organization to focus on environmental issues while taking business decisions. I believe ISO-14001 provides an excellent framework for integrating environmental considerations in running business.

Hope the above gives you some idea as to how this framework can be used in different situations.

IN fact my department, a two member department, is also an ISO-14001 certified department (by STQC, India); this system helps me to systematically address organizational environmental requirements while carrying out my day-to-day work.

With best regards,

Ramakrishnan