ISO 14001

Question 1

What are the benefits of ISO 14001? (4st)

Answer 1

• ensure legal compliance
• improve env. performance
• cost savings
• improve relations with employees and authorities

Question 2

What are the benefits specific for the certification?

Answer 2

• trustworthyness
• second opinion of the system
• more long-lasting system
• support marketing and help increase sales
• ability to enter foreign markets
• increase potential working partners with requirements of certification

Question 3

Name one drawback of ISO 14001.

Answer 3

The implementation costs time and resources.

Question 4

Name on weakness of the system.

Answer 4

Lack of transparency;

ISO 14001 is no performance standard, it is not defined in detail what the org. should achieve. Companies set their own goals and targets, which tend to be very subjective and a risk of missing limitations that other stakeholders in society would have required. They can choose objectives and targets that make their business look better than it is.
+ the audit report is not public

Question 5

A company can earn money by implementing an EMS, how? name 3 things.

Answer 5

• save costs from efficiency in resources, energy and time
• save costs from eventual sanctions and other penalties from legal noncompliance
• gain marketing profits that support the sales (entering markets, collaboration partners etc.)

Question 6

A company might lose money by implementing an EMS. how? name 2 things.

Answer 6

• Resource costs; time, knowledge, technology, education,… to perform continual improvement
• Detection of legal noncompliance which results in penalties/sanctions