The Green Flag Award® scheme recognises and rewards well managed parks and green spaces, setting the benchmark standard for the management of recreational outdoor spaces across the United Kingdom and around the world. It is wonderful to spot these flags in increasing numbers, especially in our local areas, and they are a clear indication of successful environmental management systems in practice, but what ‘Green Flags’ your business?
ISO 14001 certification empowers organisations to implement environmental management systems and offers a host of benefits. Certification necessitates the review of all business operations for environmental impacts. Once identified, these impacts are measured in terms of your organisation’s carbon footprint, providing initial values for your carbon reduction plan. ISO 14001 enables organisations to identify carbon reduction initiatives and by doing so, can create significant financial and resource efficiencies. ISO 14001 demonstrates that your business is committed to working in a sustainable manner, thereby contributing to environmental awareness and protection.
ISO 14001 certification should be regarded as a strategically important element of any business. As our planet creeps towards an irreversible environmental tipping point, every contribution will make a difference. ‘Nobody made a greater mistake than he who did nothing because he could only do a little’ [Edmund Burke, 1729-1797].
Everyone who knows me, will be in no doubt that ISO 14001 is my favourite standard and the words of Edmund Burke are never far from my mind. I am convinced that we can all play a part in improving our environment through both our personal and professional activities.