Any business in any sector can implement the ISO 14001 framework and apply for their environmental management plan certification.
This makes ISO 14001 one of the most popular standards in the world and one of the simplest ways to improve your ESG score.
ISO 14001 & ESG
- The International Organization for Standardization
- Navigating the ESG landscape with ISO 14001
- Why you should get ISO 14001 certified
- Key ESG benefits of ISO 14001:2015 certification
- How to choose an ISO certification body
- Why Skillcast values ISO 14001 certification
The International Organization for Standardization
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) is the world's largest developer of voluntary International Standards. Their standards offer solutions and best practices for almost all types of technology and business, helping companies and organisations to increase performance while protecting consumers and the planet.
ISO is developed through global consensus, and its standards aim to break down barriers to international trade. Some well-known standards include ISO 9001 (quality), ISO 14001 (environment) and ISO 27001 (information security management).
Environmental Management System Certification
This standard allows businesses to set up an Environmental Management System (EMS) that will help them reduce waste, improve resource efficiency and cut the cost of waste management.
ISO 14001 is the International Standard for EMSs. It was designed by ISO to help businesses and other organisations reduce their environmental impact.
Navigating the ESG landscape with ISO 14001
Environmental Social Governance (ESG) has quickly become one of the main considerations for companies. The environmental component measures a company's environmental impact and its efforts to increase sustainability in its operations.
ESG reporting has become vital for companies as it shows transparency and is an indication of a commitment to making the world a better place. An ESG score reflects where a company stands in its efforts.
In terms of environmental impact, this refers to combating climate change and the associated risks. Stakeholders, customers and potential investors value this information and make key decisions based on it.
Why you should get ISO 14001 certified
Gaining an ISO 14001 certification can be a useful tool to add credibility by demonstrating that your product or service meets the environmental protection expectations of your customers.
It goes without saying that this will improve your ESG score as it indicates a company's commitment to reducing its environmental impact. For some industries, ISO 14001 certification may be a legal or contractual requirement.
Investors are starting to demand action
In September 2020, the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock, announced that it had voted 55 times against directors at 49 different firms for not taking enough steps to tackle climate change in the previous 12 months.
In January 2020, Blackrock pledged to come down hard on firms that failed to deal with the climate crisis appropriately and said that it would vote against them at annual shareholder meetings. This is just one example of how ESG has become critical for businesses as it is a key factor in corporate decision-making.
Key ESG benefits of ISO 14001:2015 certification
- Find cost savings - particularly in resource, waste and energy management
- Improve efficiency - across your product life cycle to reduce environmental impact
- Improve your corporate credibility - helping to win new customers
- Quantify, monitor and control - the ongoing environmental impact of your operations
- Ensure compliance - with environmental legislation to avoid fines and prosecution
- Improve your ESG score - this score is used by investors when considering investments
How to choose an ISO certification body
ISO 14001 recognition is most valuable for organisations in the UK when certified by a UKAS-accredited certification body that will independently audit your organisation and provide you with ISO 14001 certification. You can find comparable international bodies through the International Accreditation Forum.
- Evaluate several certification bodies.
- Check if the certification body is accredited and uses the relevant CASCO standard.
- Accreditation is not compulsory but provides independent confirmation of competence.
Why Skillcast values ISO 14001 certification
We specialise in compliance management across ESG.
That means that as well as helping our clients to reduce their impact on the environment through digital learning, we also commit to reducing our footprint.
As part of our environmental initiatives, we have introduced a cycle-to-work scheme, meaning all employees can make the best use of the quieter streets and increased city-wide cycle lanes in London.
Skillcast is a strong proponent of recycling and reducing our consumption as a business across everything from paper usage to business flights. Recently, we received a Silver Recycling Award from First Mile for our efforts.
We also have ongoing communications with our landlords to ensure we use 100% renewable energy in our office space.
All of this ties in well with our focus on employee well-being, which is closely linked with the working environment. We are proud of our green office spaces, filled with plants, and are always open to suggestions from our staff about what they’d like to see in a more environmentally conscious approach to office life.
Our EMS plans for the future
We understand that our own operations, including staff, travel and servers, have an environmental impact. Skillcast has worked on achieving carbon-neutral status across our operations.
As of November 2022, Skillcast is a certified carbon-neutral company. To achieve this, we have closely examined every aspect of office operations, right down to the coffee machine - which now uses compostable pods! We continue to reduce our carbon footprint with the aim of being Net Zero by 2045.
Want to learn more about Health & Safety?
We’ve created a comprehensive Health & Safety roadmap to help you navigate the compliance landscape, supported by e-learning in our Compliance Essentials Library.
We also have 100+ free compliance training aids, including assessments, best practice guides, checklists, desk aids, eBooks, games, posters, training presentations and even e-learning modules!
Finally, the SkillcastConnect community provides a unique opportunity to network with other compliance professionals in a vendor-free environment, priority access to our free online learning portal and other exclusive benefits.
