ISO Participation FAQs

Why should NGOs be interested in EMS (Environmental Management Systems) and ISO 14000?
EMS can be a tool for sustainable economic development and improved environmental performance, especially when they involve public participation and public reporting. Environmental management systems are of particular value in transition and developing economies, as they provide enterprises with a flexible mechanism for allocating scarce resources and identifying low cost management based solutions for pollution problems. Enterprises without funds for new technology can often begin to improve their environmental performance simply by improving their management systems. These improvements can also improve production efficiency and profitability.

Why is openness and public participation important?
Public disclosure of environmental performance information increases the likelihood that an EMS will produce real results. Currently ISO 14000 standards allow companies to set their own goals for pollution prevention and do not require public disclose of information about whether or not these goals are achieved. It is important that NGOs, community members and other public bodies take action so that environmental performance is measured and publicly reported thereby guaranteeing that the environmental management system actually results in the "continual improvement" required by ISO 14001. (ISO 14001 is the name of the specific standard to which an enterprise is formally certified; ISO 14000 refers to a series of environmental standards, of which 14001 is part).

How can NGOs ensure that EMS are developed in a participatory way?
NGOs can work directly with local enterprises to change the nature of reporting so that it goes beyond ISO requirements. Find out if there are ISO 14001 certified companies in your area. Urge these enterprises to publicly disclose information about their environmental management system. Explain to the enterprise that this will add to the credibility of their claim of improved environmental performance. Contact your state Environmental Protection Agency to learn more about the use of ISO 14001 locally. Voice your concerns about the lack of transparency in the ISO 14001 standard to your country's delegation to the ISO 14000 Committee (This information can be found at http://www.tc207.org/aboutTC207/index.html or by writing to the ISO 14000 Secretariat listed on this website.)

NGOs should learn more about the ISO 14000 standards - how they were created, how they are being used and by whom. ECOLOGIA's ISO 14000 website provides a basic guide to ISO 14000 information available on the Internet and can help you learn more about the ISO standards. The International Organization for Standardization provides information about ISO 14000 on its website, http://www.tc207.org/.

What do NGOs have to contribute to the emerging field of EMS?
NGOs can play an important role in introducing EMS, especially to small and medium sized enterprises. Consultants have an economic interest in the EMS services they promote and may encourage enterprises to obtain expensive EMS certificates when in fact many enterprises only need an improved EMS. NGOs can be a objective and easily approachable source of information about EMS.

Can NGOs play a role in the formulation of standards in the ISO?
Yes. NGOs should work to improve on the lack of representation of the public in the ISO standard development process. Today, the ISO committees responsible for developing and revising the 14000 standards remain industry-dominated. More non-commercial, non-governmental groups can and should be involved in the drafting of the ISO 14000 standards. Each country can send a delegation to the ISO Committee developing ISO 14000 standards. These national committees should include NGO representation. Contact your national committee and ask what they are doing to involve NGOs.

What role do NGOs have in the implementation of EMS standards?
In addition to assisting in the development of openness and public participation at the policy level, NGOs can play a role in ensuring that individual enterprises perform in compliance with standards by acting as third party verifiers of claims of improved environmental performance.

Where can my organization get more information?
Opportunities for participation in the development of ISO environmental standards are described in detail in the "Guide to NGO Involvement in ISO TC 207" (in .pdf).

This fact sheet was written and translated for ECOLOGIA by Middlebury College student Laura Tarimo. August, 2002.

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