BSI Call For Comment on ISO 14000 Series Revision

The BSI Group has announced that the Drafts for Public Comment (DPCs) of the environmental management standards BS EN ISO 14001 and BS ISO 14004 are now available.

Revisions to these important environmental management systems standards are expected in early 2005. In preparation for this, the DPCs of both draft standards, which contain the proposed changes, are now available for purchase from BSI Business Information.

The deadline to make comments on the drafts is 30 November 2003. These must be sent to BSI, where they will be considered and recommendations submitted to International Standards Organisation (ISO).

The standards being revised are: BS EN ISO 14001:1996 Environmental management systems, Specification with guidance for use and BS ISO 14004:1996 Environmental management systems, General guidelines on principles, systems and supporting techniques.

To order a DPC contact BSI Customer Services on Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 9001 or Fax: +44 (0)20 8996 7001 or email: orders@bsi-global.com

For further information on this issue contact Amanda Tucker, BSI Business Information on Tel: +44 (0)20 8996 7202, Email: amanda.tucker@bsi-global.com.

-ENDS-

For more information please contact:

Wilma Tulloch on +44 (0)20 8996 6330 OR
Marc Edney on +44 (0)20 8996 6330

Notes for editors:

BS EN ISO 14001 (03/109279 DC) £20 (£10 to BSI Subscribing Members)

BS ISO 14004 (03/109280 DC) £20 (£10 to BSI Subscribing Members)

ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is the internationally recognised standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). First published as a standard by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in 1996, it provides a framework for the development of environmental performance control for all types of businesses and organizations, as well as including guidelines on environmental auditing.

Up to the end of 2002, at least 49 462 ISO 14001 certificates had been issued in 118 countries, an increase of 12 697 certificates (+ 34,54%) over the end of 2001 when the total stood at 36 765 in 112 countries.

The top ten countries for growth in ISO 14001 certification were: Japan (+ 2 497), China (1 718), Spain (1 164), USA (975), Italy (858), Sweden (660), Brazil (550), France (375), Germany (320) and Hungary (300).

The implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS) is key to any organisation managing its impact on the environment and is a critical part of a risk management strategy. Companies' environmental performance can have a significant impact on their success and an effective EMS can reduce costs, improve efficiency, and secure a competitive advantage.