Monday 12 September 2011

ISO 14001 For Small Businesses

ISO 14001 is an internationally-recognized standard that measures how environmentally responsible businesses are, and how much care they take to handle environmental issues faced. It can teach you how to reduce consumption, waste, and to recycle more.
To small businesses, customers are the most important aspect. Gaining the trust of potential customers means more sales and higher turnover, enviable advantages. In a world increasingly concerned with environmental issues, small businesses who are ISO 14001 certified and can demonstrate that they conform, not only with international laws and requirements, but with their own internal standards, are more likely to gain the respect of potential customers. Not only will there be an increase in trust, but some customers are required only to buy from suppliers who are ISO 14001 certified. Make yourself an easy choice for customers with such requirements.
Small businesses often cannot afford to face legal penalties, and it is in the interest of small business owners to prevent situations in which the law is broken. For example, businesses that use bonfires, furnaces or boilers should be aware of air pollution policies, while businesses that use hazardous substances should be concerned with how to handle, store and dispose of them properly. Not only does certification gain customer interest, but it can help you avoid legal difficulties related to environmental laws. The costs incurred from legal representation and any fines is likely to be far more than the costs of becoming ISO 14001 certified.
As well as profiting from new customers and avoiding legal punishment, having ISO 14001 certification reduces spending within small businesses. By consuming less in terms of energy and materials, lessening the price of waste disposal, and re-using, your business can make noticeable savings.
There is a large advantage to getting ISO 14001 certification while you are a small business. Many small business owners aim to expand in size, and larger businesses require better management and more cost-effective methods of measuring and managing consumption and waste. Becoming ISO 14001 certified before such expansion occurs means you can ensure you have the right techniques already in place while the cost to you is less- it costs more and takes more time and effort to re-organise management systems when a business is larger.
Online ISO 14001 companies offer non-bureaucratic, efficient, cost-effective, manageable certification, so you can gain this essential standard without unnecessary hassle. Certification takes 45 days, and the cost is dependent on annual turnover, the less you make, the less it costs you.