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Environment & Sustainability

Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals with ISO 14001

Infographic: How your environmental management system can help to achieve the SDGs

4 minutes10/26/2021

If we are to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (hereinafter SDGs) set by the United Nations by 2030, we must accept and be conscious of the significant role that companies have to play in this. Active environmental management can help to reduce air pollution, preserve the natural environment, and reduce organizations’ overall environmental impact – ideally throughout their existence. If you want to uncover the environmental weaknesses in your company and take targeted actions to remedy them, you will need to coordinate the corresponding measures via an environmental management system.

Using an environmental management system (EMS)

  • makes it possible to push an organization to continually improve its environmental performance – and thus contributes to achieving global sustainable development goals

  • regulates the necessary processes, responsibilities and documentation

  • integrates the above aspects into a structured and systematic overall concept, e.g. That complies with an international standard

Infographic: Achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals with ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is a global and sector-independent standard for the introduction and continual improvement of EMS in companies around the world. As a global standard, it offers an effective framework for working towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Our infographic offers a detailed look at the goals to which an environmental management system in line with ISO 14001 can contribute: 

Download the infographic as a PDF here!

Expert knowledge on ISO 14001 certification

Learn all about the design and content of the standard, from the way ISO 14001 chapters are laid out to reaching the UN sustainability goals with corporate environmental management. It’s important to take a well-structured approach when navigating through the phases of preparation, implementation and certification. To ensure you don’t miss any milestones, our whitepaper offers a step-by-step guide to ISO 14001 certification offers solid insights and information, such as:

  • An overview of ISO 14001 standard

  • The requirements of the standard

  • Implementation planning

  • A cost-benefit comparison

  • Checklists for success

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SDGs: A gift for economy and environment alike

By introducing an environmental management system (EMS), companies are able to systematically establish sustainability at a corporate level and thereby contribute to reaching the goals of the United Nations. But that’s not all: Using the SDGs as a guide also opens up a wide array of new opportunities, with an estimated market volume totaling 12 trillion USD.
The SDGs are thus “a great gift” to companies who set out in earnest to examine whether their business models, products and services are “SDG fit” and derive corresponding measures to correct discrepancies.

Commonly cited benefits of the SDGs for companies:

  • Identifying future business opportunities (e.g. business models suited to a circular economy, innovative energy efficient technologies, consultancy) and the chance to open up into new markets

  • Reinforcing a brand through improved relationships with stakeholders and customers

  • Boosting staff retention and employer reputation

  • Lowering regulatory and legal risks and costs (through improved compliance with statutory obligations and the expectations of lobby groups)

  • Bringing stability to the societies and markets where they operate

  • Optimizing operational and environmental performance

  • Shaping and improving the implementation and reception of shared values across the entire supply chain

  • Keeping in step with global political developments

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