We know that to implement an environmental objectives with a environmental management system (EMS) in the best way, we must consider the negative effects that can be caused to the environment and establish ways to manage them properly.
This is because, nowadays, companies that have responsibility for the environment and seek to minimize as much as possible their negative environmental impacts are highly valued.
To do this, it is necessary to plan actions and have some control over the impacts that may occur. Having in focus a more systemic vision, of complete and more in-depth planning, the implementation of an ISO 14001:2015 standard can be much more effective. With it, it is easier to control the company’s resources and pay attention to the environmental factors involved.
Thus, by establishing what your environmental objectives and goals are according to the standard, it is possible to identify which points have been achieved and which ones can still be improved.
In order to do this planning in the most appropriate way, ISO provides a guiding requirement, 6.2.2, which we will cover in this article.
Planning to achieve the environmental objectives
Just as the requirement will show us, establishing environmental objectives enables the company to plan and execute actions guided by its environmental policy. And to achieve the established objectives, the standard states that the organization must plan:
What will be done and what resources are needed
Here, the organization must first establish what objectives it wants to achieve. Thinking of the environmental standard, these are the goals that must be set in order to minimize the impact of air pollution or reduce deforestation, for example. These goals must be defined and guaranteed by the institution, always in accordance with the needs of its context.
After analyzing what will be done, the company must determine the resources needed to achieve these goals. It must evaluate which resources the company already has or still needs to be acquired, such as human, material, financial, etc. resources. Without resources, it is impossible to achieve the goals!
Who will be responsible and when it will be completed
It is necessary to define who will be responsible for ensuring that these goals and objectives will be pursued according to the initial plan. This is so that when it is needed, the whole team knows who to ask for support.
Establishing deadlines is fundamental to have a dimension of the progress of any execution that is taking place in the company. When it comes to environmental regulations, it is often necessary to follow laws, so it is important to comply with the deadlines that are set.
How the results will be evaluated and monitored to achieve measurable environmental objectives
This is an important point, because the standard says that the organization must present concrete and attainable goals. Only then is it possible to know whether the environmental policy has been met or not.
These goals are what lead to the company’s best environmental performance. Monitoring whether waste is being disposed of correctly, seeking to minimize pollution in soils and rivers, these are examples of goals to be established that can be measurable and monitored by everyone involved.
It is also important that this information is documented to ensure proper planning and execution of the goals. A very useful approach that can help your organization manage its objectives and analyze whether they are in line with the standard is the “5W2H” tool.
Now is the time to plan your organization’s environmental objectives
Defining the company’s environmental objectives enables actions to be taken to achieve the goals of the environmental policy. For this to happen, it is good to plan properly and to be guided by the requirements that ISO 14001:2015 offers. Which, let’s face it, are a great “step by step” guide.
Finally, we conclude that requirement 6.2.2 of ISO 14001:2015 contributes to the sustainable development of organizations and seeks to help improve their environmental management systems. All this to ensure the protection of the environment and avoid negative environmental impacts as much as possible.
