Going Green is something we've been working on since the 1980's. The beginning of the current "Green Revolution," seems to have jump-started with the Earth Summit (plenary stages - 1989), which took place in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. This United Nations Conference on Environment and Development took place June 3rd to 14th - 1992 and had 172 governments in participation; topics discussed included:
- Patterns of production — particularly the production of toxic components, such as lead in gasoline, or poisonous waste — are being scrutinized in a systematic manner by the UN and Governments alike;
- Alternative sources of energy are being sought to replace the use of fossil fuels which are linked to global climate change;
- New reliance on public transportation systems is being emphasized in order to reduce vehicle emissions, congestion in cities and the health problems caused by polluted air and smog; and
- Awareness of and concern over the growing scarcity of water.
Results of the Earth included, Agenda 21 and expansion of the Commission on Sustainable Development, the Inter-agency Committee on Sustainable Development, and the High-level Advisory Board on Sustainable Development.
Due to these initiatives, having a sustainable future became a catch-phrase in modern business lexicons. This wasn't the case so much in 1992, unless we worked in environmental areas. Certainly, in the Metropolitan DC area where so many federal contracts are processed - a sustainable future is standard procurement and acquisition solutions fodder. Everyone promotes being "GREEN" today, because being Green means sustainable business.
But, how are we faring with ISO 14001 - the "standard" for environmental management in business? In Trends in Sustainable Development – Towards Sustainable Consumption and Production: 2010-2011 it is noted:
- The number of enterprises certified to ISO 14001, an environmental management standard, has been rising steadily, from under 40,000 in 2001 to almost 160,000 in 2007 (good news), but of these only 5000 are American organizations
- The estimated retail value of Fairtrade stands at around 2.9 billion and has continued to grow despite the global recession (sounds good)
- A National Geographic and GlobeScan survey finds that environmentally friendly consumer behavior has increased in 13 of the 14 countries surveyed in both 2008 and 2009 (excellent news)
- Several governments are leading by example by putting in place sustainable procurement policies, both in developed and developing countries (United States is participating)
- The French government has set a goal to reduce the energy consumption of existing buildings by at least 38 percent by 2020 (excellent)
- The government of India has announced that all government buildings must be at a minimum 3-star “Green Rating for Integrated Habitat Assessment” compliant (impressive)
How are Washingtonians and Metropolitan businesses shoring up? This can be answered in part by answering a few questions:
- Does your business have an ISO14001 Certification? If so, how is it working for them?
- If your business does not have an ISO 14001, is it under consideration?
- Is this the first time you've heard of ISO 14001?
In Washington DC, many large businesses are ISO 14001 certified, such as: IRG (an L-3 company) and Lockheed Martin, but small companies can meet the mark as well. In fact, small companies are being prompted to forge a path regarding ISO.
ISO Secretary-General, Rob Steele, and ITC Executive Director, Patricia R. Francis, state: “Experience shows that small and medium-sized enterprises can also implement an effective EMS and realize a variety of benefits."
So what are the facts regarding ISO 14001:
- Almost 5,000 organizations in the United States are ISO 14001 certified
- Almost 7,200 organizations in North America are ISO 14001 certified
- More than 188,000 organizations worldwide are ISO 14001 certified
- There are ISO 14001-certified organizations in 155 countries/economies
- Worldwide, ISO 14001 certifications grew by more than 77,000 from 2004 to 2008 - a 70% increase
- Forty-five certification bodies are accredited by ANAB for ISO 14001 environmental management systems. (ANSI - ASQ National Accreditation Board)
Typically, in the Metropolitan Washington DC area we consider ourselves above the bar when it comes to things such as standards and the environment. Our presumption is we set the measure for the rest of our nation and global friends to follow, while ISO is an international organization, the Earth Summit took place in Brazil and sustainability measures are also generated by the United Nations and from neighbors afar. . .
Thankfully, we are all concientious and dedicated to seeing our environmental sustainability enhanced, but even if we haven't achieved ISO 14001 - the next Government Business Examiner news story is: The EMS (Environmental Management System) Checklist.
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