These days, most of the businesses face a common challenge. They find it difficult to hold on to their market share. When it comes to drawing the attention of potential customers, the challenge becomes even harder. Why is it so challenging? It involves a number of issues, such as-
A. How can an organization mark its difference from its market competitors?
B. Which new strategies the competitors are executing successfully?
C. Which are the safety metrics of an organization?
D. How does the organization use the safety metrics?
Well, anyone can understand how these issues are interlinked with the retention of market share. What seems to be obscure for the readers to understand is what the relationship is between the integration of ISO 14001 and Occupational Health, Safety Standard, and retention of market share. It is difficult to answer in one or two sentences. Let’s try to develop a clear insight into the concept first.
As per the International Organization for Standardization or ISO, the management system is a “set of procedures an organization needs to follow in order to meet its objectives”. In other words, a management system is expected to deal with the issues associated with the wellbeing of the organization and the employees. Interestingly, ISO has designed each of its standards to cover numerous areas of business management; ISO 14001 requires Environmental Management Systems or EMS.
This management system helps an organization to maintain a healthy work environment. When it comes to a healthy workplace, one can’t deny the importance of occupational health and safety of the employees. Integration of ISO 14001 and Occupational Health and Safety Management System can help an organization enjoys benefits offered by both of these two standards. Integration will improve the work environment. When your organization will exercise eco-friendly practices and reduce the number of work-related accidents, you will get rid of legal issues and compensations. Above all, you will be able to promote your business in the best possible way. This combination of two standards will make the organization the safest place for the stakeholders and customers to invest.
Commonalities between the Two Standards
ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001 can be easily merged with each other as they share a number of similarities. A combination of these two internationally acclaimed standards can help you streamline and access more than one management system. After the implementation of one system, you will be able to add additional systems without any hassle. Let’s have a quick glimpse of the similarities between the two standards:
• Policy and Objectives
You can set out a single policy and objectives for adopting both ISO 14001 and 18001 standards. It will help you improve your safety issues and ensure your environmental performance.
• Controls
Controls stated in the guidelines of these two Standards are more or less the same. Therefore, by exercising one set of controls, you can hold a grip over another standard as well.
• Corrective and Preventive Actions
What process you would take to preserve the environmental sustainability and avoid workplace injuries. Corrective and preventive actions of these two standards are more or less the same.
• Documentation
Documentation is also same in the guidelines prescribed for these two standards.
• Continual Improvement
When it comes to the continual improvement of the work environment of an organization, it automatically includes the health and safety of the employees. Therefore, a blend of the two standards would help you meet your goal in the best possible way.
Differences
Although ISO 14001 and 18001 share a number of similarities, these two differ from one another in more than one issues, such as-
• ISO 18001:2007 clearly states that an organization needs to perform a risk management assessment to obtain the certification. ISO 14001, on the other hand, does not require any risk management analysis. It looks only for strategic implementation of Environmental Management Systems.
• ISO 14001 requires employees’ participation in different areas other than the areas required by the Occupational Health and Safety Standard.
How to Integrate the Two Standards?
It would be better to hire a discrete ISO agency that can combine these two standards easily. They will provide you with-
• Technical Support
• ISO 14001+OHSAS 18001 Manual
• ISO 14001 & 18001 presentation
• A Combined Approach for ISO 14001 and 18001 Standards
• General Employee Training for ISO 14001
• General Employee Training for 18001
• Gap Analysis Checklist for both of these two Standards
• Audit Checklist for both of these two Standards
• Employee Newsletter for ISO 14001 and 18001
Integration of these two standards will help you organize your management system. It will boost your business and establish your credibility in the market. As an outcome, you would be able to address all the market-related concerns discussed at the beginning of this blog.