Consumers across the globe are prioritising eco-friendly products and packaging.

 

A recent survey commissioned by the WWF and undertaken by The Economist’s Intelligence Unit (2021) has discovered that consumers through Europe, Asia and North America are increasingly considering a company’s environmental footprint before purchasing products.

The same survey also highlighted that the Chemical industry is perceived to be the least concerned about the environment, and that plastic was viewed as the least environmentally responsible packaging material; paper being seen as the safest.

Moreover, consumers believe that global brands – and their manufacturers – should shoulder as much responsibility as worldwide governments when it comes to establishing positive, long-term eco-efficiency.

There is a broad consensus among the world’s scientific community that our planet is in grave danger from climate change, and that immediate action is needed in order to head off a major catastrophe. Indeed, the Breakthrough National Centre for Climate Restoration in Melbourne, Australia, has recently estimated that a “near to mid-term existential threat to our civilisation could occur within the next 30 years, if the issue of climate change is not urgently addressed (source: Existential climate-related security risk: a scenario approach: BT Policy Paper May 2019).

So, with long-term environmental stability becoming increasingly prioritised by the world’s consumers, it’s vital that manufacturers, producers and brands everywhere make their contribution, by doing everything within their power to lower their carbon footprint, and we at Turner & Coates can help them do just that… and more!

We’re one of the most experienced management systems consultancy and auditing providers, offering a suite of internationally recognised standards to help businesses across diverse sectors ensure they are operating fully in line with their environmental obligations and responsibilities.

ISO 14001

Turner & Coates is a tried-and-trusted provider of high quality, professional consultancy and internal auditing services, designed to help businesses properly prepare for ISO 14001 certification.

Part of the ISO 14000 family of Environmental Management standards, ISO 14001 exists to help businesses and organisations focus upon – and optimise – their eco-efficiencies, and is the single-biggest environmental management standard worldwide. It helps businesses and organisations across the globe to respond positively and proactively to constantly changing conditions in a standardised and measurable way.

Following ISO 9001’s established ‘Plan-Do-Check-Act’ methodology, ISO 14001 has also been developed to stimulate and sustain productive dialogue with all parties concerned including employees, contractors, neighbours and relevant regulatory authorities.

As part of our all-embracing provision in this vital and growing area, we help companies to adapt and integrate their environmental management requirements into their existing management systems as seamlessly as possible, rather than having to create different systems for different standards. After all, a company can only really have one management system that must incorporate all quality, environmental, health & safety and financial processes.

ISO 50001

Here at Turner & Coates, we also benefit from wide experience in the successful implementation of the ISO 50001 Quality Management standard. This sets out a framework of requirements to which businesses and organisations must adhere, in order to demonstrate that their practices and procedures are constantly monitored and effectively controlled.

Moreover, the ISO 50001 Quality Management standard aims to help companies across the globe to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels, trim their energy costs and pursue a more active, responsible and urgent approach to cutting their greenhouse-gas emissions.

Relevant to any business or organisation – regardless of size, industry sector or global location – the ISO 50001 Quality Management standard focuses on how companies:

* manage important data and official documentation.

* identify, control and reduce their significant energy uses.

* comply with energy-related legal obligations.

* review their internal practices and procedures.

At Turner & Coates, we are dedicated to helping our clients achieve full ISO 50001 compliance, from providing assistance with identifying infrastructural areas that would benefit from energy efficiency measures, to helping to ensure that the targets and objectives set are SMART (‘Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time-bound’).

RCMS/RC14001

The Responsible Care Management System (RCMS) is a global standard developed specifically to apply to the worldwide chemical industry. Its principal focus is driving measurable and lasting improvements in environmental sustainability.

RC 14001 is a universally recognised technical specification combining elements of the RCMS with ISO 14001 to create a robust and reliable structure for standardising the practices and procedures of companies working in this potentially hazardous and high-risk industry.

Both RC 14001 and RCMS drive ongoing operational improvements and progression in seven key areas:

* community awareness.

* security.

* distribution.

* employee health and safety.

* pollution prevention.

* process safety.

* product stewardship.

The certification process begins with companies identifying, assessing and evaluating potential hazards and risks inherent in their day-to-day working practices. They then move on to establishing goals and objectives targeted at managing these intrinsic risks, whilst addressing the concerns of their employees, communities, customers, suppliers and other key stakeholders. Subsequently, these companies implement their goals and objectives, before developing, documenting and executing a formal policy to help ensure all targets are realised.

A constant process of performance measurement, monitoring and corrective action is a key part of the RCMS/RC 14001 certification process, and includes thorough self-assessment to verify the company’s ongoing compliance with current industry legislation. This approach enables any necessary corrective or preventive action to be taken, backed up by a periodic review process to monitor the continued suitability, adequacy and effectiveness of the management system.

At Turner & Coates, we are professional auditors across all internationally recognised Quality Management systems. Our experience and longevity in this highly specialised field has seen us visit many different companies, in an internal auditing capacity, across a wide variety of industries. This has enabled us to refine, and expand upon, our ideas for improving and streamlining the everyday processes and procedures of your business or organisation.

Call us today on +44 (0)161 660 8656 for more information!