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Managing Director Position Statement
The introduction of ISO 14001 to Chris Fowler International, establishes our own system for the control and minimisation of the impact that our organisation makes to the environment. Referred to as an Environment Management System (EMS) it is our process and procedure by which we control and monitor our environmental impacts and by which we achieve our Environmental Policy, set out below.
We are doing this for two very important reasons. Firstly, I know that the Management team and all staff believe with a passion in minimising the impact that we have on our world, for ourselves and subsequent generations and that for most of us this system is just a logical extension of what we already do at home. Secondly and quite rightly, our Clients are beginning to demand such credentials as ISO14001, in order to remain or become a supplier. So in both cases we want to do it, we should do it and we have done it.
As with such accreditations there are fairly rigorous and demanding instructions to follow to ensure that the award of such an accreditation is meaningful and has significance. That said, put simply, what is involved is as follows: -
- We set ourselves an Environmental Policy.
- We determine what we do which impacts the environment.
- We size these impacts and set objectives which improve the significant ones.
- We ensure that we meet regulatory requirements.
- We train and make our staff aware.
- We manage waste correctly, particularly hazardous waste.
- We establish effective control procedures.
- We monitor and measure key aspects.
- We audit to ensure compliance.
We have, in our mind logically, included our successful implementation of FSC into this overall framework and will soon add PEFC and subsequently carbon neutrality with this as well.
We are ALL involved in this exciting initiative. The approach and direction is steered by my Management Group, with the day-to-day management of the project the responsibility of our Environmental manager who reports to this group.
In summary, this is the perfect project. It is good for us as individuals, it is good for our organisation and it is fun. As a consequence the involvement and support of our staff has been tremendous.
ISO 14001 is a key component of our overall Corporate Social Responsibility, sitting alongside of FSC, School sponsorship, local societal initiatives and our ongoing work with Oxfam. It is yet another thing which makes Chris Fowler International different.
Kevin Eyers
