Achieving the green transformation with management systems

There are more and more laws, regulations and initiatives worldwide that require organizations to transparently disclose the ecological impact and sustainability of their business activities. The aim of all these measures is to create uniformity about what sustainable management actually means and how it can be objectively verified. At the same time, this should make it easier for customers to decide in favor of sustainable products and services. How can a transformation to sustainable management succeed?

Increase in the importance of environmental and energy management:

With the amendment of the Energy Efficiency Act 2023, the relevance of certified management systems, such as  ISO 14001, EMAS (Eco Management Audit Scheme Regulation) or ISO 50001, as proven tools of Austrian companies in the continuous increase of energy efficiency, has been highlighted again.

This importance is again underlined due to the fact that the obligation to additionally perform an internal or external energy audit according to EN 16247 in connection with a management system is no longer applicable. This can be seen as a further upgrading of environmental and energy management.

Sustainable disclosure requirements:

In view of future disclosure requirements (such as the implementation of the CSRD Directive or the EFRAC standards), the assessment of the environmental aspects of energy, resources, emissions, waste and impact will not only play an even greater role for obligated companies, but companies along the supply chain will most likely also be required to disclose their environmental impact.

Since this assessment is a central requirement of ISO 14001 and EMAS, it can be assumed that environmental management systems will not only continue to be important, but that small and medium-sized companies will also be well advised to maintain an appropriate management system in accordance with ISO 14001 and/or EMAS.

Caution with "green" statements:

Quality Austria recommends to be careful with advertising statements - e.g. concerning climate neutrality - because statements on this subject that are not clearly traceable can be reported because they may be misleading.

It is therefore advisable, for example as a supplement to an existing environmental or energy management system, not only to draw up the greenhouse gas balance in accordance with ISO 14064 and to take direct or indirect greenhouse gases into account in accordance with the standard, but also to have it verified by independent third parties.

Based on this, substantial statements can finally be made in internal and external communication. Quality Austria is also eagerly awaiting the publication of ISO 14068 concerning the climate requirements for the presentation on climate neutrality.

Thinking and acting in cycles:

The trend toward a circular economy is not bypassing the ISO world. The publication of the corresponding ISO 59001ff. series of standards is expected at the end of the year.