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ECA News SME role call New look for environmental management


FOLLOWING THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY and Climate Change’s (DECC) unveiling of the fi rst initiative providers, the ECA says that the Green Deal cannot fully meet customer expectations without active SME involvement. Paul Reeve, ECA head of Environment, said: ‘SMEs are critical to the success of the Green Deal. We encourage the fi rst tranche of potential Green Deal providers… to actively engage with competent local contractors. Competent SMEs will be crucial to the reputation and performance of the Green Deal work that will be carried out by the big companies.’ Reeve added that national companies should not be the only route to the Green Deal: ‘Many customers prefer work in their homes or small businesses to be done by trusted local fi rms. To provide customer choice, and innovative energy effi ciency packages that are tailored to the circumstances, the Green Deal needs to offer much more than the “big company” route to assessment and installation.’ However, questions still remain over exactly how smaller businesses will fi t into plans. ‘We look forward to clear guidance from DECC, and we are ready to help them to shape the way forward for SMEs,’ said Reeve.


UK COMPANIES CERTIFIED TO THE LEADING international environmental management standard ISO 14001 will need to consider not just strategic risks but also opportunities, under ambitious plans to overhaul the standard. ISO 14001 is by far the most popular environmental management standard, with more than 250,000 certifi cations in 155 countries, including 11,000 in the UK. Many construction companies fi nd it useful for pre-tendering, since it is so widely recognised.


At a meeting in Berlin in February, the International Organization for Standardization’s ISO 14001 revision group agreed plans for a new format that will harmonise all ISO management system standards (such as those covering quality). The new plans also mean that ISO 14001 companies will have to consider sustainability issues, such as climate change and resource depletion, and understand the needs of key stakeholders, making the standard more consistent with ISO 26000 (social responsibility). In-company, top management would be required to show environmental management


leadership by embedding green business issues into strategic plans, and ensuring environmental goals are achieved. The revision committee is also considering the ISO report on Future challenges facing environmental management, which recommends that more attention be given to ‘lifecycle thinking’ for products and services, and in value chain management. These aspects could be signifi cant for building services contractors. Overall, the new plans are for a signifi cant expansion and toughening of ISO 14001. Even so, the revision process will take more than three years. Paul Reeve, ECA head of Environment, who was involved in the original drafting of ISO 14001, said: ‘As it stands, ISO 14001 has had a very good run but, increasingly, stakeholders see it as allowing too many companies to do the bare minimum to get an environmental badge. The new-look standard will be more challenging, raising the business status of environmental management, and integrating it into company strategy.’  For more details contact Paul Reeve: paul.reeve@eca.co.uk


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call: 01827 63454 email: sales@scolmore.com visit: www.scolmore.com J0665 ECA Today MayJune Ad.indd 1 16 ECA Today May 2012 16/04/2012 09:40:27


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