FEATURE Automotive Supply Chain Supporting
sustainable supply chain management
By David Goodfellow, UK Business Assurance Manager at TÜV SÜD, a global product testing and certification organisation
A
utomotive manufacturers are under growing pressure to consider their environmental impact. Upstream supply-
chain customers are increasingly demanding that their suppliers identify and quantify environmental aspects, using key performance indicators to identify areas of alignment and opportunities for improvement, and that results are reported at regular intervals.
ISO 14001 is the most widely recognised
environmental management system (EMS) standard in the world. As it adopts the High-Level Structure, it is easy to integrate into any existing ISO management system. By achieving this certifi cation, an organisation demonstrates its commitment to prevent pollution, fulfi l its compliance obligations and strive for continuous improvement of environmental performance. Main features include:
Environmental performance A requirement to understand the organisation’s context is vital to identify and leverage opportunities for the benefi t of both the organisation and the environment. Particular focus is on issues or changing circumstances related to the needs and expectations of interested parties (including regulatory requirements) and local, regional or global environmental conditions that can aff ect – or be aff ected by – the organisation. Once identifi ed as a priority, actions to mitigate adverse risks or exploit benefi cial opportunities are integrated in the operational planning of the EMS. There is a clear emphasis with regards to continual improvement – from the management system to the environmental performance. Consistent with the
38 February 2023 | Automation
Protecting the environment The expectation on organisations includes commitment to proactive initiatives that protect the environment from harm and degradation, consistent with the context of the organisation. ISO 14001:2015 does not defi ne ‘protect the environment’ but it notes that it can include prevention of pollution, sustainable resource use, climate change mitigation and adaptation, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, and so on.
Lifecycle perspective In addition to the requirement to manage environmental aspects associated with procured goods and services, an organisation will need to extend its control and infl uence to the environmental impacts associated with product design and development to address each stage of the lifecycle, i.e. acquisition of raw materials, design, production, transportation/delivery, use, end-of life treatment and fi nal disposal. This does not imply a requirement to do a lifecycle assessment.
Outsourced processes Organisations must eff ectively control or infl uence outsourced processes.
organisation’s policy commitments, it would reduce emissions, effl uents and waste to levels set by the organisation, where applicable.
Leadership To ensure the success of the system, specifi c responsibilities are assigned to those in leadership roles to promote environmental management within the organisation.
Communication
The development of a communication strategy with equal emphasis on external and internal communications is required. This includes a requirement to communicate consistent and reliable information, and to establish mechanisms for persons working under the organisation’s control to make suggestions for improving the environmental management system. The decision to communicate externally
is retained by the organisation, but the decision needs to consider the information reporting that is required by regulatory agencies, as well as the expectations of other interested parties.
Documentation Refl ecting the evolution of computer and cloud-based systems for running management systems, the standard incorporates the term ‘documented information’. To align with ISO 9001, the organisation retains the fl exibility to determine when procedures are needed to ensure eff ective process control. While accredited certifi cation to ISO 14001 is not a mandatory requirement, automotive manufacturers can reap many benefi ts by adopting and implementing the system. With organisations under increasing scrutiny from stakeholders to minimise their environmental impact, ISO 14001 certifi cation demonstrates a strategic commitment to continuous improvement.
CONTACT:
TÜV SÜD
www.tuvsud.com/uk
automationmagazine.co.uk
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