ISO14001:2004 is the internationally recognised standard for the environmental management of businesses. It prescribes controls for those activities that have an effect on the environment. These include the use of natural resources, handling and treatment of waste and energy consumption.
Implementing an Environmental Management System systematically discovers and controls the effects a company has on the environment. Cost savings are made through improved efficiency and productivity. These are achieved by detecting ways to minimise waste and dispose of it more effectively, and by learning how to use energy more efficiently. It verifies compliance with current legislation and makes insurance cover more accessible.
Language Empire has carried out improvement programmes to ensure that where possible we have reduced carbon footprints. We have also put measures in place to ensure where environmental aspects have been identified, they are kept to a minimum.
Our current aim is to reduce the number of bookings made by fax and email, utilising our online booking system to increase efficiency and effectiveness.
We became ISO14001:2004 in April 2012 after our certification had been confirmed. This standard was difficult to achieve and was the result of two years of work. This has ensured that we are fully compliant and will assess and audit these impacts on a regular basis to ensure we meet our improvement programme aims and objectives.
Changes have had to be made to management and working standards. One of our future objectives is to have a paperless office. This will be possible through hard work and dedication to reducing the environmental impact of our business.
In the last audit in April 2012, it was stated in a management review: ‘It is clear that Language Empire is working towards reducing environmental impact of its business practices and these should be continued in order to further reduce the carbon footprint and thus the impact on the environment. They have worked tirelessly with clients and stakeholders to ensure that where possible online bookings are integrated.’