The role and status of ISO14000 environmental certification

Environmental certification ISO14000 certification emphasizes pollution prevention and continuous improvement. Environmental certification ISO14000 certification requires the establishment of a monitoring management system with clear responsibilities, standardized operations, and documented procedures, and achieves environmental goals and indicators through reasonable and effective management plans and operating procedures to achieve environmental policies. If the environmental certification ISO14000 certification system is properly implemented, it will improve the environmental management level of enterprises and the quality of employees in a relatively short period of time, and help enterprises expand their market share, increase product added value, and achieve sustainable and coordinated development of economy and environmental protection. Environmental certification ISO14000 certification is fundamentally consistent with the two fundamental changes advocated by China's foreign trade and economic cooperation, "from labor-intensive to technology-intensive, from extensive to intensive economy", "winning by quality" and "foreign trade and economic brand strategy". Therefore, we should view environmental certification ISO14000 certification from a strategic perspective and incorporate ISO14000 certification into my country's foreign trade and economic development strategy. So what is the role of environmental certification ISO14000 certification?

First, attach great importance to ISO14000 certification, and promote and implement it as an effective management tool that can promote international trade and improve the environmental management level and personnel quality of enterprises. From the experience of promoting ISO9000 certification in the past, those enterprises that started early and deeply understood and implemented the essence of the standard are the biggest beneficiaries. In the promotion of ISO14000 certification, we should also learn from this practice, study early, make decisions early, promote it as soon as possible, implement it seriously, pay attention to absorbing international successful experience, and solve the practical problems of Chinese enterprises in combination with national conditions and enterprise reality.

Second, the ISO14000 certification work should be carried out from the perspective of "benefiting the country, benefiting the people, and promoting business" in order to achieve the ultimate goal and obtain the best results. All parties have basically reached a consensus on the positive role of ISO14000 certification standards in improving the environmental management level of enterprises, expanding exports, and improving environmental conditions. The key is that in the promotion and implementation of ISO14000 certification, the government, enterprises, accreditation bodies, certification bodies, consulting agencies, environmental research institutions, purchasers and other relevant parties should strengthen communication and close cooperation. We should consider the interests of the country, the people and excellent national enterprises, and not be limited to the small interests of departments or institutions. Only by close cooperation can we make the ISO14000 certification cake bigger and better. In this way, it is not only conducive to the rapid and healthy development of ISO14000 certification, but also enables all parties in the society participating in ISO14000 certification to get their respective rewards as soon as possible.

Third, the ISO14000 certification standard should be viewed comprehensively. It should be seen as advanced and scientific, and represents the development direction of environmental management in the future. At the same time, ISO14000 certification has a certain flexibility. In addition to requiring enterprises to make commitments to comply with relevant laws and regulations and continuous improvement in their environmental policies, it does not stipulate absolute requirements for environmental performance. Therefore, two enterprises engaged in similar activities but with different environmental performance may both meet the requirements of ISO14000 certification standards.

Therefore, the ISO14000 certification requirements can be met by complying with the environmental laws and regulations of the region rather than the country where the export market is located, which reflects the principle of trade reciprocity and helps to eliminate trade barriers. However, we should also see that Western developed countries have adopted the ISO14000 certification standards based on very good environmental management experience and environmental protection technology. In this regard, most developing countries, including us, are not on the same starting line as Western developed countries. This disadvantage may be transformed into a trade barrier to our export products through the strict legislation and trade policies of Western developed countries. To this end, we should strive to catch up and implement the ISO14000 certification standards as soon as possible. At the same time, we should also argue through international negotiations such as bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, so as to leave time for our export enterprises to implement the ISO14001 certification standards and keep pace with the international standards.