A CASE STUDY OF ISO 14001 and GREENING THE SUPPLY CHAIN

Abstract

In this session, we look in detail at how pursuing ISO 14001 certification can be a useful tool in the electronic and automotive sectors' efforts to green the supply chain, which is being fueled by several different sources: the European Union's directives and some electronic companies own specific technical standards. In each of these instances, having a solid and mature environmental management system, or EMS, can aid the suppliers to each of these industries achieve their own goals, and attain ISO 14001 certification during the process. Our talk will focus on our experiences with one supplier to both the automotive and electronics industries, and how this supplier initiated various tasks to get a handle on what and in what quantity and concentration various banned chemical substances were being phased out of their supply chain, and what the monetary consequences could be if not. During our talk, we will provide specific examples for achieving conformity to several of the emerging directives and standards that focus exclusively on a cornucopia of banned chemical substances, including lead, mercury, cadmium, hexavalent chrome and bromides, and how company faced with these challenges addresses the concerns to satisfy their customers. At stake: achieving Green Partner Status, adhering to the EU Directives of RoHS and WEE, and as a bonus, achieving ISO 14001 certification. Don't leave your questions behind, the lessons learned with this supplier are noteworthy.

Bio

Gabriele Crognale, PE, is an environmental consultant in private practice, affiliated with Merrimack College. He has over 28 years of experience in the environmental field, and has worked for several regulatory agencies enforcing hazardous waste regulations, and with several multinational environmental consulting firms. He is also a noted author and an ISO 14001 consultant and trainer. Among his publications, he was a contributor to The Greening of American Business, and his own book, Environmental Management Strategies: The 21st Century Perspective (Prentice-Hall, 1999).