Relevancy of ISO 50001 Energy Management for Your Organisation
Energy management training has never been as important as it is today. We live in an energy-reliant society in which heavy usage of energy has a negative impact on the environment. According to the International Standards Organisation, energy consumption has doubled over the past four decades. Companies need energy, but at the same time, their heavy reliance on energy is risking the future of the entire planet.
According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), energy consumption is responsible for more than 66% of the world’s greenhouse emissions. Energy management training regarding ISO 50001 helps top-level management gain insight into the value of energy management, the legal requirements, and how to implement an ISO 50001 Energy Management System (EMS).
Energy management training also pertains to awareness training for all employees working within the company. With every employee understanding the role of energy management, the ISO 50001 standard, and their own roles in managing energy within the organisation, the company can move forward with the implementation of an ISO 50001 EMS.
Internal audit energy management training is also essential for employees, tasked with conducting internal audits in their companies, to determine where there are problem areas regarding compliance with the requirements of ISO 50001.
What is an ISO 50001 Energy Management System?
An ISO 50001 EMS helps the organisation to improve and thus reduce their energy usage. It provides the guidelines and framework for the development and implementation of an energy policy, and the setting of performance targets regarding energy usage. It also involves the creation of action plans to achieve the objectives. Part of the implementation entails training relevant personnel in energy management.
An EMS, for instance, can include the implementation of innovative technologies, which help to reduce energy waste. It can also help improve the organisation’s current energy consumption processes in order to cut expenses. It can furthermore entail changing from one form of energy usage to another, in order to reduce greenhouse gas emission levels and thus reduce the environmental impact.
ISO 50001 provides the requirements and framework to achieve the above through the development of an ISO 50001-compliant EMS. Similar to many other ISO standards, ISO 50001 follows the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) approach. As such, it is possible to integrate the management system with ISO 14001, which is focussed on environmental management. The PDCA approach also facilitates ongoing improvements in the organisation’s energy consumption management. As such, it helps to reduce the organisation’s environmental impact significantly. Training regarding the standard is essential to ensure the correct design, implementation, and maintenance of the EMS.
Following the requirements of ISO 50001, organisations are able to develop policies that facilitate more efficient uses of energy. It also makes it possible for such organisations to set energy consumption and performance targets to ensure that they can meet the requirements of their own policies.
In meeting the requirements of the standard, organisations should collect relevant data to support decision-making regarding energy usage. Companies, who wish to comply with the requirements of ISO 50001, must measure the results achieved through internal audits. Training regarding the internal auditing process is essential to ensure that correct auditing procedures are followed.
Management must review the effectiveness of the organisation’s policy on a regular basis through management reviews. The results of the reviews should be used to improve the organisation’s energy management.
Why implement ISO 50001?
Many companies around the world have already implemented the ISO 50001 standard with great success. The standard is designed to help improve energy performance through using energy-intensive assets more efficiently. With improved energy performance, the organisation is able to optimise the energy sources and assets, thereby reducing the cost of the organisation’s energy usage.
In many instances, organisations are able to also reduce their environmental impact, and thereby positively improve their social responsibility standing with clients.
Relevancy of ISO 50001
Is ISO 50001 EMS for your organisation? The answer is yes, regardless of the industry in which your organisation operates. The standard, as with other ISO standards, has been designed for application regardless of the organisation size, industry, or geographic location. The standard does not set targets for the organisation to improve energy performance. As such, it is left to your organisation and the regulatory requirements of the country to determine the baseline upon which you can improve.
Of course, enrolling top-level management and key employees in the implementation training will help you to understand the requirements of the standard. Awareness training is beneficial to ensure the widespread support for implementation in the company, and to help employees understand their roles in energy management.
Is Certification Necessary?
No. It is not compulsory to become ISO 50001 certified, although certification certainly brings benefits, such as documented proof of your organisation’s compliance, and it can be used in your marketing efforts. If your organisation is, for instance, operating in the building and construction sector, you can inform clients about your certification.
Related Standards
ISO 50001 forms part of the ISO 50000 family of energy management standards. The ISO 50002 standard is about the requirements and guidelines for use regarding energy audits. ISO 50004 is about guidance for the implementation, maintenance, and improvement of the organisation’s EMS, while ISO 50006 is about measuring energy performance using the energy baselines and indicators.
Where to Start?
We understand that it might be difficult to decide which standards to use, what to do with templates for implementation, and how to improve performance through the effective implementation of an ISO 50001 EMS.
We provide you with consultation assistance, an e-learning platform, auditing assistance, GAP analysis, preparation assistance, and training services, which include corporate packages for ISO 50001 certification. We offer a full range of ISO courses and templates for implementation.
You will appreciate the experience and expertise offered by our course presenters, in addition to the valuable assistance that our consultants offer to help you gain the most benefit from implementing the standard. View our full range of services, and call us to help you get started.