The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP21/CMP11, held in France from November 30 to December 11, 2015, discussed the impact of industrial development on our climate. With the goal of keeping global warming below 2°C, businesses and governments gathered to discuss climate change, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and the development of alternative energy sources.

During the conference, December 7 and 8 were specifically dedicated to the business sector. The Sustainable Innovation Forum (SIF15) connected stakeholders from corporations, governments, finance, the UN, NGOs, and civil society to drive business innovation and scale up the emerging green economy.

Recently, media reports on the worsening smog situation led the Chinese government to issue health alerts for Beijing residents. This issue has added urgency and tension to the discussions.

This is a prime example of the current alarming climate situation, which brings about negative developments such as rising sea levels and extreme weather events. Is this a natural cycle or the result of human impact? Regardless of the cause, is there truly nothing we can do to improve the situation?

Every business can play a part in improving this situation.

The new version of ISO 14001 – the ISO 14001:2015 standard – can reduce the environmental impact of business activities. This is a global standard with certification activities implemented in 171 countries. The standard provides a framework for organizations to follow in order to address the challenges of climate change.

In addition to improving the current environmental state for everyone, the standard also brings many specific benefits to your organization, such as:

• Meeting legal obligations
• Attracting employees
• Improving work efficiency through capacity building
• Reducing waste and enhancing recycling activities
• Helping to reduce costs
• Increasing profitability
• Enhancing brand image.

Implementing and achieving ISO 14001 certification can bring significant benefits and positive results to an organization. By effectively complying with an environmental management system, you will gain a competitive advantage and contribute to addressing the climate change challenges that the world faces in the future.