The Centre for Sustainable Design - CfSD - announces training for the new ISO 14006 eco design standard

CfSD director Martin Charter, who was global convenor of the ISO working group responsible for the standard and intimately involved with forming its content, says it will provide practical guidance on how to manage eco design within existing management systems, speeding up opportunities to design, develop and produce profitable products with lower environmental impact.

He adds, With ISO 14006, manufacturers carrying out eco design can realise benefits in cost reduction, improved stakeholder and supply chain relationships, and improve image, employee motivation and innovation while maintaining the integrity of their EMS.

But these benefits arise from changes in critical strategic planning and operational activities and can only be realised if they are anticipated, recognised and recorded as part of the overall corporate goals, objectives and targets.

It is in these areas that CfSD will provide training, effective immediately.

Says Charter, The standard is intimately linked to ISO 14001 and will help organisations establish a systematic and structured approach to the incorporation and implementation of eco design activities within an environmental management system such as ISO 14001:2004.

ISO 14006 is a guidance standard, not a certification standard. It is intended to be applicable to all organisations, regardless of type, size and product provided, but is aimed primarily at those that have an environmental management system, such as ISO 14001:2004, in place.

It will also be useful if combined with a quality management system in line with ISO 9001, and may be useful for those organisations that have no formalised environmental or quality management system but which are interested in reducing the adverse environmental impacts of their products.

Charter adds that a guidance standard was needed because no existing standard specifically covers and relates to the differing areas of knowledge and competencies required for the management of eco design within organisations.