Greg Roberts, environmental consultant at the manufacturers' organisation, EEF, has been appointed as the UK expert in a group reviewing the international standard ISO 14004.
ISO 14004 provides guidance to organisations that are implementing or, trying, to improve their Environmental Management Systems (EMS) including ISO 14001. Greg's appointment puts EEF in a unique position to advise business on how they can get ahead of their competitors and take advantage of the opportunities the revised standard will bring.

International standard ISO 14001 provides a framework for organisations to improve their environmental performance. Almost a quarter of a million organisations worldwide are certified to ISO 14001, including many UK manufacturers.

Mr Roberts will work with other experts from Columbia, Canada, Spain, Japan, Australia as the guidance provided by ISO 14004 has to be universal. This is to ensure it can be used in all sectors in all countries, so specific templates and approaches have to be avoided.

He said: 'Although the new standard will not be available until early 2015 we already know that significant change is likely and companies should take the opportunity to prepare sooner rather than later. This will make the transition to the new standard easier and there is likely to be a commercial advantage in being a leader rather than a follower.'