10 Ways ISO 14001 Software Will Make You More Productive
Because spreadsheets are ruining your life, we’ve pulled together 10 specific ways EHS pros use ISO 14001 software to carve out that 25th hour. These tips will help you manage all your ISO 14001 responsibilities in less time and with greater success.
You should be using ISO 14001 software whenever you do anything EMS-related. It’ll help you offload some of the time consuming tasks successfully (without creating more work for yourself). You can also cut your reporting time in half, and actually get out the door at 5PM.
1. Keep due dates from sneaking up on you
Many companies use a calendar to keep track of permit expiration dates, license renewals, and document due dates, but it’s easy to miss important deadlines. Good software will keep tabs on everything for you, as well as tell you which items are due and who needs to take care of them.
2. Simplify decision-making
ISO 14001 software isn’t just for tracking your environmental impacts – it can also help you determine which impacts are significant. For example, numeric scoring allows you to identify environmental hazards and rank them by significance.
3. Establish performance objectives and KPIs
Since the ISO 14001 requirements don’t outline specific performance metrics, you’ll have to determine your own goals and targets. ISO 14001 software enables you to look at your current performance and set goals like electricity, water, or fuel usage.
4. Tackle goals with action plans
More powerful than a to-do list, ISO 14001 software lets you assign tasks, set due dates, send automatic reminders to your team, and get notifications for pending or overdue tasks.
5. Collect environmental data at the source
Air, water, waste, and GHG emissions data are some of the toughest metrics to track. Let automation do the heavy lifting and capture data at 5-minute intervals across hundreds of locations.
6. Automate audits and inspections
Especially if you have multiple facilities, it pays to streamline your audit process. Software allows you to automate inspections with pre-set questions in order to capture information efficiently.
7. Capture data on mobile
Rather than completing an audit and then running back to the office to enter data in a spreadsheet, mobile apps allow you to capture information on-site – even offline. You’ll also save on travel time because data can be captured remotely.
8. Get a snapshot of your progress with dashboards
A tool that includes pre-set dashboards will help you save time and get ideas on how to use dashboards. You also have the option to create your own dashboard and quickly visualize the metrics you want to see.
9. Create reports with a click
Pulling together reports from various sources can take hours or even days. With software, all your data is stored in one place, so you can quickly generate the reports you need for your boss or auditor.
10. Track corrective and preventive actions
With good software, you won’t waste time micromanaging or wondering what to do next. You can quickly assign follow-up tasks to your team, and get notifications when action is required.
11. Bonus tip: Keep it simple
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with all the ISO 14001 tools on the market. Choose a “modular” software that allows you to roll out only the features you need. This will ensure that you can focus on using the software to be more productive.
>>> Want to learn more ISO 14001 so you can stay on top of your responsibilities? We’ve put together a huge guide to ISO 14001 environmental management right here.