As I write this, the New Year has hit us and the turn of the Millennium is drawing ever closer. Will either affect ISO's EMS Standards (ISO 14001 and ISO 14004)? The answer is a resounding yes - in both cases. Why? - a few brief comments will illustrate and perhaps highlight the issues which I believe will be of concern to members of ISO/TC 207/ Subcommittee 1 in the months to come.

We have published standards which have generated great interest around the world. That said, the significance and benefits they offer to "users" and to society at large is still largely a well kept secret. My best guestimate is that there are about 2500 certificates/registrations against ISO 14001 around the world, and the number is rapidly increasing.

Another guestimate will claim that many thousands of "users" are part-way through the EMS process and that many of them will not be seeking registration/ certification, but will be content to use the approach and gain the benefits without taking the costs of registration/ certification. At the risk of upsetting them (and gaining favour form the certification/registration industry!), I think that they are missing out by not being able to demonstrate that a third-party assessor has examined their system and compared it with the ISO standard and given a certificate which shows compliance with its requirements. But that is an aside! The point here is the phenomenal success of the standards - I've heard it said that they are being accepted and used faster than the ISO 9000 series were at a similar age - whether correct or not, the rate of usage is amazing. More still needs to be done, at a national and international level (including by and through governments) to raise awareness of the standards, and I urge all involved to promote them as much as possible.

Climate change

As an example of their potential significance, ISO was represented at the Climate Change Initiative meetings in December 1997 in Kyoto, Japan - an unusual situation but one which recognizes the benefits of the ISO approach and processes, as well as the potential benefits and significance of the ISO 14000 series of standards in overall environmental management and the future of the plant.

1998 also heralds the production of an ISO/CASCO Guide, General requirements for bodies operating assessment and certification/registration of Environmental Management Systems (EMS). Although still at the (final) draft stage and still subject to ISO and IEC final approval by ballot, this document will be welcomed by all involved in the use and assessment of the ISO 14001 standard, providing, as it hopefully will, a uniform approach for the certification/registration process.

Compatibility between the ISO 14000 and ISO 9000 series of standards

Another major issue for 1998 is that around compatibility between the ISO 14000 and ISO 9000 series of standards. Clearly, for users, it makes sense to be able to use both sets of standards as easily as possible where they wish to do so. As well as facilitating system design and operation, it will (possibly) assist auditing and certification/registration. If these benefits can be achieved, without compromising the essential features of quality assurance and management and environmental management, the use of both series of standards should further improve. The ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) created a Technical Advisory Group (TAG 12) to inquire into and report on ways of promoting compatibility between the two series of standards (see ISO Bulletin, August 1997), and this group is due to report early in 1998. In addition, the two TCs, TC 176 and TC 207, have created a Joint Coordination Group (comprising the officers of the TCs and SCs involved in management systems, auditing and terminology) with the task of overseeing the move towards greater compatibility.

Each pair of subcommittees has also created a joint group to examine the compatibility issues in detail and to report to the respective SCs, TCs and Coordination Group on progress/problems (if any) and suggested solutions. It should be remembered that ISO standards must, according to the ISO Directives, be reviewed every five years to ensure their ongoing suitability and relevance, and the joint working/compatibility discussions take place against the review process which is already underway in TC 176 and which is about to commence in TC 207. These discussions by themselves will make 1998 an interesting year for all involved in the TC 207 and TC 176 process and meetings!

1998 is also likely to be the year of the SME in that the TC 207/SC1 task group look at the use of the ISO EMS standards by SMEs and any special needs or requirements which may be necessary to assist them in their use of the standards will be recorded. The report will be discussed at the SC 1 meeting in San Francisco in June and the debate will also be informed by a one-day seminar on the SME to be held at the same time and location.

Trade implications

The trade implications of the standards will also be a hotly debated issue during the year as participants and bodies such as WTO, UNCTAD and others strive to avoid technical barriers to trade interfering with the use of the standards. This topic is to be the subject of a workshop in June 1998 during the plenary meetings of TC 207 which promises to be a lively occasion!

Another lively debate for 1998 will focus on the report of the TC 207 Working Group on Forestry. The group's report - an ISO Technical Report to assist forestry organizations in implementing the generic ISO 14001 EMS standard was sent to ISO/TC 207 participating members at the end of 1997 for a three-month ballot on whether to publish. Whatever the results of the ballot, the report is likely to generate discussions within the TC members, especially those liaison members from the NGO/Environmental community.

Yet another new year's issue to keep our interest and aftention!

Another issue of significance for 1998 will be that of ensuring that the developing and emerging countries participate in the TC, SC and WG meetings and can contribute to the development of the standards, including the revisions which are about to begin. Their experience as well as that of other "users" will be the subject of a workshop at the June meetings - it's going to be a busy week for all involved! It is, however, very important that means are found to enable them to be actively involved in the process, and the work of DENCO with the active support from governments, and related agencies around the world, is gratefully acknowledged. More will be needed if we are to ensure the maximum acceptance and credibility of the standards and the ISO process. I have no doubt that this will be an ongoing topic for some time to come.

As seems inevitable, several of these issues will stretch beyond 1998 and into the new millenium - and rightly so. Although many of the challenges which confronted the TC when it was created in 1993 have been met and bettered, many more lie ahead. I hope that readers will relish the incomplete and new challenges, and work hard to find solutions to them all.