ISO 14001 gives environmental and cost benefits to SKF

ISO 14001 gives environmental and cost benefits to SKF ISO 14001 was formally issued in September 1996, and SKF decided later that year to aim for certification of all its manufacturing units to the new ISO standard. SKF was eligible for a single Group-wide certificate to ISO 14001, after demonstrating to the assessors that it had implemented: * a single environmental management system throughout the Group; * a corporate auditing programme for all SKF factories world-wide; * overall management of the system by Group Headquarters. Advantages of ISO 14001 The main advantages of Group certification are: Consistent high standards across the globe Much reduced cost of third party (external) auditing. SKF is assessed as a single organisation rather than numerous individual units. The estimated annual cost saving from this strategy is £ 500 000. Avoidance of wasteful and costly duplication. The management system was developed, checked and issued once, rather than at each of the 63 sites. ISO 14001 certification provides assurance to customers, shareholders and other interested parties that SKF takes its environmental responsibility seriously, and is committed to a policy of continual improvement. Down to zero Good environmental management is always cost-effective, and environmental programmes are designed to help to improve the company's profitability and long term stability. An example of continual improvement can be seen at the Hanover plant, in Pennsylvania, US. The generation of hazardous waste has been reduced from around 230 tons per year to almost zero. ISO 14001 requires companies to continually set objectives and targets for environmental improvement, and to implement an action plan to meet the objectives. All SKF manufacturing units have issued action plans for environmental improvements. A summary of their objectives will be published in the SKF Environmental Report 1998, to be issued with the SKF Annual Report 1998. Göteborg, January 13, 1999 Aktiebolaget SKF (publ.) For further information please contact: Åke Svanberg, Information Manager, SKF Group Communication, tel +46-705-371099, +46-31-3372005 Michael Abbott, SKF Group Manager, Environmental Affairs, tel +44-421-304573 Aktiebolaget SKF, SE-415 50 Göteborg, Sweden tel +46-31-3371000, fax +46-31-3372832, www.skf.com ------------------------------------------------------------ Please visit http://www.bit.se for further information The following files are available for download: http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/13/19990113BIT00130/bit0001.doc http://www.bit.se/bitonline/1999/01/13/19990113BIT00130/bit0002.pdf