Is it essential for all the Industries/Companies to get ISO 14001 Certification?

No, ISO 14001 is a voluntary standard.

Why many enterprises/industries are keen to obtain ISO 14001 Certification?

Enterprises/industries obtain ISO 14001 certificate for one or more, reasons as listed below:

• Improved management of environmental aspects: An EMS can provide a framework for continuous improvement of a company’s management of the environmental aspects of its activities. Similarly, it facilitates compliance with national and/or overseas environmental requirements.
• Economic benefits: an EMS results in reduced cost of waste management and/or savings in consumption of energy and materials.
• Trade considerations: a company seeks ISO 14001 certification because it is perceived as a means to gain customer recognition, increase export competitiveness and strengthen market positions, or as a means to avoid barriers to trade.
• Corporate image: a company seeks ISO 14001 certification with a view to improving corporate image among regulators, customers and the public.

Whether it affects the export, if an exporting enterprise, does not have ISO 14001 Certificate?

Till now, there is no mandatory requirement of ISO-14001 certification for export market. However, it is a de facto pre-requisite for export market in different countries.

Whether Government of India is giving any incentive to ISO 14001 certified enterprises?

The Export-Import (EXIM) Bank of India provides grants of upto 50% of the cost incurred in obtaining the EMS certificate to export oriented units.