News
Veracel’s environmental management system recommended for ISO 14001 re-certification
On June 1, Veracel received a recommendation for the recertification of the company's forestry environmental management system under ISO 14001 version 2004 regulations. The recertification, which would be valid until June 2009, attests for both domestic and international purposes to the adjustment of the company's environmental practices for the processes of "production and sales of eucalyptus seedlings and eucalyptus and native species seedlings; the production, harvest and transportation of cultivated eucalyptus wood." Bureau Veritas Quality International (BVQI) technicians conducted the audit of Veracel's administrative areas and forest operations.
The recertification, being based upon the new version of the regulations, indicates the effective improvement of the company's environmental management practices because the 2004 version is more encompassing and stricter than the previous version, which dates from 1996. The auditors identified 13 improvement opportunities and five non-conformities in the processes - four minor and one major, all of which were remedied during the course of the audit.
During the meeting at the end of the audit, the BVQI specialists praised the company's transparent posture during the work. "Veracel opened all doors and exposed not only positive aspects but also negative ones, together with the improvement initiatives," they said.
What is ISO?
ISO stands for the International Organization for Standardization. The ISO 14001 regulation is an international set of guidelines that specifies the requirements for implementing, maintaining and improving a company's environmental performance. The certification indicates Veracel's compliance with these environmental management norms and ratifies its commitment to fully implement its own environmental policy, preventing and minimizing environmental impacts coupled with a transparent relationship with stakeholders and the striving for continuous improvement.