Environmental Management System Development Process (2013)

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30 Environmental performance—measurable results of an organization’s impacts on the environment. Environmental risk—the chance that a negative impact to the environment will occur. Executive Order—policy directives issued by the President of the United States which do not require legislative action. Global Reporting Initiative (GRI)—a non-profit organiza- tion that works towards a sustainable global economy by providing sustainability reporting guidance (https://www. globalreporting.org/Pages/default.aspx). ISO 14001 International Standard Environmental man- agement systems—Requirements with guidance for use—an international standard that establishes require- ments for environmental management systems. Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle—a four-step model for implementing change. The ongoing repletion of the four steps leads to continual improvement. Significant aspect—aspect that has a meaningful impact on the environment, whether positive or negative. Sustainability—using resources and impacting the envi- ronment to fulfill social and economic needs in a way that allows their continued use now and in the future. Accreditation—the means by which an authoritative body validates the conformance of a certification body (CB, also known as a registrar) to the requirements of international criteria (http://www.anab.org/resources/glossary.aspx). Accreditation body (AB)—an authoritative body that issues CBs the authority to issue certifications to organizations under an international criteria. Certification—used to verify the conformance of an orga- nization’s management systems to a standard or other requirement. Also sometimes referred to as registration (http://www.anab.org/resources/glossary.aspx). Certification body (CB)—a third-party company contracted to evaluate the conformance of an organization’s manage- ment systems to the requirements of the appropriate stan- dards and issue a certificate of conformance when warranted. Also known as a registrar (http://www.anab.org/resources/ glossary.aspx). Environmental aspect—characteristics of an organization’s activities or products or services that can interact with the environment. Environmental impact—any change, positive or negative, to the environment. GLOSSARY