“The organization has established and maintains an effective system to ensure compliance with its policy and objectives,” said TÜV Rheinland in its recommendation for the issuance of ISO 14001:2004 Certificate to TMC.
In issuing the certification, TÜV Rheinland said the company had successfully complied with all the requirements in meeting the standard.
TÜV Rheinland added: “The audit team confirms in line with the audit targets that the organization’s management system complies with, adequately maintains and implements the requirements of the standard.”
Last April 23, 2015, TMC was successfully recommended for ISO 14001 - Environmental Management Systems certification under the afore- mentioned certifying body.
This recommendation followed the completion of TMC’s stage 1 audit last March 18-20 and stage 2 audit last April 21-23.
A cross functional team, dubbed as the TMC-GEMS which stands for Total Management Commitment for Good Environmental Management System was specially organized to lay the necessary preparations for the planning and implementation stages of the environmental management system.
The team was led by Engr. Robert T. Francisco, the designated environmental management representative along with the different sub-groupheads and members and pollution control officers.
Another integral part of the system were the rest of the employees and contractors whose cooperation and compliance to the system were a crucial part.
Together they worked closely to setup the company’s environmental management system guided by its policy which lays out the following principles: management commitment, legal compliance, pollution prevention and continual improvement in the field of environmental protection.
“As a company that subscribes to the principles of responsible and sustainable mining, this certification serves as proof that TMC takes its environmental commitment seriously,” said TMC.
TMC is one of the four subsidiaries of NickelAsiaCorporation(NAC)who have also earned their respective ISO 14001 certification. The three other companies were Rio Tuba Nickel Mining Corporation (RTNMC), Hinatuan Mining Corporation (HMC), and Cagdianao Mining Corporation (CMC).
All NAC OpCos: ISO 14001 Certified
Even before Gina Lopez was appointed chief of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), all operating companies of Nickel Asia were recommended by international certifying body, TÜV Rheinland, for the issuance of an ISO14001-Environmental Management Systems (EMS) certification.
The ISO 14001 is an internationally agreed standard that specifies the requirements for an EMS in order for an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives to enhance its environmental performance.
An EMS is a systemic approach to handling environmental issues within an organization.
According to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), this standard is used by the organization seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability.
Lopez had said mining companies must secure an ISO certification particularly ISO 14001 for them to be classi- fied responsible miners.
The process for the ISO certification was mandated by NAC in compliance to the Administrative Order 2015-07 issued by the DENR last year.
The DENR’s order requires all holders of valid mineral agreements (MAs) and Financial or Technical Assistance Agreement (FTAAs) engaged in metallic operations to secure ISO 14001 Certification within one year from the date of the order. The DAO was issued on April 30, 2015 and signed on May 15, 2015.
It also institutionalizes an EMS to ensure the adherence of local mining operations to international standards.
Even before the issuance of the DENR directive, all companies under NAC have already been committed to establishing for themselves EMS and Responsible Mining advocacy.
Failure to secure or maintain the ISO 14001 certification will lead to suspension of the environmental compliance certificate (ECC) and non-issuance of ore transport permit (OTP).
Environment Secretary Regina Paz “Gina” Lopez had said that mining companies must secure an ISO certification particularly ISO 14001 for them to be classified responsible miners.
"ISO 14001 is one way of saying responsible mining," Lopez said.