There was over 34.9 million tons of hazardous waste reported in 2019 by the United States Environmental Protection Agency creating environmental hazards for the surrounding community. With the growing demand of environmental action, Ceres seeks to be a frontrunner for environmental protection. Ceres Terminals was awarded the ISO 14001:2015 certification demonstrating sustainable environmental management and efficient use of resources.

ISO 14001 is considered the gold standard when it comes to businesses demonstrating a commitment to environmental management. This certification is given to organizations and businesses that focus on reduction of environmental impact and prevention of pollution. Complying to the ISO 14001 standards proves that an organization is considering the environment within its goals and objectives, which in turn aids its international reputation, selection as a vendor/business, and overall material efficiency which also translates directly to cost savings.

“The average time it takes to initially implement the ISO standard can range from 6 months to 2 years depending on the size of a company, said Victor Thomas, Vice President of Safety, Security, and Environment at Ceres. “One challenge we faced is our geographical location separation throughout North America and Canada. The extensive coordination and planning were completed with the support of OptimPorts, a company dedicated to offering professional services to ports and terminal companies in North America.”

Environmental policies, procedures, manuals, emergency plans, checklist and records are all part of ISO standard which requires recurring audits from a 3rd Party Certifying body. Ceres has designed and implemented a comprehensive Environmental Management System (EMS) that includes extensive record keeping and managing environmental aspects and impacts on the environment.

“Having the ISO 14001 certification is an ongoing process,” said Mr. Thomas.

Ceres management and staff are responsible for ensuring all policies, procedures, and Best Management Practices (BMP) are followed in their daily operations. The management will advise any vendors and contractors of the company’s commitment to the environment. The organization’s commitment will ensure standards and best practices are implemented when conducting business within the operation as Ceres maintains and improves the quality of community relations.