Russian-Norwegian Cleaner Production Centre
 and ISO 14000 family of international standards		  
ON MAIN ENGLISH PAGE


The RNCPC has been busy in Russia over 8 years now, organizing and implementing Cleaner Production Programmes and financial engineering. More than 1500 experts trained according to the Programme, promote its principles at their industrial entities. Economic effectiveness is of 2 to 5 Roubles of return on every Rouble invested into the Programme.

There is a financial crediting line opened by the Northern Environmental Finance Corporation (NEFCO) for funding environmental sound projects (amounts up to US$ 200.000,00; 6 % the annual rate; recoupment of investments up to 3 years). The first projects are being performed already.

It should be noted that the need of the Russian industry in quality and environmental management systems is growing now apace. It is very important for them to have the skilful personnel while passing to the EMS and carrying out certification according to the ISO 14000 family of international standards. With this in mind, the Russian-Norwegian Cleaner Production Centre has decided to include into the curriculum a course of problems and techniques of introducing the environmental management systems and the environmental audit according to the ISO 14000 family of international standards.

This course will comprise holding of seminars for top managers and medium - level leaders, as well.

The course for top managers is intended to:
  • give them the notion of the EMS, of peculiarities and major requirements of the ISO 14000 standards;
  • teach the strategy of introduction, development and certification of the EMS.
The study is carried out in four stages:
  1. Analysis of the current state of the EMS. Problems and liabilities of the top management.
  2. Introduction to the ISO 14000 family of international standards.
  3. Preparative work on the enterprise for adoption of the EMS according to the requirements of ISO 14000 standards.
  4. Final audit and accountability.



As to a real worldwide accepted certification by the ISO 14000 family of international standards, it may be effected by firms and companies in accordance with their international status. However, this operation is a very expensive one.

At present the RNC has a methodology of passing to the EMS and training experts, elaborated within the framework of the Russian-Norwegian Programme. JSC "Petrozavodskmash", the Republic of Karelia has been chosen as a pilot enterprise for working out the EMS. It is planned to start from February, 2003 the similar work at the enterprise "Zvezdochka" (shipbuilding, repairs of submarines, etc.), Severodvinsk, Arkhangelsk region.


It would be more expedient, as we see it, first to have prepared transition to the EMS, and only then to start certification according to the ISO 14000 family of international standards. The expenditure in this case will be much lower, and first positive results can be obtained in a shorter lapse of time, and then fomented. Besides, step by step forming of the EMS allows the enterprise to eliminate in an efficacious way all drawbacks emerged, to correct the direction of EMS-related jobs due to changes in the conditions and new interests of production. Such an approach can guarantee to a higher extent a sustainable development of the enterprise with due regard for hard requirements of the international market.

The RNC is ready to render to the industry and agriculture its services in establishing and developing the EMS.


The ISO 14000 family of international standards: an analytical review