The growing importance of the services sector in the global economy is not only a well-documented trend, it is also a powerful opportunity to leverage millions of jobs and encourage the creation of more innovative companies.

Services, however, are not just about economic growth. They are also the road to development. Increased trade in services has been correlated with poverty reduction, as it is a catalyst for job creation, in particular jobs for women in developing countries. 

A closer look at the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in September 2015, also highlights the crucial role of public services and the urgent imperative for governments to improve and reform public utilities. 

There is no doubt that reforming and adapting public-sector services to make them more sustainable has its challenges as it means taking several socio-economic, environmental and political factors into consideration in the provision of services. 

To read more on the topic of corporate social responsibility and governance in the service industry, click here.

Harnessing standards to make the service industry more sustainable must therefore take a realistic and inclusive approach that encourages actors from the private and public sector service organizations to work together.

Sustainability standards in the provision of services

Standards help you to understand the impact your services and supply chain have on the environment.

Environmental management is designed to manage cost through sustainable practice; reduce, reuse and recycle. BS EN ISO 14001 helps businesses of all sizes across all sectors make their day-to-day operations more sustainable. 

Sustainability can ultimately save money, improve brand reputation, engage employees and build resilience against uncertainty as well as the ability to rapidly adapt to change. Implementing an environmental management system will help your organization to: 

• Comply with environmental rules and regulations.

• Analyze activities and establish actual and potential environmental impacts.

• Measure, control and reduce waste.

• Meet supply chain requirements.

• Reduce operating costs by discovering and implementing more sustainable practices.

As the service sector continues to grow in line with increasing demand, as does the amount of energy required to provide these services. This not only puts a strain on natural resources, it also impacts carbon emissions. This calls for close monitoring by organizations as the pressure on profits is not just caused by the amount of energy used, but also by rising prices. Standards can help clients cut carbon emissions as well as energy bills.

Used by large and small service organizations across the world to manage and reduce energy use and costs, BS EN ISO 50001 is an excellent framework to help implement an energy management system (EnMS). This best practice framework helps organizations better manage and reduce their energy consumption. 

Complementing this, PAS 2060 can help you maintain trust in your efforts to manage and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It applies to service organizations of all types. This means you can achieve carbon neutrality across all service areas, including construction, transport, manufacturing, product lines, and events.

Ensure your service organization is working to sustainability best practices by adding these standards to your collection today.

Discover BSI Knowledge

As the pressure builds for all businesses to achieve net zero, knowing which standards can help you manage your energy efficiently can seem like a huge challenge. With a BSI Knowledge subscription, you will have the flexibility and visibility to manage the essential standards you need in order to start your journey to net zero with confidence. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to one of our pre-built modules, such as GBM06 Environment, Wastes, and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.