You are here: Home : Conservation : Environmental Management System
Environmental Management System
The North Carolina Zoo received an ISO 14001 certification from the American Quality Assessors on December 2, 2002. We were the first Zoo in the United States, and the first agency of the North Carolina Government to receive this certification. ISO 14001 certification includes a set of environmental management standards to identify and manage negative environmental impacts that may result from the routine conduct of Zoo business.
Examples of negative environmental impacts might include excessive water consumption, generation of significant paper and cardboard waste or air quality degradation from bus and tram exhaust emissions.
Our Horticulture section received the initial certification in 2002. The Hanes Veterinary Center was certified in July 2005, and the Animal Care Section in 2008. In time, all sections of the Zoo will carry ISO 14001 certification.
Compliance with the ISO 14001 standard requires the Zoo to establish an Environmental Management System (EMS), identifying significant environmental impacts, while establishing plans to manage and minimize these impacts.