Based on information provided by ISO (International Organization of Standardization), ISO 14001 is their most popular standard considering the number of organizations that has implemented it and certified to it worldwide. Although most of the requirements may seem related to ISO 9001, but ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System) mainly covers and controls the effects of an organization’s processes that may have some impact on internal and external surrounding atmosphere. The standard focuses mainly on Environment, Health and Safety issues in an organization.

Benefits:
• Improve environmental performance of supply chain
• Quantify, monitor and control the impact of operations on the environment, now and in the future
• Identify cost savings with greater emphasis on resource, waste and energy management
• Ensure legislative awareness and compliance

By obtaining ISO 14001 Certification you can prove to your stakeholders, customers and staff that you are aware of your environmental obligations and are looking to reduce your environmental impact.
Contact us to carry out the full certification process, or a gap assessment against the ISO 14001 standard.

 

FAQ

What are the revised areas in the ISO 14001:2015 standard?

The standard has been updated to respond to latest trends in environmental management. It also includes additional requirements for:

  • Increased emphasis on environmental management within an organization’s strategic and business planning
  • Leadership
  • Risk associated with threats and opportunities
  • Life-cycle thinking
  • Value chain controls
  • Performance evaluation

The standard has also adopted a new structure, referred to as “Annex SL” which ensures that the standard is compatible with other ISO management system standards.

What are the benefits of ISO 14001:2015?

Using ISO 14001:2015 has many benefits for organizations with environmental management systems. Organizations and companies find that using the standard helps them:

  • Improve resource efficiency
  • Reduce waste
  • Drive down costs
  • Provide assurance that environmental impact is being measured
  • Gain competitive advantage in supply chain design
  • Increase new business opportunities
  • Meet legal obligations
  • Increase stakeholder and customer trust
  • Improve overall environmental impact
  • Manage environmental obligations with consistency

How Does The General Communication Section of ISO 14001 Work?

The “general” section relates to the planning and preparation needed to establish an effective communication process. This should take into account information drawn from the needs and expectations of interested parties (4.2) to ensure that relevant information is made available/received as appropriate and in the form required. Once communication requirements are established, differing strategies can then be utilized to cover internal and external requirements.

What are Environmental Aspects and Impacts?

An environmental aspect is any element of an organization’s activities, products or services that can interact with the environment. Environmental Impacts are any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization’s environmental aspects.

All of our work is performed in an office setting. Would ISO 14001 still apply?

Yes. ISO 14001 would be applicable to an office setting. In such cases, consideration should be given to resource conservation and the prevention of pollution.

I am a small business with less than 50 employees. Is ISO 14001:2015 relevant for me?

The revised version of the standard is as relevant to small businesses as it is to large multinational organizations. Regardless of your organization’s size, it will enable you to drive improvement in your environmental performance, saving natural and financial resources.

What Does "Leadership" Mean In ISO 14001?

In ISO 14001, there is an explicit and enhanced requirement for top management to demonstrate leadership and commitment relating to the system. There must be a clear and demonstrable link between the organization’s business strategy and its environmental policy and objectives.

What Makes An ISO 14001 EMS Successful?

The standard itself has three expected outcomes:

  • Enhancement of environmental performance
  • Fulfillment of compliance obligations
  • Achievement of environmental objectives.

Would past environmental violations keep us from getting certified?

No. Past environmental violations would not disqualify your organization from becoming ISO 14001 certified, provided that these issues have been addressed and resolved to the satisfaction of the appropriate regulatory body.

Our company already holds ISO 9001 certification. Can ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 systems be integrated together?

Correct. Both ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 9001:2015 have adopted ISO’s Annex SL / High Level Structure, which creates a common format between both sets of requirements and simplifies integration between the two