Guide · ISO 14001
What ISO 14001 Is and How Environmental Management Works
A guide to understanding the international standard for environmental management systems: what it asks for, which concepts it uses and how it helps reduce the impact of an activity.
What it is
International standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
Who it's for
Any organisation with an environmental impact
Objective
Control of environmental aspects and legal compliance
What ISO 14001 Is
ISO 14001 for environmental management systems sets out internationally the conditions an organisation must meet to respect the environment while carrying out its activity, and so reduce its impact.
It does not set specific environmental limits: it establishes how the organisation should identify, control and improve its relationship with the environment.
Objectives of the Standard
- Improve the management of all environmental aspects.
- Help organisations control their consumption, manage waste and other impacts.
- Meet the demands and expectations of interested parties.
Who It Applies To
It applies to any organisation, regardless of size or sector.
It is especially relevant for activities with significant consumption, waste, emissions or environmental legal requirements.
Key Concepts
- Environmental aspect
- An element of the activity that interacts with the environment: consumption, waste, emissions, noise…
- Environmental impact
- A change in the environment, positive or negative, caused by environmental aspects.
- Legal requirements
- Applicable environmental obligations, which must be identified and evaluated periodically.
- Life cycle perspective
- Considering the impact of the product or service across its different stages.
- Emergency preparedness
- Anticipating and responding to situations that could generate environmental impacts.
Structure of the Standard
ISO 14001 follows the common structure shared by ISO management system standards. Its requirements are organised into the following clauses:
- 4. Context
- Understanding the organisation, its interested parties and defining the scope of the system.
- 5. Leadership
- Top management commitment, policy, and roles and responsibilities.
- 6. Planning
- Risks and opportunities, objectives and how to achieve them.
- 7. Support
- Resources, competence, awareness, communication and documented information.
- 8. Operation
- Planning and control of the processes specific to the standard.
- 9. Performance evaluation
- Monitoring and measurement, internal audit and management review.
- 10. Improvement
- Nonconformities, corrective actions and continual improvement.
Benefits
- Cost reduction through more efficient use of resources.
- New market opportunities.
- An improved corporate image with authorities and society.
- Greater control over environmental legal compliance.
What a Company Should Bear in Mind
- Properly identifying environmental aspects and deciding which ones are significant.
- Keeping the register of legal requirements up to date.
- Setting measurable and realistic environmental objectives.
- Involving the people who manage the processes with the greatest impact.
The certificate is issued by an independent certification body following an audit of the system; a consultancy helps implement and prepare it.
Relationship with Other Management Systems
Because ISO management system standards share a common structure, it is common to integrate them into a single system.
Common Questions about ISO 14001
Is ISO 14001 mandatory?
No. It is voluntary, but it helps manage, in an orderly way, environmental obligations that may well be legally required.
What is the difference between ISO 14001 and the EMAS Regulation?
Both are environmental management schemes. EMAS is a European regulation that includes the requirements of ISO 14001 and adds further elements, such as a public environmental statement.
Can it be integrated with ISO 9001?
Yes. They share a structure and many management elements, so they can be implemented as part of an integrated system.