What is ISO 14001?
The formal title of ISO 14001 is Environmental
Management Systems - Specification With Guidance For Use. It was developed by
the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is intended to provide
organizations with the elements of an effective environmental management system.
Its aim is to support environmental protection and prevention of pollution in balance
with socioeconomic needs. Verified implementation of this standard can be used by
organizations to assure stakeholders and interested parties that an appropriate
environmental management system is in place.
Starting with the developments of an environmental
policy, the organization will plan its approach, implement the plan through operational
measures and control, provide corrective action where required and oversee the entire
activity via the management review process.
Much like its counterpart, ISO 9001:2000 (quality
management system), ISO 14001:2004 has certain core elements. But whereas ISO 9001
has five basic sections (with numerous sub-elements), ISO 14001 has six. These are:
4.1 – Environmental Management Systems Requirements; 4.2 - Environmental Policy;
4.3 - Planning (including environmental aspects; legal and other requirements;
objectives, targets and program(s)); 4.4 - Implementation and Operation (including
resources, roles, responsibility and authority; competence, training and awareness;
communication; documentation; control of documents; operational control; emergency
preparedness and response); 4.5 - Checking (including monitoring and measurement;
evaluation of compliance; nonconformity, corrective and preventive action; control
of records; internal audit); 4.6 - Management Review.
There are several significant similarities between
ISO 9001:2000 and ISO 14001:2004. First and foremost, both are international standards
for management systems. The emphasis is on development and implementation of systems
and procedures that assure a managed and controlled process. With ISO 9001, the
focus is on planning for defect-free manufacturing or service. With ISO 14001, the
focus is on the identification of those aspects of the process and/or product that
can have an impact upon the environment, and development of monitoring techniques
and other controls which will give workers and the public at large reasonable assurance
that no harm will come to the environment from business operations, today or in
the future.
Both standards require a policy statement from management,
top management commitment, document control, training, corrective action, management
review and internal auditing. Differences also exist. ISO 14001 requires some things
not required by ISO 9001, such as identification of specific environmental aspects,
setting targets and objectives at all relevant levels, a commitment to compliance
with all applicable regulations and laws aimed at the prevention of pollution, and
public sharing of specific information.
On the plus side, even though ISO 14001 requires
procedures to be in place for many parts of the requirements, these procedures do
not have to take the form of traditional, documented procedures, such as those required
by ISO 9001. ISO 14001 limits its requirement for documented procedures to the following:
environmental policy, objectives and targets; description of the scope of the EMS;
description of the main elements of the EMS and their interaction, and reference
to related documents; documents, including records, required by ISO 14001; documents,
including records, determined by the organization to be necessary to ensure the
effective planning, operation and control of processes that relate to its significant
environmental aspects.
Due to the many similarities between ISO 9001 and
ISO 14001, there is considerable attention being paid to the integration of these
two standards. A joint task force between TC 207 of the ISO 14000 committee and
TC 176 of the ISO 9000 committee has been established to address the compatibility
of the two standards. Integration of the two standards would significantly reduce
the cost of certification and continued surveillance and would minimize the disruption
of internal business activities often caused by the presence of external auditors.
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