The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental management The following are the composition of the standards:
- Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
- Environmental Auditing and Related Environmental Investigations (EA)
- Environmental Labeling (EL)
- Environmental Performance Evaluation (EPE)
- Life Cycle Assessment (LCA)
- Terms and Definitions (T&D)
The ISO 14000 family includes most notably the ISO 14001 standard, which represents the core set of standards used by organizations for designing and implementing an effective environmental management system.
ISO 14001:2015 Certification
The ISO 14001:2015 certification provides a framework for a strategic approach to a company’s environmental policy, plans and actions. This provides the generic requirements for an environmental management system. Following are some of the essentials of our service.
Environmental Management involves the management of all components of the bio-physical environment, both living (biotic) and non-living (abiotic). This is due to the interconnected and network of relationships amongst all living species and their habitats. The environment also involves the relationships of the human environment such as the social, cultural and economic environment with the bio-physical environment. These standards exist to help organizations minimize the negative impact of their operations on the environment.
Following are the requirement of ISO 14001 organizations
- Establish an appropriate environmental policy
- Identify the environmental aspects arising from the organization’s past, existing or planned activities, products and services, in order to determine the environmental impact of significance.
- Identify applicable legal and other requirements, to which the organization subscribes
- Identify priorities and set appropriate environmental objectives and targets
- Establish a structure and programs to implement the policy and achieve objectives and meet targets
- Facilitate planning, control, monitoring, preventive and corrective actions, auditing and review activities to ensure both that the policy is complied with and that the environmental management system remains appropriate
- Be capable of adapting to changing circumstances
Advantages of ISO 14001:2015 Certification
- Process improvement
- Environmental cost reduction
- Better relationships with regulators
- Better relationships with insurers, investors, and financial markets
- Product improvement
- Marketing advantages
- Better control of liabilities
- Reduced regulatory burden
- Protection of company image and name
- Demonstration of responsible management
The ISO 14001:2015 Revision Introduction
The main purpose of the revision is to provide a set of common and stable requirements for at least the next 10 years. This will be possible due to the requirement that all management systems standard use the same high level structure as a base. The purpose of ISO 14001:2015 is to provide organizations with a framework to protect the environment and respond to changing environmental conditions in balance with socio economic needs. It specifies requirements that enable an organization to achieve the intended outcomes it sets for its EMS. An approach to environmental management can provide top management with information to build success over the long term.
The 2015 Revision Introduces New Concepts In The Management System
Achieving a balance between the environment, society and economy is considered essential to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable development as a goal for organizations is achieved by balancing the three pillars of sustainability.
What are the main changes in ISO 14001?
ISO 14001:2015 is structured around the High-Level Structure proposed in Annex SL for all ISO management systems. It includes, in addition to the usual 3 introductory clauses, 7 basic clauses common to all management system standards. They are: Context of the organization, Leadership, Planning of the EMS, Support, Operation, Performance evaluation and Improvement. They replace current EMS clauses 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4. 4.5 and 4.6. This structure is intended to provide a coherent presentation of requirements rather than a model for documenting an organization’s policies, objectives and processes.
Even though the basic documentation control requirements remain the same, the organization can now decide what to document and how much. New ISO 14001:2015 shows that is not enough managing environmental aspects associated to the purchasing of products or services, but it’s necessary go a step further, influencing on environmental aspects related to its design, manufacturing processes and the further using of the products and services (life cycle).
