What must an organization do to have an environmental management system compliant with the ISO 14001 standard?
The ISO 14001:2015 standard requires the implementation of a set of practices and procedures that collectively form an environmental management system. However, it's important to note that ISO 14001:2015 is not a technical standard and therefore doesn't replace any technical requirements contained in statutes or regulations. Moreover, it doesn't establish prescribed performance standards for organizations.
The main requirements of an EMS according to ISO 14001:2015 include:
- an environmental policy statement including commitments to pollution prevention and continuous improvement of the environmental management system leading to enhanced environmental performance and compliance with all applicable legal and regulatory requirements;
- identification of all aspects of the organization's activities, products and services that could have significant environmental impacts, including unregulated ones;
- performance targets and objectives for the management system linked to the three commitments established in the corporate policy: pollution prevention, continuous improvement, and compliance;
- implementation of the environmental management system to achieve these objectives. This includes activities such as employee training, establishing work instructions and practices, and defining the most effective metrics for measuring objectives;
- a program for periodic verification of the management system's operation;
- verification and corrective actions when deviations from the system occur, including periodic assessment of the organization's compliance with applicable regulatory requirements;
- periodic management reviews of the environmental management system to ensure sustained performance and make adjustments if necessary.
For those wondering whether an ISO 14001:2015-compliant environmental management system is important for an organization, we firmly believe it is, as ISO 14001 is essentially a standard designed to help companies and other organizations meet their environmental obligations and reduce their operational environmental impact. This makes it relevant for all types of organizations. An environmental management system can serve as a model to help companies improve environmental performance and increase pollution prevention approaches.
The steps for ISO 14001:2015 certification are:
- gather information about the ISO 14001 standard and study its requirements;
- conduct a review of your organization's current environmental management status and a gap analysis to identify what's missing compared to ISO 14001 requirements;
- plan the ISO 14000 certification project;
- train your organization's personnel on ISO 14001 content;
- document your environmental management system according to ISO 14001;
- implement your environmental management system and carry out activities as defined by the designed processes;
- verify that your system functions as intended;
- contact a certification body to conduct a third-party audit of your system and certify it.
If you plan to implement an environmental management system and seek certification, feel free to contact us at 02.58320936 or email