ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems — Implementation Guide

Introduction

ISO 14001:2015 provides a framework for organizations to manage their environmental responsibilities systematically. Over 400,000 organizations worldwide are certified.

Key Principles

Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)

The standard follows the PDCA cycle:

• Plan: Establish objectives and processes
• Do: Implement the processes
• Check: Monitor and measure
• Act: Take corrective actions

Context of the Organization

• Understand internal and external issues
• Identify interested parties and their requirements
• Determine the scope of the EMS

Leadership

• Top management commitment
• Environmental policy
• Roles, responsibilities, and authorities

Environmental Aspects

• Identify activities that interact with the environment
• Determine significant aspects
• Consider lifecycle perspective

Certification Process

1. Gap analysis
2. System design and documentation
3. Implementation
4. Internal audit
5. Management review
6. Stage 1 audit (document review)
7. Stage 2 audit (implementation assessment)
8. Continuous improvement