ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System

ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized standard that sets the requirements for an Environmental Management System.  It is designed to help organizations become more efficient in the use of resources to reduce waste, gain a competitive advantage, and earn the trust of stakeholders.  Environmental management systems are created so companies can identify, monitor, and manage their most pressing environmental issues.  The most recently updated standard is the ISO 14001:2015.

ISO 14001 is designed for all companies and requires that companies who wish to abide by its rules look at all relevant environmental issues.  This includes air and water pollution, sewage issues, soil contamination, climate change management and adaptation, waste management and efficient resource use.

Benefits of following the recently updated ISO 14001:2015 standard include:

• Demonstrate compliance with current and future statutory and regulatory requirements
• Increase involvement of leadership and engagement of employees
• Increase company reputation and stakeholder confidence
• Achieve strategic business goals with the incorporation of environmental issues
• Improve efficiencies and reduce costs, thus resulting in financial and competitive advantages
• Encourage suppliers to improve environmental performance by integrating them into the company’s business systems

ISO 14001 Requirements

Requirements of the latest ISO 14001 standards include:

1. An environmental policy that senior management supports
2. Identification of the impacts of the organization on the environment and vice versa.
3. Identification and comprehension of environmental compliance requirements
4. Development of objectives and environmental management programs
5. Defined resources, roles, jobs, and chains of command for these environmental management programs
6. Development of competence via training and awareness programs
7. Communication of the EMS to all stakeholders and other interested parties
8. Development of documentation for the Environmental Management System as required by standards or law
9. Development of document control systems for the documentation of the EMS
10. Development of operational control procedures for the EMS
11. Development of emergency preparedness and response procedures
12. Development of a system to oversee and measure operations and functions that have significant impacts on the environment
13. Development of a procedure for the evaluation of compliance
14. Development of procedures to manage non-conformance, as well as procedures for corrective measures and procedures for actions to prevent non-conformance
15. Creation of a management of records system
16. Implementation of complete internal Environmental Management audits and corrective actions structure
17. Development of steps for review of environmental management created by senior management.

ISO 14001 Consulting

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