ISO 14000 Steps

There are two phases to establishing an ISO 14000 EMS: creating the EMS and getting registered

1. Create an EMS
   Establish a project committee responsible for learning about ISO 14000 and managing the creation of the EMS.
   
   Project committee prepares a briefing for top management describing ISO 14000, the EMS, registration, costs, and benefits.
   
   Top management commits to the EMS process.
   
   Perform a gap analysis to determine how well the organization meets the ISO 14000 requirements and what it will take to meet them.
   
   Present results of gap analysis to management and receive approval for continuation of the process.
   
   Project committee prepares a draft environmental policy with top managment participation.
   
   Project committee then:

   • Designs a procedure to identify the environmental aspects of the operation.

   • Identifies environmental aspects and impacts.

   • Designs a procedure to identify legal and other requirements of the organization.

   • Identifies legal and other requirements.

   • Creates environmental objectives and targets for each relevant function and level in the organization.

   • Establishes a program for achieving targets and objectives.

   Present EMS to top management for approval.

   Top management accepts EMS.

   Policy and EMS are implemented and an audit function is established.

   A final gap analysis is performed to determine if the organization is ready for a registration audit.

   Organization applies for certification by outside auditors.
    

2. Get Registered
   
   Organizations are registered by outside auditors or "registrars" as meeting the ISO 14000 standard. The registration can be for a specific company site, for several sites, or for the entire company. Very specific attributes of an EMS are specified in the 14001 standard. The steps in the registration process are:
   
   Establish the scope of the registration. This can be done internally or with the help of outside auditors.
   
   Apply for registration. This is a written application to the registration body.
   
   Review documents about the organization's EMS and submit them to the registration body.
   
   Outside auditors perform full assessment.
   
   Registration is granted by the certification body based on the auditor’s findings. An organization will receive one of three designations: Approval, Conditional or Provisional Approval, Disapproval. When a company is registered it receives a certificate and is listed in a certification register.
   
   Ongoing activities are then required to maintain the registration. These include:

A. Monitoring and measuring the EMS
B. Investigating and handling nonconformances
C. Implementing corrective action and preventive action
D. Maintaining environmental records
E. Establishing and maintaining an ISO 14000 audit program.