ISO 14001
The International Standard - ISO 14001
Introduction
The International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) is the body responsible for producing voluntary international standards. It worked on various aspects of environmental management through its Technical Committee TC207. Sub-Committee 1 of TC207 worked on environmental management systems and produced the International Standard entitled "ISO 14001: 1994, Environmental Management Systems - Specification with Guidance for Use". ISO 14001 was approved in July 1996.
ISO 14001 is only one of an ISO 14000 series of documents. ISO 14001 provides the specification for the standard of environmental management to be achieved and the other supporting documents provided guidance on the implementation, auditing and operation of an EMS conforming to the ISO 14001 Standard.
Structure of ISO 14001
ISO 14001 is applicable to all types and sizes of organization, including industry and the commercial and service sectors. It has similarities in management system principles with ISO 9001, the international quality management standard, thus allowing integration of management systems. ISO 14001 describes the core elements necessary for certification, but does not include specific environmental performance criteria.
ISO 14001 contains the following elements:
Environmental policy statement.
Planning, including establishment of procedures for identification of environmental aspects and impacts and compliance with legislation.
Environmental management system implementation and operation, including identification of responsibilities, training and emergency procedures.
Checking and corrective action, including monitoring, action for non-compliance, record keeping and auditing.
Environmental reviews.
ISO 14001 can apply to any organization that wishes to implement and maintain an environmental management system, assure itself of conformance with stated environmental policy, demonstrate such conformance to others, seek external certification to an international standard and make a self determination and declaration of conformance with the standard.