What Is ISO 14001? Key Elements, Benefits, And Climate Action

International Standards Organization (ISO) 14001 is the international standard that specifies criteria for Environmental Management Systems (EMS). ISO 14001 provides guidance to businesses and organizations to implement when establishing their own environmental performance requirements. Regardless of the location, sector or activity, ISO 14001 is designed to provide environmental compliance and improvement for every kind of organization. All ISO standards are regularly reviewed to reflect current trends and expectations to keep businesses up to date.

Topics that are addressed under ISO 14001:2015 include:

• Environmental Policy
• Planning
• Implementation
• Corrective Action and Continuous Improvement
• Monitoring and Management Review
• Climate Action*

*The 2024 Amendment on Climate Action now includes language to assist organizations in determining if climate change is a relevant issue within their operations and update their EMS accordingly. The amendment also asserts that businesses may have to consider specific requirements related to climate change.

What Is An EMS?

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) defines Environmental Management Systems as “a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency.”

EMS help organizations achieve environmental goals through regular review, evaluation, and improvement of environmental performance. This consistent review and evaluation will identify opportunities for improving the environmental performance of organizations and implementation of policies. Each EMS will be individual to each facility based on the specific needs of the business and help to achieve regulatory compliance. An effective EMS can help to minimize environmental risks, reduce waste and energy consumption, enhance resource efficiency, and create a safer working environment.

Key Elements

An EMS can also help address non-regulated issues. Basic elements of an EMS include the following:

• Reviewing the organization’s environmental goals
• Analyzing its environmental impacts and compliance obligations and procedures
• Setting environmental objectives to reduce environmental impacts
• Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets
• Monitoring goal progress
• Increasing employees’ environmental competence

In addition to these EMS elements, an organization which is interested in certifying their EMS to the ISO 14001 standard, must be able to demonstrate certain complete actions. These include:

• Obtaining a copy of the ISO 14001:2015 standard
• Developing and implementing an EMS that aligns with the ISO 14001:2015 standard
• Conducting a thorough environmental gap assessment
• Setting environmental objectives and targets
• Identifying potential environmental aspects and impacts
• Monitoring and measuring environmental performance through internal audits
• Conducting routine Management Reviews of the EMS
• Providing employee education and training on regulatory compliance and elements of the EMS

The ISO 14001 certificate is valid for three years. Companies must also regularly undergo surveillance and recertification audits to maintain their certification. The certification is issued by a certification/registration body also known as a Registrar or Certification Body (CB), which are independent of ISO. The Registrars must be accredited by an Internation Accreditation Forum (IAF) member to be internationally recognized.

Benefits

Although becoming ISO 14001 certified is a voluntary process, certification of the EMS is a way to establish commitment to environmental management and performance. Benefits of the standard include:

• Improved resource efficiency
• Waste reduction
• Cost savings
• Environmental impact measurement
• Increased business opportunities
• Legal compliance
• Increased stakeholder or customer value
• Environmental impact improvement
• Consistent environmental obligation management

How To Get Started

Companies can get started by completing the key requirements outlined in this article to establish their EMS, provide employee training, successfully undergo an internal audit, and then arrange a certification audit with an accredited Registrar. ALL4 can provide assistance through all stages of ISO 14001 and 45001 management system development and certification. From preparing the required elements of the standard, reviewing processes already in place, performing the ISO internal audit, and assisting with findings, corrective actions, and certification maintenance. ALL4 can also assist in updating existing EMS to comply with the 2024 Climate Action Amendment.

If you have questions about how the ISO 14001:2015, 2024 Amendment could affect your certification, or if you are interested in how establishing an EMS can benefit your organization, please contact Holly Lowry at 463-276-7811 or hlowry@all4inc.com.