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ISO 14000 is an international series of environmental management systems (EMS) standards.
As a continuation of the standardization process that was initiated with the ISO 9000 series, the ISO 14000 series
of standards have been developed so that organizations may incorporate environmental aspects into operations and
product standards. It is a set of voluntary environmental management standards, guides and technical reports, which
specifically focuses on corporate environmental management systems, operating practices, products, and
services.
The ISO 14000 environmental management standards exist to help organizations minimize the negative effects of their
operations on the environment (causing adverse changes to air, water, or land) and comply with applicable laws and
regulations.
The main standards in the ISO 14000 family are:
- ISO 14001:2004 Environmental management systems -- Requirements with guidance for
use
Specifies the requirements for an environmental management system. It is the standard against
which organizations are assessed. Fulfilling these requirements demands objective evidence which can be audited
to demonstrate that the environmental management system is operating effectively in conformity to the standard.
It is generic and flexible enough to apply to any organization producing and/or manufacturing any product, or
providing a service.
- ISO 14004:2004 - Environmental management systems -- General guidelines on principles, systems and
support techniques
Provides guidelines on the elements of an environmental management system and its implementation, and discusses
principal issues involved.
Other standards in the ISO 14000 family include the following:
- ISO 14015:2001 Environmental management -- Environmental assessment of sites and organizations (EASO)
- ISO 14031:1999 Environmental management -- Environmental performance evaluation – Guidelines
- ISO/TR 14032:1999 Environmental management -- Examples of environmental performance evaluation (EPE)
- ISO 14050:2002 Environmental management -- Vocabulary
- ISO 14064-1:2006 Greenhouse Gases – Part 1: Specification with guidance at the organization level for the
description, quantification and reporting of greenhouse gas emissions and removals
- ISO 14064-2:2006 Greenhouse Gases – Part 2: Specification with guidance at the project level for the
description, quantification, monitoring and reporting of greenhouse gas emission reductions and removal
enhancements
- ISO 14064-3:2006 Greenhouse Gases – Part 3: Specification with guidance for the validation and verification
of greenhouse gas assertion
- ISO 19011:2002 Guidelines for quality and/or environmental management systems auditing
ISO 14001:2004
ISO 14001:2004 is the international specification for an environmental management system (EMS). It specifies
requirements for establishing an environmental policy, determining environmental aspects and impacts of
products/activities/services, planning environmental objectives and measurable targets, implementation and
operation of programs to meet objectives and targets, checking and corrective action, and management review.
ISO 14001 is the standard against which an organization can be certified by a third party. With ISO 14001:2004,
clauses have been clarified and updated to be in harmony with ISO 9001:2000. ISO 14001 is considered the foundation
document of the entire ISO 14000 series. This highly effective, globally accepted framework establishes and
continually improves applicable management system processes. ISO 14001 can also be used as a guide to upgrade your
company’s present environmental management system in accordance with an internationally recognized set of
requirements.
ISO 14001 is similar to ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS) in that both pertain to the process (the
comprehensive outcome of how a product is produced) rather than to the product itself. The overall idea is to
establish an organized approach to systematically reduce the impact of the environmental aspects which an
organization can control. Effective tools for the analysis of environmental aspects of an organization and for the
generation of options for improvement are provided by the concept of Cleaner Production.
As in the case of ISO 9001:2000 QMS, the key to a successful ISO 14001:2004 EMS is having documented procedures
that are implemented and maintained so that they describe environmental goals and their place in all other
company-wide activities. ISO 14001:2004 requires sites to document and make an Environmental Policy available to
the public. In addition, procedures should be established for a continuous review of the environmental aspects and
the impacts of products, activities, and services. Based on these environmental aspects and impacts, goals and
objectives are established that are consistent with the environmental policy. As with an ISO 9001:2000 QMS,
Internal Audits of the EMS should be conducted routinely to ensure that non-conformances in the system are
identified and addressed. In addition, the management review process must be in place to ensure top management’s
involvement in the assessment of the EMS.
The following are the six key elements of an ISO 14001:2004 EMS:
Environmental policy - the organization states its intentions and commitment to environmental performance.
Planning - the organization analyzes the environmental impact of its operations.
Implementation and operation - the development and execution of processes to realize environmental goals and
objectives.
Checking and corrective action - monitoring and measurement of environmental indicators to ensure that goals and
objectives are met.
Management review - review of the EMS by the organization’s top management to ensure its continuing suitability,
adequacy and effectiveness.
Continual improvement - An EMS enables an organization to control the environmental impact of its activities,
products and services by establishing targets and objectives related to identified environmental management
goals.
Requirements of ISO 14001:2004
1. Scope
2. Normative Reference
3. Terms and Definitions
4. Environmental Management System
4.1. General Requirements
4.2. Environmental Policy
4.3. Planning
4.3.1 Environmental Aspects
4.3.2 Legal and Other Requirements
4.3.3 Objectives, Targets and Programme(s)
4.4 Implementation and Operation
4.4.1 Resources, Roles, Responsibility and Authority
4.4.2 Competence, Training and Awareness
4.4.3 Communication
4.4.4 Documentation
4.4.5 Control of Documents
4.4.6 Operational Control
4.4.7 Emergency Preparedness and Response
4.5 Checking
4.5.1 Monitoring and Measurement
4.5.2 Evaluation of Compliance
4.5.3 Nonconformity, Corrective Action and Preventive Action
4.5.4 Control of Records
4.5.5 Internal Audit
4.6 Management Review
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