The international standard that specifies a process for identifying, controlling and improving an organization's environmental performance
ISO 14001 is an internationally accepted standard that sets out a framework of essential elements for putting an effective Environmental Management System (EMS) in place. The standard is designed to address the delicate balance between maintaining profitability and reducing environmental impact. With the commitment of your entire organization, it can enable you to achieve both objectives.
What’s in ISO 14001?
- General requirements
- Environmental policy
- Planning implementation and operation
- Checking and corrective action
- Management review
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This means you can identify aspects of your business that impact on the environment and understand those environmental laws that are relevant to your situation. The next step is to produce objectives for improvement and a management programme to achieve them, with regular reviews for continual improvement. We can then periodically assess the system and, if compliant, register your company or site to ISO 14001. To help you establish how ready you are for 14K registration we have produced a helpful self assessment questionnaire.
Who is it relevant to?
We all have an impact on the environment, be it from releasing gases into the atmosphere as a result of burning fossil fuels to heat our offices and fuel our cars, to the depletion of natural resources such as from water use or paper consumption.
So ISO 14001 is relevant to every organization, including:
- Single site to large multi-national companies
- High risk companies to low risk service organizations
- Manufacturing, process and the service industries; including local governments
- All industry sectors including public and private sectors
- Original equipment manufacturers and their suppliers
If resources are limited, why not consider using the phased approach of BS8555 STEMS as your route to ISO 14001.
Certifying your company's environmental management system to ISO 14001 means that a third party, such as BSI, has assessed that it meets the requirements set out in the standard.
Certification to ISO 14001 allows you to:
- Demonstrate a commitment to achieving legal and regulatory compliance to regulators and government
- Demonstrate your environmental commitment to stakeholders
- Demonstrate an innovative and forward thinking approach to customers and prospective employees
- Increase your access to new customers and business partners
- Better manage your environmental risks, now and in the future
- Potentially reduce public liability insurance costs
- Reduce operational costs through reduced energy consumption and use of natural resources
- Reduce fines and clean-up costs
- Enhance your reputation
For particular industries, pressure is now being exerted by many large organizations, such as original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who expect their suppliers to adopt environmentally-friendly practices and may mandate ISO 14001 certification as a licence to operate.
If you want to take the implementation and certification of an EMS slowly, the BS 8555 STEMS scheme allows you to phase the management system in and assess how you’re performing at each step on the path. Once completed, it still results in achieving ISO 14001 certification, and all the benefits that come with it.
We are experts in training as well as assessment and have a network of public and in-house courses dedicated to teaching you the skills you need before, during and after registration to the standard.
Next steps
For further information about specific training on this subject, please call us on
(+44) (0)845 086 9000 or enter your details in our enquiry form.
Implementing a management system of any kind is a significant undertaking for any organization. However, there are some common tools you can use and a common process to follow during implementation and the route towards certification.
We offer a comprehensive range of services to help businesses understand and implement the internationally recognized environmental standard ISO 14001. These build on the requirements of ISO 14001 by breaking down the requirements into manageable steps:
1. Choose the standard
Initially you should read ISO 14001:2004 Environmental Management Systems - Specification with guidance for use. Download our free guidance document for your immediate reference.
Talk to us - we can provide you with information and support in finding the right solution for your company.
2. Develop your environmental policy
Your environmental policy will state your commitment to compliance with legal and regulatory demands, continual improvement and the prevention of pollution. You should make this policy available to your customers and the public.
3. Review and produce objectives
At this stage you should identify the elements of your business that impact on the environment, establish access to relevant environmental legislation and regulations and produce objectives and targets for environmental improvement and a management programme to achieve them.
4. Training
Once you have assembled a team and agreed your strategy it’s crucial to get understanding and involvement from the top down. Our training offers a comprehensive programme of training courses for each key step, which can be tailored to a company’s size and needs. Read more about training.
5. Implementation and assessment
As an accredited certification body BSI's Client Managers can check in with you at key stages to ensure your implementation is running smoothly and to identify any gaps or areas for improvement. It's often a good idea to include a pre-assessment, designed to act as a practice assessment. The initial registration to ISO 14001 involves a two-stage assessment process, including an initial document review and a site visit.
Following the initial assessment, the assessor will determine whether you should be recommended for registration.
6. Certification and beyond
Once the assessment has been successfully completed, we’ll issue a certificate of registration, clearly explaining the scope of your management system. The certificate is valid for three years, and your assessor will visit you regularly to help you make sure you remain compliant, and support you in the continual improvement of your systems.
Other related services
Integrated management systems
ISO 14001 is designed to be compatible with other management systems standards and specifications which you might already have or plan to implement, such as:
Our Integrated Management service allows you to integrate them seamlessly and can give excellent value for money.
Next steps
For further information or a "quick quote" please call us on (+44) (0)845 080 9000. Alternatively enter your details into our enquiry form and one of our advisors will contact you.
