ISO 14001 Standard

1. ISO 14000 Control of documents

ISO 14000 Control of documents

Control of environmental management system documents is important to ensure

2. Possible information sources for determining environmental aspects and environmental impacts

Possible information sources for determining environmental aspects and environmental impacts

3. Initial environmental review

An organization with no existing environmental management system should assess its current position with regard to the environment by means of a review. The aim of this review should be to consider the environmental aspects of the organization’s activities, products and services as a basis for establishing its environmental management system.

4. Methods of examining existing environmental management

Methods that can be used to examine existing environmental management practices and procedures include:

5. Environmental policy

An environmental policy establishes the principles of action for an organization. It sets the level of environmental responsibility and performance required of the organization, against which all subsequent actions will be judged. The policy should be appropriate to the environmental.

6. Prevention of pollution solutions

Prevention of pollution can be incorporated into the design and development of new products and services, as well as into the development of associated processes. Such strategies can, for example, help an organization to conserve resources and reduce waste and emissions associated with products and services.

7. Instructions of environmental policy

Instructions of environmental policy
The environmental policy should recognize that all activities, products and services within the defined scope of an organization’s environmental management system can cause impacts on the environment.

8. ISO 14000 Planning

Planning is critical to the fulfillment of an organization’s environmental policy and the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of its environmental managementsystem. An organization should have a planning process that includes the following elements:

9. Identifying environmental aspects

To identify and have an understanding of its environmental aspects, an organization should collect quantitative and/or qualitative data on the characteristics of its activities, products and services such as inputs and outputs of materials or energy, processes andtechnology used, facilities and locations, transportation methods and human factors.

10. Determining significant environmental aspects

Significance is a relative concept; it cannot be defined in absolute terms. What is significant for one organization may not be significant for another. Evaluating significance involves applying both technical analysis and judgment by the organization.

11. Legal requirements

Legal requirements of ISO 14000
Legal requirements refer broadly to any requirement or authorization that is related to an organization’s environmental aspects as issued by a governmental authority (including international, national, state/provincial and local authorities) and has legal force.

12. Other requirements

Depending on its circumstances and needs, an organization may subscribe voluntarily to requirements, other than legal requirements, that apply to the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services. Such other environmental requirements, if applicable, can include

13. Setting objectives and targets

In setting objectives and targets, an organization should consider several inputs.

14. Performance indicators

Performance indicators of ISO 14000 (KPIs)
Progress towards an objective can generally be measured using environmental performance indicators.

15. Environmental responsibilities of management levels

1. Establish overall direction
2. Develop environmental policy
3. Develop environmental objectives, targets and programs
4. Monitor overall environmental management system performance
5. Assure compliance with applicable legal
6. requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes

16. ISO 14000 communication

1. General guidance — Communication
An organization should establish, implement and maintain procedures for communicating internally and externally on its environmental policy, performance or other information, based on its own needs and the needs of interested parties.

17. Environmental training

Types of training include raising awareness of the importance of environmental management.

18. ISO 14000 Documentation

a) statements of policy, objectives and targets,
b) description of the scope of the environmental management system,
c) descriptions of programs and responsibilities,
d) information on significant environmental aspects,
e) procedures,

19. Operational control of ISO 14000

An organization needs to apply some type of operational controls to meet its environmental policy commitments, achieve its objectives and targets, comply with applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes and manage its significant environmental aspects.

20. Emergency preparedness and response

It is the responsibility of each organization to establish (an) emergency preparedness and response procedure(s) that suits its own particular needs.

21. Monitoring and measurement

An organization should have a systematic approach for measuring and monitoring its environmental performance on a regular basis. Monitoring involves collecting information, such as measurements or observations, over time. Measurements can be either quantitative or qualitative.

22. Evaluation of compliance

ISO 14000 Evaluation of compliance
An organization should establish, implement and maintain a procedure for periodically evaluating its compliance with the legal requirements that are applicable to its environmental aspects, as part of its commitment to compliance. The organization should record the results of this evaluation.

23. Control of records

Records provide evidence of the ongoing operation and results of the environmental management system. A
key characteristic of records is that they are permanent and are, typically, not revised.

24. Review of the environmental management system

An organization’s top management should, at intervals that it determines, conduct a review of its environmental management system to evaluate the system’s continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. This review should cover the environmental aspects of activities, products and services that are within the scope of the environmental management system.

25. ISO 14000 Opportunities for improvement

An organization should continually evaluate its environmental performance and the performance of its environmental management system processes to identify opportunities for improvement. Top management should be involved directly in this evaluation through the management review process