ISO 14001 Environmental Management Systems

ISO 14001 is an international standard prescribing a structured approach to environmental protection.

It enables organizations of all sizes to develop and implement policies to deliver environmentally responsible and sustainable business practices.

Today’s environment is filled with intense scrutiny but being competitive means never standing still.

SAI Global helps you see a way forward so you can advance confidently.

Meet Compliance Requirements

Build confidence and trust with stakeholders by providing evidence that your organization complies with its legal obligations.

Support Longer Term Strategic Focus

Future-proof your business and drive sustainable development by adopting environmentally sound processes that strengthen your market position.

Drive Corporate Social Responsibility

Improve your company’s reputation and build public confidence in your brand by taking a responsible approach to environmental management.

What Is It?

Setting the international best-practice for environmental management, the ISO 14001 standard achieves this through a systematic approach.

All organizations can benefit from a systematic approach to environmental management. Adopting an environmental management system will improve your ability to manage environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner, providing value for the environment, your organization and stakeholders.Certification to ISO 14001 demonstrates your commitment to environmental outcomes across all aspects of your organization.ISO 14001 defines an environmental management system drawing on the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) model and risk-based thinking to create a framework for balancing the three pillars of sustainability: development; transparency; and accountability.

Scope

ISO 14001 describes requirements for an environmental management system that can achieve an enhancement of environmental performance; fulfill compliance obligations and achieve environmental objectives.

Context of the Organization

The organization must understand the external and internal factors that may affect its ability to achieve the desired results.

Leadership

The organization’s leaders must commit to the environmental management system, taking accountability for the effectiveness and success by providing sufficient resources, ensuring the environmental policy and objectives are in place, and clearly communicating roles, responsibilities and authorities clear.

Planning

Planning must address actions to address risks and opportunities; environmental objectives and how to achieve them; and change management.

Support

The organization must ensure sufficient resources are allocated to the environmental management system; including the establishment, implementation, maintenance and continual improvement; and carefully monitor their use and effectiveness.

Operation

The organization should plan, implement and control processes, using a lifecycle process, to meet requirements for providing its products and services.

Performance Evaluation

The organization must be able to demonstrate and verify process capability as specified by the customer’s approval process requirements.

Improvement

ISO 14001 requires a commitment to continual improvement, including managing nonconformities, solving problems, error-proofing, and taking corrective action when required.