ISO 14001:2004 : Environmental management
systems
ISO 14001:2004 specifies requirements for an environmental
management system to enable an organization to develop
and implement a policy and objectives which take into
account legal requirements and other requirements to
which the organization subscribes, and information about
significant environmental aspects. It applies to those
environmental aspects that the organization identifies
as those which it can control and those which it can
influence. It does not itself state specific environmental
performance criteria.
ISO 14001:2004 is applicable to any organization that
wishes to establish, implement, maintain and improve
an environmental management system, to assure itself
of conformity with its stated environmental policy,
and to demonstrate conformity with ISO 14001:2004 by
a) making a self-determination and self-declaration,
or
b) seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties
having an interest in the organization, such as customers,
or
c) seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a
party external to the organization, or
d) seeking certification/registration of its environmental
management system by an external organization.
All the requirements in ISO 14001:2004 are intended
to be incorporated into any environmental management
system. The extent of the application will depend on
factors such as the environmental policy of the organization,
the nature of its activities, products and services
and the location where and the conditions in which it
functions.
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The ISO 14000 family addresses "Environmental
management". This means what the organization does
to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused
by its activities, and to achieve continual improvement
of its environmental performance.
The ISO 14000 family addresses various aspects of environmental
management. The very first two standards, ISO 14001:2004
and ISO 14004:2004 deal with environmental management
systems (EMS). ISO 14001:2004 provides the requirements
for an EMS and ISO 14004:2004 gives general EMS guidelines.
The other standards and guidelines in the family address
specific environmental aspects, including: labeling,
performance evaluation, life cycle analysis, communication
and auditing.
An ISO 14001:2004-based EMS
An EMS meeting the requirements of ISO 14001:2004 is
a management tool enabling an organization of any size
or type to:
identify and control the environmental impact of its
activities, products or services, and to improve its
environmental performance continually, and to implement
a systematic approach to setting environmental objectives
and targets, to achieving these and to demonstrating
that they have been achieved.
How it works
ISO 14001:2004 does not specify levels of environmental
performance. If it specified levels of environmental
performance, they would have to be specific to each
business activity and this would require a specific
EMS standard for each business. That is not the intention.
ISO has many other standards dealing with specific
environmental issues. The intention of ISO 14001:2004
is to provide a framework for a holistic, strategic
approach to the organization's environmental policy,
plans and actions.
ISO 14001:2004 gives the generic requirements for an
environmental management system. The underlying philosophy
is that whatever the organization's activity, the requirements
of an effective EMS are the same.
This has the effect of establishing a common reference
for communicating about environmental management issues
between organizations and their customers, regulators,
the public and other stakeholders.
Because ISO 14001:2004 does not lay down levels of
environmental performance, the standard can to be implemented
by a wide variety of organizations, whatever their current
level of environmental maturity. However, a commitment
to compliance with applicable environmental legislation
and regulations is required, along with a commitment
to continual improvement – for which the EMS provides
the framework.
The EMS standards
ISO 14004:2004 provides guidelines on the elements of
an environmental management system and its implementation,
and discusses principal issues involved.
ISO 14001:2004 specifies the requirements for such
an environmental management system. 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.
What can be achieved
ISO 14001:2004 is a tool that can be used to meet internal
objectives
provide assurance to management that it is in control
of the organizational processes and activities having
an impact on the environment assure employees that they
are working for an environmentally responsible organizatio.
ISO 14001:2004 can also be used to meet external objectives:
provide assurance on environmental issues to external
stakeholders – such as customers, the community and
regulatory agencies
comply with environmental regulations
support the organization's claims and communication
about its own environmental policies, plans and actions
provides a framework for demonstrating conformity via
suppliers' declarations of conformity, assessment of
conformity by an external stakeholder - such as a business
client - and for certification of conformity by an independent
certification body.
Business benefits of ISO 14000
Most managers will try to avoid pollution that could
cost the company a fine for infringing environmental
legislation. But better managers will agree that doing
only just enough to keep the company out of trouble
with government inspectors is a rather weak and reactive
approach to business in today's environment-conscious
world.
The ISO 14000 standards are practical tools for the
manager who is not satisfied with mere compliance with
legislation – which may be perceived as a cost of doing
business. They are for the proactive manager with the
vision to understand that implementing a strategic approach
can bring return on investment in environment-related
measures.
The systematic ISO 14001:2004 approach requires the
organization to take a hard look at all areas where
its activities have an environmental impact. And it
can lead to benefits like the following: reduced cost
of waste management
savings in consumption of energy and materials
lower distribution costs
improved corporate image among regulators, customers
and the public
framework for continual improvement of environmental
performance.
The manager who is "too busy managing the business"
to listen to good sense about environmental management
could actually be costing the business, instead of achieving
benefits like those above.
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