This blog is specific for those organizations who are new to ISO 14001:2015 Standard and want to know about this ISO 14001 Standard, How to Implement ISO 14001 Standard, what are documents required to be prepared to ensure the ISO 14001 implementation is effective, ISO 14001 Certification process, how to get ISO 14001 Certification, Cost Involve in ISO 14001 Certification and overall, all benefits of ISO 14001 Certification, these are very common questions of the organization -who are new about ISO 14001 – Environmental Management System Standard.
This Blog content is prepared in view to make awareness to organizations who are Looking for ISO 14001 Certification but are very new to ISO 14001 requirements and including the ISO certification process. So, keeping in view all the points, we are writing this Blog, so that our users can get a better understanding of ISO 14001 Standard as A Complete Guide for ISO 14001 Certification for Beginners. So, in this blog, we will cover all the points so that new user organizations can get a better understanding while selecting this ISO 14001 Standard for their organization.
First of all, let’s know about ISO 14001- Environmental Management System, Its purpose, and its requirement.
What is Environmental Management System -ISO 14001:2015?
We know that an environment is the surroundings in which we live -such as air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans, animals, and their interrelationships. Environmental Management is to manage the environment in a systematic way, in view to protect the environment from pollution, and depletion. So that Life of humans (including Living Things) is comfortable for survival i.e pollution free environment.
When the organization operates, there could be several activities the organization, which could directly or indirectly impact the environment – which may lead to environmental pollution or depletion of natural resources. For Example, Using Electricity for the operation of Machines / Equipment, consumed Power -where Electricity power is produced by Natural Resources- such as Water/Air/coal/ diesel, etc. Second Example – Use of water or discharge of water, etc so on are several examples – which need to be controlled for the protection of the Environment.
These are all basic concepts about Environmental Management – which we deal with in our normal day-to-day life – either at the home, office or in workshops, etc, so on.
An ISO 14001:2015 Standard is an Environmental Management System, which provides the requirements of Environmental Management in the Organization in a systematic way, with the objective of the prevention of Pollution, Depletion of Natural Resources by meeting applicable compliance requirements (Legal and other requirement applicable to the organization in relation with Environmental Management). This ISO 14001 Standard is a specific Environmental Management System standard – any Type / Size of the organization can adopt for implementation in the organization for the prevention of Pollution and meeting the Compliance Obligations.
With the above explanation, we hope, it is now clarified, what is ISO 14001 Environmental Management System Standard, and why it is needed by the organization for Implementation in the organization and further can opt for ISO 14001 Certification (if required).
What are the requirements of ISO 14001 -Environmental Management System Standard?
As per ISO 14001:2015 Standard, there are many requirements, which are provided from Clause # 4 to Clause # 10 (which you can refer to in ISO 14001:2015 Standard for the detailed requirements of ISO 14001). But for a new user point of view, we are providing the key requirements of the Environmental Management System Standard, which could help the new organization for overall understanding of the requirement of ISO 14001
- Identification of Internal and External issues of the organization – which are affecting the Environmental Management System of the organization.
- Identification of Environmental Aspects (Product, Process, activities of the organization – which are interacting with the Environment causing pollution, Depletion, etc son on)
- Identification of applicable Legal and Other requirements related to Environmental Management.
- Environmental Aspects Impact Analysis
- Risk Analysis of Internal / External issues, Significant Environmental Aspects and Compliance Obligations
- Identification of Potential Emergency Situation and its Preparedness
- Establishing Environmental Policy and Objective
- Training to all the employees about Environmental Management System, Environmental Policy, Objective, Significant Environmental Aspects, and Compliance Obligations.
- Internal Audit of organizational Environmental Management System
- Conducting Management Review meeting
- Monitoring and Measurement of Environmental Performance of the organization
These are the key requirements of the Environmental Management System – ISO 14001 Standard, for more detailed requirements, it is advised to refer to ISO 14001:2015 Standard.
How to Implement ISO 14001 Standard?
First of all, it is advised to properly understand the requirement of ISO 14001:2015, by self-+Learning or attending Expert Training, once the understanding is sound enough, then follow the following steps of Implementation of ISO 14001-Environmental Management System (EMS) .
- Develop the Team for Environmental Management System (within the Organization)
- Do the GAP – Analysis taking reference to ISO 14001 requirements VS current Environmental Management Practices of the organization
- If any difference is found in the GAP analysis – address then
- Assign the Role & Responsibility of each Team member to Implementation the requirements
- Maintain the documents & records as compliance
What Documents & Records required for ISO 14001 Certification?
As per ISO 14001:2015 Standard requirement, the documents required can be varied organization to organization, depending on the Nature, activities, and Size of the organization. But some of the Key Documents of ISO 14001 Certification are very common and are required to be maintained by the organization, irrespective of their size, nature & activities of the organization for ISO 14001 Certification. These documents & records are, given below
- Environmental Policy & Objective
- SOP for Monitoring the Environmental Performance
- Environmental Aspects Impact Analysis Record
- Legal Register
- Mock Drill Record of Potential Emergency Situations
- Risk Analysis Record
- Internal Audit Record
- Management Review Record
- Environmental Performance Monitoring Record
- Corrective Action Record
What is ISO 14001 Certification process and how to get ISO 14001 Certification?
This is a very common question of user organization ISO 14001 Certification process and how to get ISO 14001 Certification. So, we want to make our users clarify about ISO Certification process and how to get ISO 14001 Certification, please see the below explanation for the understanding of this Topic.
Once the organization completed the Implementation of ISO 14001:2015 standard and maintained the necessary document & records as required by this EMS Standard including has completed at least First Internal Audit and Management Review meeting. The organization is eligible to apply for ISO 14001 Certification to any Certification Body. The Steps of the ISO 14001 Certification Process ISO 14001 Certification are given below for user understanding
- Apply to ISO Certification for ISO 14001 Certification
- Get the Proposal to know the Cost of ISO 14001 Certification
- After the Cost of ISO 14001 Certification Acceptance, the Certification Body will do an Application review and plan for Onsite Audit for ISO 14001:2015
- The audit Team will visit the Client organization site to perform the Audit on EMS
- After Completion of the EMS Audit, the Audit Tea makes a recommendation for ISO 14001 Certification and submits the Audit Report to the Certification body Review and necessary Certification Decision Activities.
- Based on Certification Decision – ISO 14001 Certification awarded to Organization.
Read full process in detail- ISO 14001 Certification Process
What are the Benefits of ISO 14001 Certification?
There are several benefits of ISO 14001 implementation and Certification, but the most common benefits are
- Enhancement of Environmental Performance
- Control of Wate generation and Management, which results on Cost saving
- Energy Saving
- Enhancement of Compliance with Legal Requirements
- Reduce the Pollution Level and Depletion of Natural resources
- Reputation and Credibility of organization Enhanced
- Create awareness about Environmental Protections
Read more about- ISO 14001 Certification Benefits