ISO 14001 requirements in plain language

ISO 14001:2015 follows the high level structure used by most management system standards. The requirements are in clauses 4 to 10. Clauses 1 to 3 cover scope, references and terms, and there is nothing in them to implement.

The standard sets no emission limits and prescribes no technology. It asks you to understand your environmental impact, to meet the legal and other obligations that apply to you, and to improve over time. How far you go depends on your own activities and obligations.

• Overview of all standards

These two clauses decide whether the system belongs to the business or sits with one person who looks after it on the side.

4.1 and 4.2 Context and interested parties

You describe the external and internal issues that affect your environmental results, such as location, neighbours, customers and regulators. You also note what these parties expect of you.

4.3 and 4.4 Scope and management system

You define which sites, activities and products the system covers. The scope is documented and available to those who ask for it.

5.1 and 5.2 Leadership and policy

Top management takes responsibility for the system and issues an environmental policy. The policy commits to protecting the environment, including pollution prevention, to meeting compliance obligations and to continual improvement.

5.3 Roles and responsibilities

Someone is named for each task, and everyone concerned knows who it is. That includes who reports on environmental performance to management.

Clause 6 is the technical core of the standard. Clause 7 supplies what the plan needs to work in daily operations.

6.1.2 Environmental aspects

You list the activities, products and services that interact with the environment, for example energy use, solvents, packaging waste or wastewater. For each you assess the impact and decide which aspects are significant. The criteria and the result are documented.

6.1.3 Compliance obligations

You identify the laws, permits and other commitments that apply to your aspects, and you keep them on record. The standard names no laws. Which ones apply depends on what you do and where.

6.2 Environmental objectives

You set objectives that fit the policy, measure them where practicable and plan who does what, with which resources and by when.

7.2 and 7.3 Competence and awareness

People whose work affects significant aspects are trained or otherwise qualified for it. All staff know the policy and their own contribution.

7.4 Communication

You decide what you communicate about the system, to whom, when and how, internally and externally.

7.5 Documented information

You create and control the documents and records the standard requires, plus those you need yourself. Format and length are up to you.

This is where the system shows whether it works. Auditors and customers look here first.

8.1 Operational control

You set controls for the processes linked to your significant aspects, including outsourced processes and purchased goods and services. Typical examples are storage rules for hazardous substances, waste separation and maintenance plans.

8.2 Emergency preparedness and response

You identify possible environmental incidents such as spills or fires. You define how to respond, and you test the response where practicable.

9.1 Monitoring and evaluation

You measure what matters, for example consumption, waste quantities or emission readings. You also evaluate regularly whether you comply with your obligations.

9.2 and 9.3 Internal audit and management review

You audit your own system at planned intervals. Top management then reviews the results, objectives and changes, and records its decisions.

10.2 and 10.3 Nonconformity and improvement

When something fails, you react, find the cause, correct it and record what you did. The system as a whole is meant to improve continually.

The 2015 version asks for less paper than older versions, and it does not require an environmental manual. It still requires evidence in several places.

1. 01

   Scope and policy

   Both are documented and the policy is available to interested parties.

2. 02

   Aspects, impacts and compliance obligations

   A register with your aspects, the assessment criteria, the significant aspects and the obligations that apply.

3. 03

   Objectives and action plans

   What you want to achieve, who is responsible and when it is due.

4. 04

   Operational controls and emergency procedures

   As much as you need to be confident that the processes run as planned.

5. 05

   Records

   Monitoring results, evidence of competence, internal audit results, management review results and corrective actions.

• ISO for small and medium businesses

The Zertify self-assessment for ISO 14001 has 34 yes/no questions. 14 of them are mandatory requirements of the standard and must all be answered yes. Of the other 20, at least 14 must be yes to pass. There is no on-site audit.

After you pass and pay, the certificate arrives within 4 hours. It is issued by G6 Agency AG under licence from SICE, and SICE reviews every assessment before issue. Anyone can verify it by certificate number or QR code on the public verification page. The price is CHF 699 (€699) in the first year, then CHF 469 (€469) per year including the yearly online re-audit. The certificate is valid for 3 years.

Answer the questions as your business actually works. A purchasing department or a customer audit may ask to see the documents listed above, so keep them at hand.

• Start the free self-assessment
• ISO 14001 certificate at Zertify
• Pricing