ISO 14001- Introduction

The first environmental management system standard is BS 7750 published in 1992. Then the ISO14000 family created in 1996. ISO 14001 was first published in 2004 by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The current version of ISO 14001 was released in September 2015. ISO 14001 is defined as the international standard that specifies requirements for an environmental management system (EMS). Organizations use the standard to demonstrate the ability to consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements.

Keys to success ISO 14001:2015 implementation are;

• Management commitment
• Adequate resources to establish, implement, and maintain the EMS.
• Assigned roles, responsibility, and authorities
• Appropriate procedures and documentation
• Awareness, Competence and Training
• Resources management and Continual improvement

ISO 14001-Benefits

There are numerous benefits of implementing ISO 14001. These include: 

• Improve interested parties and social satisfaction 
• Systematic process
• Clear roles and responsibilities
• Cost reduction by utilize resources
• Promoting sound environmental management which becomes a means of doing business and not an end in and of itself.
• Positioning the organization as an environmental leader and providing a framework by which to respond to environmental inquiries from customers, stockholders and other interested parties.

ISO 14001-Clauses

• 1 Scope
  2 Normative references
  3 Terms and definitions
  4 Context of the organization
  5 Leadership
  6 Planning
  7 Support
  8 Operation
  9 Performance evaluation
  10 Improvement
• ISO 14001:2015 applies to any organization, regardless of size or industry. ISO 14001 is a voluntary international standard that establishes the requirements for an environmental management system (EMS). The objective of the standard is for an organization to establish an EMS that is integrated with the overall business management process. Elements of the EMS include Environmental Policy, Planning, Implementation and Operation, Checking, and Management Review. Integral to the model is the concept of continual improvement of the EMS. This improvement can take many forms, such as improved communications and employee awareness, improved environmental performance, and improved emergency planning and response programs. It is not necessary for all elements of the EMS to be improved simultaneously.