Six major clauses of ISO 14001 certification
ISO 14001 outlines the requirements for implementing an efficient environmental management system (EMS). The ISO 14001 is crafted for organisations that are actively trying to reduce their environmental impact. These recommendations can be applied to any business, irrespective of its industry or size. The requirements of ISO 14001 are categorised into ten separate sections which follow the “plan do check act” template. For convenience, these sections are broken into four parts. The ‘plan’ stage of the process includes clauses one to six, the ‘do’ stage involves clauses seven to eight, clause nine is categorised in the ‘check’ state and clause ten in the ‘act’ stage. Broadly speaking, clauses 5-10 are considered to be the six major clauses of ISO14001.
6 main cluases of ISO 14001; From operation to improvement
1. Leadership
Similar to other ISO standards, clause 5 outlines the required roles and responsibilities of the managerial staff within the management system. The ISO 14001 focuses on the importance of top management’s involvement in implementing, maintenance and improving the EMS by defining tasks, policies and procedures. The requirements for top management are listed within this clause, indicating how they must effectively lead the EMS through the provision of resources, effective communication, strategic direction and timely evaluation.
2. Planning
Clause 6 of the ISO 14001 certificate focuses on the identification of any risk which might affect the organisation’s EMS and the creation of suitable action plans wherever necessary. The organisation is recommended to establish its expectations while paying special attention to locations and environmental aspects. This clause also compels the organisation to maintain appropriate documented information on the processes and actions required to determine risk identification and the related action plans. A template is also provided to ensure that the organisation addresses potential threats during the implementation and post-implementation phases.
3. Support
Clause 6 focuses on support requirements. The support section is the largest section of the ISO 14001 certification which addresses all requirements on documentation, communication and internal resources. It is recommended to list the resources that would be required for the effective functioning and maintenance of the EMS. Moreover, under this clause, the organisation will determine the competence level of its personnel to determine specific training programmes needed to reduce environmental impact.
4. Operation
This section compels organisations to assess their activities to identify which ones significantly impact the environment. The purpose of clause 8 is to establish documented processes for all activities and procedures within the EMS scope statement. Hence all areas of operation including manufacturing, transportation, product disposal, and risk analysis are diligently analysed. Moreover, the anticipatory interventions created during the risk identification process in clause six are also analysed and documented.
5. Performance evaluation
Section 8 of ISO 14001 certification focuses on the evaluation of the EMS. The aim of measuring and evaluating the EMS is to ensure its effectiveness and the organisation’s commitment to continual improvement. Here, the methods employed and the data analysed should be measured. This clause objectively asks the organisation to evaluate how the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard are fulfilled. It is suggested to highlight and verify how the legal needs, stakeholder expectations and organisational obligations have been met. The efficiency, effectiveness, adequacy and suitability of the EMS is also reviewed in this section. The performances of processes, the assessment of previous plans implemented, and subsequent opportunities should also be assessed during this section.
6. Improvement
This clause focuses on corrective action requirements that are necessary to address potential non-conformity. Here, the organisation is suggested to identify opportunities that will improve its efficiency and implement the necessary actions to achieve the desired outcome. The organisation is also suggested to consider the EMS analysis and evaluation findings. The aim of this section is to determine if the top management’s commitment to environmental sustainability is being appropriately addressed by creating an environmental vision reflected in the corporate policy. Secondly, this clause is to identify whether there is total involvement of employees through the creation of “green” teams that are trained to tackle potential environmental issues.
Clauses 1-4, are not considered to be as important as the others. They include the scope statement, normative preferences, terms and definitions and context of the organisation.
ISO 14001 certification clauses; The goal of creating first clause
The first clause of ISO 14001 certification outlines the scope of the EMS. The intention of the scope statement used to enhance the organisation’s environmental performance and fulfil all compliance obligations. There are no specific normative references in ISO 14001. The purpose of creating this clause was to keep the numbers identical to the previous editions. The terms and definitions section of the ISO 14001 delineates the relevant definitions. Categories include organisation and leadership, planning, support and operation as well as performance evaluation. The environmental impact that an organisation creates varies significantly depending on its industry and size. Since this ISO certification has many profits, you may be interested to know more about ISO 14001 requirements.
This context section requires organisations to identify, define and establish the internal as well as external issues that affect the business, stakeholders and potential clients. It also urges organisations to outline the regulation compliance that they meet or intend to meet.
ISO 14001 benefits; Being abreast of legitimate commitments and expanding renown
There are many benefits of ISO 14001 certification, including legal compliance. Being ISO 14001 certified ensures that the organisation is up-to-date with legal obligations preventing fines or bad publicity. The ISO 14001 increases its reputation with customers as it advertises the organisation’s active commitment to minimising its environmental impact. This gives the organisation and competitive environment an advantage, especially when waiting for tenders. The ISO 14001 audit helps organisations to reduce waste, reduces cost and reduced insurance costs are also some benefits that come along. Organisations can hire ISO 14001 consultants to get certified faster.
