ISO 14001 is the internationally recognized standard for environmental management systems (EMS). It provides a framework for organizations to design and implement an EMS, and continually improve their environmental performance. By adhering to this standard, organizations can ensure they are taking proactive measures to minimize their environmental footprint, comply with relevant legal requirements, and achieve their environmental objectives. The framework encompasses various aspects, from resource usage and waste management to monitoring environmental performance and involving stakeholders in environmental commitments.
The key changes in the proposed standard are:
With the new standard in place, organizations will find it easier to incorporate their environmental management system into the core business processes and gain greater business benefits.
ISO 14001:2015 should be used by any organization that wishes to set up, improve, or maintain an environmental management system to conform with its established environmental policy and requirements. The requirements of the standard can be incorporated into any environmental management system, the extent to which is determined by several factors including the organization’s industry, environmental policy, products and service offerings, and location.
ISO 14001:2015 is relevant to all organizations, regardless of size, location, sector, or industry.
At the highest level, ISO 14001:2015 covers the following topics with regard to environmental management systems:
The 2015 revision of ISO 14001 introduces a number of changes from previous versions.
As part of the effort to structure all ISO standards in the same way, the revisions introduced in the 2015 version of ISO 14001 include incorporating a required high-level structure, using mandatory definitions, and incorporating common standards requirements and clauses.
Identified 10 major areas of impact of the 2015 revision: