Source : ISO/TC 207/SC 1
© ISO/TC 207/SC 1 2 July 2014
Revision of ISO 14001 Environmental management systems
– Requirements with guidance for use
What are the emerging changes?
Strategic
Environmental Management – There is an increased prominence of environmental management
within the organization’s strategic planning processes. A new requirement to understand
the organization’s context has been incorporated to identify and leverage opportunities
for the benefit of both the organization and the environment. Particular focus
is on issues or changing circumstances related to the needs and expectations of
interested parties (including regulatory requirements) and local, regional or
global environmental conditions that can affect, or be affected by, the
organization. Once identified as a priority, actions to mitigate adverse risk
or exploit beneficial opportunities are integrated in the operational planning
of the environmental management system.
Leadership
– To ensure the success of the
system, a new clause has been added that assigns specific responsibilities for
those in leadership roles to promote environmental management within the
organization.
Protecting
the environment – The expectation on organizations has been expanded
to commit to proactive initiatives to protect the environment from harm and
degradation, consistent with the context of the organization. The revised text
does not define ‘protect the environment’ but it notes that it can include
prevention of pollution, sustainable resource use, climate change mitigation
and adaptation, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems, etc.
Environmental
performance – There is a shift in emphasis with regard to
continual improvement, from improving the management system to improving
environmental performance. Consistent with the organization’s policy
commitments the organization would, as applicable, reduce emissions, effluents
and waste to levels set by the organization.
Lifecycle
thinking – In addition to the current requirement to manage
environmental aspects associated with procured goods and service, organizations
will need to extend its control and influence to the environmental impacts
associated with product use and end-of-life treatment or disposal. This does
not imply a requirement to do a life cycle assessment.
Communication
– The development of a
communications strategy with equal emphasis on external and internal
communications has been added. This includes a requirement on communicating
consistent and reliable information, and establishing mechanisms for persons working
under the organization's control to make suggestions on improving the
environmental management system. The decision to communicate externally is
retained by the organization but the decision needs to take into account
information reporting required by regulatory agencies and the expectations of
other interested parties.
Documentation
– Reflecting the evolution of
computer and cloud based systems for running management systems, the revision
incorporates the term ‘documented information’, instead of ‘documents’ and
‘records’. To align with ISO 9001, the organization will retain the flexibility
to determine when ‘procedures’ are needed to ensure effective process control.
Will there be further changes?
In terms of the emerging changes in the DIS it is important to remember that the:
DIS provides a good indication of key concepts emerging
in the revision but that proposed text still can and may change; revision is at DIS for ballot and comment stage.
How does ISO 14001 revision link
with ISO 9001 revision?
There is close co-operation between the committee
with responsibility for the revision of ISO 9001, ISO/TC 176/SC 2, and TC
207/SC 1. Both groups benefit from a regularly updated tabular comparison on
how various elements of the Annex SL structure are being handled by the two
