A comprehensive guide to the requirements of ISO 14001:2015. Understand what your organization needs to implement for successful Environmental Management System certification.

Understanding ISO 14001:2015 Structure

ISO 14001:2015 follows the High-Level Structure (HLS) common to all modern ISO management system standards. The standard contains 10 clauses, with clauses 1-3 providing introduction and definitions, and clauses 4-10 containing the requirements for certification.

Clause 4: Context of the Organization

This clause requires you to understand your organization's context and stakeholder needs:

4.1 Understanding the Organization and Its Context

Identify external issues (regulatory, economic, environmental conditions)
Identify internal issues (organizational culture, capabilities, resources)
Consider environmental conditions affected by or affecting the organization

4.2 Understanding Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties

Identify relevant interested parties (regulators, customers, community, employees)
Determine their relevant needs and expectations
Identify which become compliance obligations

4.3 Determining the Scope of the EMS

Define boundaries and applicability of the EMS
Consider external and internal issues, compliance obligations
Include all activities, products, and services within scope
Document and make available to interested parties

4.4 Environmental Management System

Establish, implement, maintain, and continually improve the EMS
Include processes needed and their interactions

Clause 5: Leadership

Leadership requirements ensure top management commitment and accountability:

5.1 Leadership and Commitment

Take accountability for EMS effectiveness
Ensure policy and objectives are established and compatible with strategic direction
Ensure integration of EMS requirements into business processes
Ensure resources are available
Communicate importance of effective environmental management
Promote continual improvement

5.2 Environmental Policy

Appropriate to purpose and context of organization
Provides framework for setting environmental objectives
Includes commitment to environmental protection
Includes commitment to fulfil compliance obligations
Includes commitment to continual improvement
Documented, communicated, and available to interested parties

5.3 Organizational Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities

Assign and communicate responsibilities and authorities
Ensure EMS conforms to standard requirements
Report on EMS performance to top management

Clause 6: Planning

Planning requirements address risks, environmental aspects, and objectives:

6.1 Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities

Determine environmental aspects of activities, products, and services
Identify significant environmental aspects using established criteria
Determine compliance obligations (legal and other requirements)
Plan actions to address significant aspects, compliance obligations, risks and opportunities

6.2 Environmental Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them

Establish objectives at relevant functions and levels
Objectives must be consistent with policy, measurable, monitored, communicated, and updated
Plan what will be done, resources required, responsibility, timeline, and evaluation method

Clause 7: Support

Support requirements ensure adequate resources and documentation:

7.1-7.4 Resources, Competence, Awareness, Communication

Determine and provide necessary resources
Ensure competence of persons affecting environmental performance
Ensure awareness of policy, significant aspects, contributions, and implications of non-conformance
Establish processes for internal and external communication

7.5 Documented Information

Include documented information required by the standard
Include documented information needed for EMS effectiveness
Control creation, updating, and control of documents

Clause 8: Operation

Operational requirements address planning, controls, and emergency preparedness:

8.1 Operational Planning and Control

Plan, implement, and control processes to meet requirements
Establish criteria for processes
Implement control of processes in accordance with criteria
Control planned changes and review unintended changes
Consider lifecycle perspective for products and services
Communicate relevant environmental requirements to external providers

8.2 Emergency Preparedness and Response

Prepare for and respond to potential emergency situations
Plan actions to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts
Periodically test planned response actions
Review and revise plans after incidents or tests

Clause 9: Performance Evaluation

9.1 Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis and Evaluation

Determine what needs to be monitored and measured
Determine methods, timing, and criteria for evaluation
Evaluate environmental performance and EMS effectiveness
Evaluate compliance with legal and other requirements

9.2 Internal Audit

Conduct internal audits at planned intervals
Verify EMS conforms to requirements and is effectively implemented
Plan, establish, and maintain audit program(s)
Ensure auditor objectivity and impartiality

9.3 Management Review

Review EMS at planned intervals
Consider status of previous actions, changes in context, performance and compliance information
Determine opportunities for continual improvement
Document outputs including decisions and actions

Clause 10: Improvement

10.1-10.3 Nonconformity, Corrective Action, and Continual Improvement

React to nonconformities and take action to control and correct them
Evaluate need for action to eliminate causes of nonconformity
Implement corrective action and review effectiveness
Continually improve EMS suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness

Required Documented Information

ISO 14001:2015 requires the following documented information:

Scope of the EMS (4.3)
Environmental policy (5.2)
Risks and opportunities to be addressed (6.1.1)
Environmental aspects and associated impacts (6.1.2)
Criteria for determining significant aspects (6.1.2)
Significant environmental aspects (6.1.2)
Compliance obligations (6.1.3)
Environmental objectives (6.2.1)
Evidence of competence (7.2)
Evidence of communication (7.4.1)
Results of monitoring and measurement (9.1.1)
Internal audit program and results (9.2.2)
Management review outputs (9.3)
Nature of nonconformities and actions taken (10.2)
Results of corrective actions (10.2)

ISO 14001 Requirements