ISO 14001

What is ISO 14001?

There are more than 25,000 ISO standards, it can be a bit difficult to keep up on all of them. ISO 14001 is one of the most popular, with over 600,000 organizations worldwide having successfully adopted the standard. 14001 is the preferred environmental management standard, helping businesses design and maintain environmental protection systems. Every certified body is different, with some requiring guidance on hazardous waste or byproduct disposal, others needing direction sustainable energy practices, and still more pursuing a means for accurate environmental monitoring in their surrounding area. ISO 14001 covers a massive breadth of content. It does so not by addressing every possible environmentally related issue, but by laying a framework for groups looking to address those issues, establishing a set of guidelines for the design, monitoring, reporting, and resolution of environmental matters.

Where did it come from?

ISO 14001 was first adopted in 1996, a time when more and more consumers were invested in their business providers' environmental impact. At the time, the certification was focused mainly on pollutants and emissions, but the growing recognition of our impact on the environment quickly broadened ISO 14001 to encompass so much more.

Why does it matter?

Besides the obvious answer of "improving the health of the world" ISO 14001 certified groups enjoy a multitude of benefits. Those who meet the 14001 standard signal to both consumers and operating partners their commitment to cleaner running, earning the devotion of both parties. The certification not only announces an organizations environmental intentions, but backs them up with evidence of effort. In many nations, earning ISO 14001 certification puts most groups within legislative requirements, affording the certificate holder compliance with their local governing body. The final, often overlooked advantage inherent on ISO 14001 certification is reduced costs. Short-term, implementing any new practice incurs costs. Taken over a period of years, adoption of the ISO 14001 can save costs up and down the line in waste disposal, environmental compliance, and in evading cleanup or habitat repair costs.

Should my organization be certified?

Said shortly, yes. ISO 14001 easily melds into the framework of other certifications, and is only growing in popularity and importance, both to consumers and aligned businesses.

What does it take to get certified?

ISO 14001 is no more difficult a certification to obtain than any other, and in many cases can be acquired in tandem with other ISO certifications. We'll introduce you to the steps.

1st: Preparation. An assessment of current policies, their efficiency, and what areas have room for improvement. Your auditor will review what’s in place before moving on to the next stage.

2nd: Familiarization. An on-site walkthrough with a few employee interviews to see if your written policies have been implemented.

3rd: Documentation. The auditor will compare ISO on-site walkthrough with a few employee interviews to see if your written policies have been implemented.

4th: Verification: The last step, when managing personnel are informed of the auditor’s findings and discuss what went right and what can be done to rectify anything that may be wrong.