ISO 14001:2015 Standard Overview

ISO 14001:2015 StandardOverviewUnderstand the environmentalmanagement system standard and howto apply the framework in your business.

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Introduction to ISO 14001:2015 & How to apply the standard toyour organisation:1.Introduction to ISO 14001Page 42Clause 4: Context of the organisationPage 63.Clause 5: LeadershipPage 94.Clause 6: Planning Page 115.Clause 7: Support Page 156.Clause 8: Performance EvaluationPage 177.Clause 8: ImprovementPage 198.Contact Qualsys Page 203

1.Introduction to ISO 14001:2015What is ISO 14001?Welcome to ISO 14001:2015We all need to play our part in reducing ourenvironmental impact.ISO 14001 provides a framework to guideyour business to reduce environmentalimpact.Businesses currently certified to ISO14001:2004 have until September 2018 totransition to the revised Standard.The Standard was first published in 1996.Since, there were some minor changesmade in 2004 to better align it with theISO 9001 standard. The aim of this was toprevent duplication of effort so businessescan focus less on paperwork and moreon implementing practices which reduceimpact on the environment.This duality is developed further in the2015 revision with both standards basedon Annex SL. This inscribes a new, highlevel structure that connects managementsystems through a common framework. Asa result, a key difference in the 2015 versionis the connection, and integration, of theenvironmental management system withthe rest of the business processes alreadyestablished as core operational systems.This integration of environmentalmanagement with other managementprocesses makes it easier to involve theentire business.Applicable to any size or type oforganisation, ISO 14001 essentially requiresan Environmental Management System(EMS) be established to control andimprove an organisation’s relationshipwith the environment.4After this transition period certification toISO 14001:2004 will be out of date.Through compliance, it is possible to tailoryour organisation’s effort to reduce energycosts, improve customer relations andcomply with regulatory imperatives.

As with the 2004 standard, ISO 14001:2015is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA)operating principle.With relation to environmentalmanagement, this principle can besummarised as:1. Plan:Undertake a review to determineenvironmental factors affecting oraffected by your organisation. Defineobjectives, targets and plans to meetthese in order to improve yourenvironmental performance.2. Do:Implement the plans definedabove.3. Check:Measure your progress againstyour targets and objectives.4. Act:Take action to continually improveyour environmental performance.ISO 14001:2015 contains major revisions inclauses 4 through 9. These clauses relateto context, leadership, planning, support,operations, performance evaluation andimprovement.5About this guide:Use this guide to understand the Standardand get buy-in to apply environmentallyfriendly practice to your business.

2.Clause 4: ContextHow do I define context for my EMS?A PEST Analysis of your businessContext is entirely new and requiresorganisations to consider and understandall of the environmental factors affectingor affected by their EMS.By considering the context, organisationsensure that internal and external issuesthat can impact strategic objectives,processes and the outcomes of the EMSare considered.Context becomes important in ensuringthat the management system is designedand suitably tailored to be relevant to aspecific organisation.This maximises the associated benefitsthat an organisation can access throughconformance with ISO 14001:2015.A simple and effective approach tounderstanding your organisation’s contextconsists of five steps:1. Identify the internal environmentalissues.2. Identify the external environmentalissues.external issues over time.Internal context is affected by governancegoals, contractual relationships withcustomers, and interested parties.Internal issues can include: Regulatory requirements Strategic direction to adhere to policiesand achieve objectives Current levels of waste, emissions andimpact Relationship with staff and stakeholders,including partners and suppliers Resources and knowledge (e.g. capital,people, processes and technologies) Assets Product or service Standards, guidelines and modelsadopted by the organisation Information systems Culture CapabilityTo determine external context, anorganisation should consider issuesarising from its social, technological,environmental, ethical, political, legal andeconomic situation.3. Identify your interested parties and theirThis may include:requirements.4. Define the scope of your EMS.5. Monitor and review internal and6 Government regulations and changes inthe law Economic shifts in the organisation’s

market Competitive context Public relations Technological advances Pre-existing land contamination Climate volatility Resource availability PopulationAn organisation’s interested partiesinclude customers, partners, employeesand suppliers.When an organisation is developing anEMS it needs to consider which interestedparties are affected by the organisation’senvironmental performance and anycompliance obligations associated withthem.Organisations must define the scopeof their EMS so that their complianceobligations are within reasonableoperational boundaries.Organisations should consider theirown corporate context, expectations ofinterested parties and the mostsignificant processes that the EMS appliesto. The scope should be documented,and include all products, services andactivities with significant environmentalaspects. Regular management review isnecessary to monitor an organisation’sinternal or external issues and adapt theEMS ccordingly. Once the internal context7is understood management can conductan external analysis. Organisations mayfind it useful to conduct a ‘PEST’ analysis(Political,Economic, Social and Technological). Bydoing this, the organisation can determinewhich factors will affect, and are affectedby, its operations.While an organisation has no controlover external risks, it can adapt to them.PEST factors can be classified as ‘risks’and ‘opportunities’ in a SWOT analysis(Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities,Threats) or other alternative methods.

Example:Internal StrengthInternal Weakness“ABC Ltd is a plasticbottle manufacturer. Thebusiness values longevity,the health of our customersand the planet.”Recycling 60% of businesswasteBike to work schemeLED bulbs used throughout siteMany suppliers are within a 50mile radius10% product wastePaper processesFactory sources energy fromCoalVehicles using petrol fuelsProducts are not fully bio-degradeableHeating cost of buildingsExternal OpportunityInternal Strength ExternalOpportunity:Internal Weakness External Opportunity:Calculate employee annualmileage and offset emissions.Use the government grant toinsulate buildings and reduceheating.Government grants for insulation of buildings, removal ofhazardous wasteCarbon offsetting projectsNew Environmental agencylawsLocal Universities offeringpartnershipsNew reusable materials available for packagingExternal RiskCustomers want productsfrom environmentally friendlysourcesSupplier performance8Aim for 80% recyclable materials by introducing the newreusable materials.Partner with the University forresearch on biodegradeableproducts.Internal Strength ExternalRisk:Internal Weakness External Risk:Team up with the marketingteam to promote all the goodwork the business is doing andcommunicate plan.Audit the suppliers on a regularbasis and set targets,Recycling 60% of businesswasteBike to work schemeLED bulbs used throughout siteMany suppliers are within a 50mile radius

3.Clause 5: LeadershipWhat are the new leadership requirements?Active engagement with the EMSTop management are now responsible forthe EMS. This ensures commitment andsupport for the EMS is strategic, operationaland tactical.The aim of this is to promote a culturewhere environmental management is theresponsibility of all - so it is embedded intothe culture.By leading from the top, organisationscan demonstrate their commitment toenvironmental management andintegrate environmental managementeffectively into business processes.In the ISO 14001:2015 standard there arethree key changes that concern leadership:1. a new Leadership and Commitment subclause2. extensions to requirements of theenvironmental policy3. updates to clauses concerningorganisational roles, responsibilities andauthoritiesThe new Leadership and Commitmentsub clause outlines that top managementcannot delegate certain roles. There mustbe responsibility taken by representativesat the highest level (for any part of theorganisation covered by the scope of theEMS) for a number of aspects of the EMS9including: Consideration of environmentalperformance in strategic planning Formulating environmental policy Communicating the importance ofeffective environmental management,including, but not limited to, conformanceto the EMS. Support of manager roles relevant to theEMS Promoting continuous improvement Establishing the organisation’senvironmental policy Reviewing and monitoring of the EMSEssentially, organisations must ensurethat top management holds somedirect responsibility and accountabilityfor the EMS so that environmentalconsiderations become a routinecomponent of strategic planning.In addition to the commitment to theprevention of pollution required by the2004 standard, the updated standardwill require a comprehensive policycommitment to the protection of theenvironment.Top management must be responsiblefor formulating the environmentalpolicy, and must implement, document,communicate, and expect personnel tocomply with, that policy.

In formulating an environmental policy,issues that management may need toconsider include: Prevention of pollution Sustainable resource use Climate mitigation and adaption Environmental context of theorganisation Responsible waste disposal Control of emissions Compliance obligationsIn order to provide effectiveenvironmental leadership, managementmust assign all EMSroles, responsibilities and authoritiesand communicate them to the relevantpersonnel.There is no specific requirement for aspecified management representative asspecified under ISO 14001:2004. However,organisations must continue to ensurethat the roles, responsibilities andauthorities attributed to a managementrepresentative are assigned somewhere inthe organisation.10