AIMS MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS

ISO 14001:2004

• Both ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 are known as generic management systems i.e. the same standards can be applied to any organisation, large or small.
• ISO 14001 is primarily concerned with 'environmental management' which in plain language means what an organisation does to minimise harmful effects on the environment.
• Both ISO 9001 & 14001 have a high degree of compatibility and can be implemented either side by side or as an integrated management system.
• In brief, ISO 14001 enables an organisation to control the impact of its activities, products or services and continually improve its environmental performance.
• The intention therefore is to provide a framework for an overall strategic approach to an organisations environmental policy, plans and actions.

WHAT IS ISO 14000?

ISO 14000 is a series of standards describing EMS, tools, and techniques. One of these standards, ISO 14001, is the internationally accepted model to follow for implementation of an EMS. It is an auditable standard similar to ISO 9001, and includes a framework for continual improvement of environmental performance, control, and regulatory compliance. ISO 14001 is not a government standard, nor is it focused primarily on regulatory compliance. It is a systematic approach to improving all aspects of environmental management in a company, and is built on a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing, and improving the actions that a company takes to meet its environmental obligations. Companies who have implemented an ISO 9001 quality system are committed to continual improvement, and ISO 14001 is a natural extension of that commitment. Many of the elements of ISO 14001 have similar requirements to ISO 9000, including the need for a policy statement, document control, management review, internal audits, record keeping, and training. The additional requirements for ISO 14001 include making commitments to compliance with environmental regulations and to the prevention of pollution, and a formal process of planning environmental improvement and control programs.