ISO 14001 Certification

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ISO 14001 Certification – make a step towards sustainable environment with Environment Management System
ISO 14001 standards set out the criteria for an environmental management system (EMS). If you wish to set up, improve or maintain an environmental management system, you should get ISO 14001 certified. Gaining this globally recognized standard can be useful for any organization to add credibility by demonstrating their commitment towards the protection of the environment, as well as building the trust of the customers and other stakeholders. In addition to that, with the implementation of the ISO 14001 Environmental Management System, organizations can hugely benefit from reduced costs.
As proof of your commitment towards a better environment, ISO 14001 certification is what you need right now.

ISO 14001 Principles:

  1. Customer focus – aiming to improve for betterment of the interested parties and customer, this will help one sustain customer, increase customer base, makes sure to communicate their needs and expectation by monitoring throughout the organization
  2. Leadership – to achieve quality objectives leaders need to establish unity of purpose which is by aligning its strategy, policies, procedure and resource this will lead into better coordination of organization’s processes one need to establish culture of trust and integrity, provide people with required resource, training, authority to act with accountability
  3. Engagement of people – for efficiency involve people of all levels, this can be done by communicating with the employees their need in the organization, sharing knowledge, and experience, recognizing people’s contribution, learning and improvement.
  4. Process approach – when activities are understood and then executed then the efficiency of the delivered output will increase, by understanding organizations capabilities and determined resource constraints prior to action.
  5. Improvement- improvement is important for an organization to maintain current level of performance and to even keep on developing, this can be done by giving proper training and letting them understand that how does a work happens with that track, review and audit planning, implementation, recognize and acknowledgement, which will result into anticipation of internal and external risks and opportunity, improved process performance.
  6. Evidence based decision making – learn from mistakes, it is simply that decisions should be driven from evaluation of data, this will help one take better efficient solutions adding more, intuitions should never be neglected.
  7. Relationship management – manage relations with relevant interested parties such as providers, one can achieve by keeping a well-managed supply chain that provides a table flow of products and services, determining interested party’s relationship that need to managed,

PDCA Cycle

  • Plan – to think that what do we need to achieve in our organization
  • Do – to execute a planned action which will help us achieve the required objective
  • Check – monitor against the standards) (policies, objectives, requirements)
  • Action – finally implementing what has been rechecked.

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The world is increasingly becoming aware of the health of the environment. ISO 14001 Standards has proved to be the most successful among all for implementation of an effective EMS. It has helped the organizations in fulfilling their environmental responsibilities while keeping their financial health intact. Nearly any business can benefit from achieving certification to ISO 14001 standards. 

Here are the prime benefits of ISO 14001 standards:

 Boosts Company’s Reputation:

ISO 14001 Certification helps to Improve a company’s reputation and builds the confidence of the stakeholders through strategic communication. ISO 14001 certification helps your brand stand out as a responsible provider.

 Increases your profits:

You can earn maximum profits by conserving energy and waste production through implementing ISO 14001 standards. Effective environmental management helps in reducing incidences that result in liability costs, which in turn enables you in securing insurances at lower premiums.

Reduces environmental risks:

Implementing ISO 14001 Environmental management system helps to reduce the risks of environmental incidents that occur in your company. This will reduce the liability cost.

Improves environmental management:

ISO 14001 framework helps an organization to reduce their usage of resources and improves the overall efficiency of the business. It reduces the impact of your business activities on the environment.

 Improves your image & credibility:

It helps to improve corporate image among regulators, customers, and the public. And also helps to Grow your access to more business partners and customers across the globe.

Increases Competitiveness:

You can impress your customers, regulators, and stakeholders with your proactive approach to environmental management and corporate responsibility.

The ISO 14001 standards requires an organization to implement a series of practices and procedures that result in an effective environmental management system.

The High-Level structure of ISO 14001 ensures a smooth integration of EMS with other management systems. Out of them, the first three are introductory in nature, whereas the last seven contain the specifications for implementation of the Environmental Management System (EMS).

 Let’s understand the last seven sections in detail:

 SECTION 4 – Context of the organization:

This section deals with understanding the requirements of your organization for implementing the Environmental Management System.

SECTION 5 – Leadership:

This section emphasizes the role of top management in the implementation of EMS. It requires the management to effectively communicate the roles and responsibilities to the entire workforce.

SECTION 6 – Planning:

This includes analyzing the current system in place and risk analysis, in order to set objectives for effective EMS. It also involves analyzing the organization’s interaction with the environment as well as its legal obligations.

SECTION 7 – Support:

It includes management of all the resources for your EMS, including the control of documented information.

SECTION 8 – Operation:

It deals with operational requirements for environmental control. It also includes preparing the organization for any potential emergency.

SECTION 9 – Performance evaluation:

This is to ensure that your EMS is efficient. It involves monitoring and measurements for assessing the current system and identifying the scope for improvement.

SECTION 10 – Improvement:

This ensures that your EMS is effective. It includes a constant review of the conformity of your EMS with the set standard of ISO 14001.

Gap Analysis

  • Understand the prerequisites of ISO standards by analyzing each clause thoroughly.
  • Analyze your system for any shortcomings.
  • You may take help from any ISO consultant to get you through this stage.

Implementation

  • Prepare the required documents, records, and policies
  • Create awareness among your workforce about the management system and its goals.
  • Assign responsibilities for effective implementation and maintain effective communication.

Certification

  • Perform internal audit and management review to understand gaps and practical realities.
  • Perform corrective actions to ensure the conformities.
  • Invite auditors from the certification body for audit and certification.
  • Stage One (documentation review) – At this stage, the auditors from the certification body verifies that your documentation meets the requirements of ISO 14001.
  • Stage Two (main audit) – In this stage, the realities of your processes are matched with your statements in the documentation for their compliance to the requirements of ISO 14001 standard.

What is ISO 14001:2015 Certification?

ISO 14001 Certification is an internationally recognized standard for establishing and implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) in an organization. It enables the organization to perform its environmental assessment, identify risks, and execute the right actions to prevent or mitigate the effect of environmental challenges so as to secure the organization financially.

What kinds of organizations can apply for ISO 14001 certification?

ISO 14001 Certification can be applied to all kinds of organizations regardless of their size, type or sector of operation. Organizations such as rolling mills, hospitals, steel plants, those dealing with medical devices, paper mills, and so on, can apply for ISO 14001 certification.

What is the main aim of ISO 14001:2015?

The main aims of ISO 14001 :2015 are as follows :

  • It focuses on continual improvement of environmental performance.
  • The aim of ISO 14001 environmental management system is to conserve energy consumption and manage waste material.
  • It aims to lower distribution costs.
  • It focuses on improving corporate image among regulators, customers and the other stakeholders.
  • It also aims to reduce liability cost.

Why should organizations go for ISO 14001?

The world is increasingly becoming aware about the health of the environment. The issues of concern include environmental change, ozone layer depletion, air, water, and soil contamination, and many more. Various sustainable measures are being taken by individuals, governments, and organizations to minimize the impact of their activities on the environment. Thus, for an organization, it becomes imperative to maintain an environmental management system.
The certification promotes various methods that can be adopted for continual improvement of your management system, so that not only are your processes environmentally-friendly, but also compliant to the government’s regulation regarding the environment.

Who can go for ISO 14001 certification?

Any organization, regardless of shape, size or sector of operation, who wants to demonstrate their seriousness for environmental issues.

What is the methodology for ISO 14001 certification?

  • Build an ISO 14001 EMS
  • Perform internal and management audits
  • Correct the identified gaps
  • Document your processes
  • Invite a certification body for the final audit

How can I get an ISO 14001 certificate?

Achieving ISO 14001 Certification is not a big deal in today’s upgraded systems. The basic steps to become ISO 14001 Certified are listed below:

Firstly, you need to prepare all the relevant information of your company in a systematized way (It is always best and safe to hire a legal consultant.)

Secondly, you need to document all the relevant information of your business.

Thirdly, you have to implement all the documented information in your organization.

Fourthly, get ready for the internal audits which are performed first during the certification process and then periodically after.

Lastly, if the certifying body approves your management system then you will be awarded with the required ISO standard.

How much does it cost for ISO 14001 certification?

The cost of ISO 14001 certification varies from one organization to another. Basically, when you approach an internationally accredited certifying body for ISO Certification and they approve your management systems and all your processes, they will then quote an amount for the certificate. Moreover, the cost for achieving ISO certification depends mostly on your organization, such as the no. of employees in your organization, No. of branches your organization has, and many more.

How long is an ISO 14001 certificate valid for?

Basically, an ISO Certificate is valid for three years. And during this time period of three years, a surveillance audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that ISO quality standards are being maintained by the organization.

How do I maintain ISO 14001 certification?

Just because you received an ISO 14001 certification, your task is not complete. For proper functioning of the management system, you need to maintain the ISO 9001 certification. For that, your company has to continually undergo an annual surveillance audit for the period of three years. After completion of the validity period, your company needs to get recertified.

Is ISO 14001 certification right for me? / Why become 14001 certified?

Having an ISO 14001 certification is important for any organization because it marks your business as environment-friendly, ecologically sound, and non-polluting which helps you to win new business and tender opportunities. It also helps you to demonstrate how committed you are to reducing the environmental impacts and how you are trying to meet the customer’s expectations of sustainability.

How can I apply for ISO 14001:2015 for my company for quality?

First of all, you need to choose an internationally accredited certification body meeting all the requirements of ISO Accreditation such as SIS CERTIFICATIONS.

Then an application shall be created, where all the rights and obligations will be included and will be confidential between both the applicants and the registrar.

After that, the ISO auditor will review the relevant documentation related to various procedures followed in your organization.

The auditors will identify gaps, and if there are any gaps you have to prepare an action plan in order to remove these gaps.

Then, there will be initial certification audits which will be followed by:

Stage I – where the auditors will check the changes made in your organization according to requirements.

Stage II – where the auditor will do their final audit for the certification.

As the auditors will approve all your processes then they will make a report and send it to the registrar. They will then grant you the ISO 14001:2015 certification.

What is the latest version of ISO 14001 Certification?

ISO 14001:2015 Certification published in the month of September 2015 is the newest version of ISO 14001 standard. It mainly focuses on providing the organization with effective management systems to improve their performances and acquire profits in business.
ISO 14001 Benefits

The world is increasingly becoming aware of the health of the environment. ISO 14001 Standards has proved to be the most successful among all for implementation of an effective EMS. It has helped the organizations in fulfilling their environmental responsibilities while keeping their financial health intact. Nearly any business can benefit from achieving certification to ISO 14001 standards. 

Here are the prime benefits of ISO 14001 standards:

 Boosts Company’s Reputation:

ISO 14001 Certification helps to Improve a company’s reputation and builds the confidence of the stakeholders through strategic communication. ISO 14001 certification helps your brand stand out as a responsible provider.

 Increases your profits:

You can earn maximum profits by conserving energy and waste production through implementing ISO 14001 standards. Effective environmental management helps in reducing incidences that result in liability costs, which in turn enables you in securing insurances at lower premiums.

Reduces environmental risks:

Implementing ISO 14001 Environmental management system helps to reduce the risks of environmental incidents that occur in your company. This will reduce the liability cost.

Improves environmental management:

ISO 14001 framework helps an organization to reduce their usage of resources and improves the overall efficiency of the business. It reduces the impact of your business activities on the environment.

 Improves your image & credibility:

It helps to improve corporate image among regulators, customers, and the public. And also helps to Grow your access to more business partners and customers across the globe.

Increases Competitiveness:

You can impress your customers, regulators, and stakeholders with your proactive approach to environmental management and corporate responsibility.

ISO 14001 Requirements

The ISO 14001 standards requires an organization to implement a series of practices and procedures that result in an effective environmental management system.

The High-Level structure of ISO 14001 ensures a smooth integration of EMS with other management systems. Out of them, the first three are introductory in nature, whereas the last seven contain the specifications for implementation of the Environmental Management System (EMS).

 Let’s understand the last seven sections in detail:

 SECTION 4 – Context of the organization:

This section deals with understanding the requirements of your organization for implementing the Environmental Management System.

SECTION 5 – Leadership:

This section emphasizes the role of top management in the implementation of EMS. It requires the management to effectively communicate the roles and responsibilities to the entire workforce.

SECTION 6 – Planning:

This includes analyzing the current system in place and risk analysis, in order to set objectives for effective EMS. It also involves analyzing the organization’s interaction with the environment as well as its legal obligations.

SECTION 7 – Support:

It includes management of all the resources for your EMS, including the control of documented information.

SECTION 8 – Operation:

It deals with operational requirements for environmental control. It also includes preparing the organization for any potential emergency.

SECTION 9 – Performance evaluation:

This is to ensure that your EMS is efficient. It involves monitoring and measurements for assessing the current system and identifying the scope for improvement.

SECTION 10 – Improvement:

This ensures that your EMS is effective. It includes a constant review of the conformity of your EMS with the set standard of ISO 14001.

ISO 14001 Process

Gap Analysis

  • Understand the prerequisites of ISO standards by analyzing each clause thoroughly.
  • Analyze your system for any shortcomings.
  • You may take help from any ISO consultant to get you through this stage.

Implementation

  • Prepare the required documents, records, and policies
  • Create awareness among your workforce about the management system and its goals.
  • Assign responsibilities for effective implementation and maintain effective communication.

Certification

  • Perform internal audit and management review to understand gaps and practical realities.
  • Perform corrective actions to ensure the conformities.
  • Invite auditors from the certification body for audit and certification.
  • Stage One (documentation review) – At this stage, the auditors from the certification body verifies that your documentation meets the requirements of ISO 14001.
  • Stage Two (main audit) – In this stage, the realities of your processes are matched with your statements in the documentation for their compliance to the requirements of ISO 14001 standard.
ISO 14001 FAQs

What is ISO 14001:2015 Certification?

ISO 14001 Certification is an internationally recognized standard for establishing and implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) in an organization. It enables the organization to perform its environmental assessment, identify risks, and execute the right actions to prevent or mitigate the effect of environmental challenges so as to secure the organization financially.

What kinds of organizations can apply for ISO 14001 certification?

ISO 14001 Certification can be applied to all kinds of organizations regardless of their size, type or sector of operation. Organizations such as rolling mills, hospitals, steel plants, those dealing with medical devices, paper mills, and so on, can apply for ISO 14001 certification.

What is the main aim of ISO 14001:2015?

The main aims of ISO 14001 :2015 are as follows :

  • It focuses on continual improvement of environmental performance.
  • The aim of ISO 14001 environmental management system is to conserve energy consumption and manage waste material.
  • It aims to lower distribution costs.
  • It focuses on improving corporate image among regulators, customers and the other stakeholders.
  • It also aims to reduce liability cost.

Why should organizations go for ISO 14001?

The world is increasingly becoming aware about the health of the environment. The issues of concern include environmental change, ozone layer depletion, air, water, and soil contamination, and many more. Various sustainable measures are being taken by individuals, governments, and organizations to minimize the impact of their activities on the environment. Thus, for an organization, it becomes imperative to maintain an environmental management system.
The certification promotes various methods that can be adopted for continual improvement of your management system, so that not only are your processes environmentally-friendly, but also compliant to the government’s regulation regarding the environment.

Who can go for ISO 14001 certification?

Any organization, regardless of shape, size or sector of operation, who wants to demonstrate their seriousness for environmental issues.

What is the methodology for ISO 14001 certification?

  • Build an ISO 14001 EMS
  • Perform internal and management audits
  • Correct the identified gaps
  • Document your processes
  • Invite a certification body for the final audit

How can I get an ISO 14001 certificate?

Achieving ISO 14001 Certification is not a big deal in today’s upgraded systems. The basic steps to become ISO 14001 Certified are listed below:

Firstly, you need to prepare all the relevant information of your company in a systematized way (It is always best and safe to hire a legal consultant.)

Secondly, you need to document all the relevant information of your business.

Thirdly, you have to implement all the documented information in your organization.

Fourthly, get ready for the internal audits which are performed first during the certification process and then periodically after.

Lastly, if the certifying body approves your management system then you will be awarded with the required ISO standard.

How much does it cost for ISO 14001 certification?

The cost of ISO 14001 certification varies from one organization to another. Basically, when you approach an internationally accredited certifying body for ISO Certification and they approve your management systems and all your processes, they will then quote an amount for the certificate. Moreover, the cost for achieving ISO certification depends mostly on your organization, such as the no. of employees in your organization, No. of branches your organization has, and many more.

How long is an ISO 14001 certificate valid for?

Basically, an ISO Certificate is valid for three years. And during this time period of three years, a surveillance audit is conducted on an annual basis to ensure that ISO quality standards are being maintained by the organization.

How do I maintain ISO 14001 certification?

Just because you received an ISO 14001 certification, your task is not complete. For proper functioning of the management system, you need to maintain the ISO 9001 certification. For that, your company has to continually undergo an annual surveillance audit for the period of three years. After completion of the validity period, your company needs to get recertified.

Is ISO 14001 certification right for me? / Why become 14001 certified?

Having an ISO 14001 certification is important for any organization because it marks your business as environment-friendly, ecologically sound, and non-polluting which helps you to win new business and tender opportunities. It also helps you to demonstrate how committed you are to reducing the environmental impacts and how you are trying to meet the customer’s expectations of sustainability.

How can I apply for ISO 14001:2015 for my company for quality?

First of all, you need to choose an internationally accredited certification body meeting all the requirements of ISO Accreditation such as SIS CERTIFICATIONS.

Then an application shall be created, where all the rights and obligations will be included and will be confidential between both the applicants and the registrar.

After that, the ISO auditor will review the relevant documentation related to various procedures followed in your organization.

The auditors will identify gaps, and if there are any gaps you have to prepare an action plan in order to remove these gaps.

Then, there will be initial certification audits which will be followed by:

Stage I – where the auditors will check the changes made in your organization according to requirements.

Stage II – where the auditor will do their final audit for the certification.

As the auditors will approve all your processes then they will make a report and send it to the registrar. They will then grant you the ISO 14001:2015 certification.

What is the latest version of ISO 14001 Certification?

ISO 14001:2015 Certification published in the month of September 2015 is the newest version of ISO 14001 standard. It mainly focuses on providing the organization with effective management systems to improve their performances and acquire profits in business.

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