Elements Of ISO 14001 Environmental Management System

ISO/DIS 14001 is one of a series of emerging international environmental management standards aimed at promoting
continual improvement in company environmental performance through the adoption and implementation of an environmental management system. The (draft) standard specifies the core elements of an EMS, but contains only those elements that may be objectively audited for certification or self-declaration purposes. A companion guidance standard, ISO/DIS 14004 includes examples, descrïptions and options that aid in the implementation of an EMS and in integrating the EMS into overall management practices. It is not intended for use by certification/registration bodies.

ISO/DIS 14001 defines an overall environmental management system , closely modeled on the ISO 9000 quality systems standard , and covers the following key elements:

· Establishment of an appropriate environmental policy that is documented and communicated to employees and made available to the public, and which includes a commitment to continual improvement and pollution prevention, regulatory compliance and a framework for setting objectives;
· A planning phase that covers the identification of the environmental aspects of the organization’s activities, identification and access to legal requirements, establishment and documentation of objectives and targets consistent with the policy, and establishment of a program for achieving said targets and objectives (including the designation of responsible individuals, necessary means and timeframes);
· Implementation and operation of the EMS including the definition, documentation and communication of roles and responsibilities, provision of appropriate training, assurance of adequate internal and external communication, written management system documentation as well as appropriate document control procedures, documented procedures for operational controls, and documented and communicated emergency response procedures;
· Checking and corrective action procedures, including procedures for regular monitoring and measurement of key characteristics of the operations and activities, procedures for dealing with situations of non-conformity, specific record maintenance procedures and procedures for auditing the performance of the EMS;
· Periodic management reviews of the overall EMS to ensure its suitability, adequacy and effectiveness in light of changing circumstances.

The EMS as outlined in ISO 14001 provides a structured process for the achievement of continual improvement, the rate and extent of which is determined by the organization in light of economic and other circumstances. Although some improvement in environmental performance can be expected due to the adoption of a systematic approach, it should be understood that the EMS is a tool which enables the organization to achieve and systematically control the level of environmental performance that it sets itself. The establishment of an EMS will not, in itself, necessarily result in an immediate reduction of adverse environmental impact. Indeed, care needs to be taken that the mere establishment of an EMS does not lull the organization into a false sense of security. But effectively used, an EMS should enable an organization to improve its environmental performance and avoid or reduce adverse environmental impacts over time.

Certification means that a qualified body (an “accredited certifier”) has inspected the EMS system that has been put in place and has made a formal declaration that the system is consistent with the requirements of ISO 14001.Countries that have adopted ISO 14001 as a national standard can accredit qualified companies as certifiers, and this will satisfy national legal or contractual requirements. However, the fundamental purpose of ISO is to achieve consistency internationally. If certificates from certain countries or agencies are not fully accepted or are regarded as “second class,” the goal will not have been achieved. It is probable that the international marketplace will eventually put a real commercial value on high-quality certificates, but this level of sophistication and discrimination has not yet been achieved. It is essential to the ultimate success of the whole system that there be a mechanism to ensure that certification in any one country has credibility and acceptability elsewhere.

The standard allows for “self-certification,” a declaration by an enterprise that it conforms to ISO 14001. There is considerable skepticism as to whether this approach would be widely accepted, especially when certification has legal or commercial consequences. At the same time, obtaining certification can entail significant costs, and there are issues relating to the international acceptance of national certification that may make it particularly difficult for companies in some countries to achieve credible certification at a reasonable cost. For firms concerned about having certification that carries real credibility, the costs of bringing in international auditors are typically quite high, partly because the number of internationally recognized firms of certifiers is limited at present.

The ISO has outlined procedures for accreditation and certification (Guides 61 and 62), and a formal body, QSAR, has been established to operationalize the process. At the same time, a number of established national accreditation bodies heavily involved in ISO have set up the informal International Accreditation Forum (IAF) to examine mechanisms for achieving international reciprocity through multilateral agreements (MLAs). However, these systems are in the early stages, and many enterprises continue to use the established international certifiers, even at additional cost, because of lack of confidence in the acceptability of local certifiers.

Given the variability in the design of individual EMS and the substantial costs of the ISO 14000 certification process, there is a growing tendency for large companies that are implementing EMS approaches to pause before taking this last step. After implementing an EMS and confirming that the enterprise is broadly in conformance with ISO 14001, it is becoming routine to carry out a “gap analysis” to determine exactly what further actions would be required to achieve certification and to examine the benefits and costs of bringing in third-party certifiers.

ISO 14001 – Application to Small and Medium Size Enterprises

Most of the development and application of EMS has taken place in large companies. The use of such systems in small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) has been limited—although it is in this segment of industry that some of the largest benefits might be anticipated, because of the difficulty of regulating large numbers of small firms and the potential efficiency improvements that are believed to exist. In practice, however, the characteristics of the typical SME make the adoption of EMS difficult: most SMEs do not have a formal management structure, they lack technically trained personnel, and they are subject to severe short-term pressures on cash flow.

Anecdotal evidence indicates that an EMS cannot be used to drive improved performance in a poorly organized SME. Targeted training in management and quality control can improve overall performance, including its environmental aspects, and can provide a basis for more specific EMS development. Many firms can reap significant benefits from introducing quality management concepts, even where they are not aiming at formal certification. Any steps in this direction should be encouraged.

An EMS, as normally envisaged, builds on existing production and quality management systems. Where such systems are weak or ineffective, as is often the case in enterprises that have poor environmental performance, a better management framework has to be established before focusing on the details of the EMS. The costs of establishing an EMS will therefore obviously depend on the starting point in terms of both management systems and environmental performance.

The ecoefficiency savings can, in some cases, pay for the costs of establishing the EMS, particularly if most of the planning and organizational work is carried out in-house. However, a poor performer will very likely have to invest in production upgrading or pollution control in order to meet environmental requirements, and these costs can be significant.

A full EMS can be complex and can require an appreciable commitment of operational resources.

However, the final system can be reached reasonably through a series of discrete steps, starting from a basic, simple procedure and becoming more comprehensive and sophisticated as capabilities and resources allow. In this way, even a small enterprise can begin to put in place the basic elements of an ISO 14001 system and can develop them at an appropriate pace. Once the basic EMS is in place, it is possible to carry out a gap analysis and to make a balanced judgment on the costs and benefits of seeking certification.

A related issue is the coverage of the EMS. Certification is normally for specific sites or facilities.

A large enterprise may have a number of different sites and production facilities and may choose to seek certification only for a subset of the sites.

Growing scrutiny toward industry’s effects on the environment has made conformance with ISO 14001:2004 – a voluntary, internationally recognized Environmental Management Systems (EMS) standard – more important than ever. As more companies pursue ISO 14001 certification to demonstrate environmental commitment to their customers, shareholders and government agencies, many are discovering the benefits of partnering with Intertek. As one of the first accredited certification bodies, Intertek offers expertise, experience and know-how that no one else can deliver.

Your certified EMS can help you reap the benefits of: Improved overall performance Your ISO 14001 certified EMS can help make your business more efficient and productive. Lower energy and raw materials use, reductions in waste and pollution, and mitigated risks of accidents and emergency situations translate into greater profitability and productivity. Expanded market access Your company’s environmental credibility and commitment to quality are established from day one.

It will take less time to demonstrate the effectiveness of your EMS and earn your prospective customers’ trust and confidence, and you’ll enjoy access to markets you might not otherwise penetrate. Improved corporate image Your certification demonstrates your company’s commitment to environmental responsibility, fostering improved relationships with the community, shareholders, and governmental and environmental organizations.

Enhanced competitiveness While helping you to operate more efficiently and profitably, your ISO 14001 certified EMS can instill additional confidence in shareholders, investors, insurers and your customers – making your business the clear choice in a highly competitive market. Plus, you can maximize your human and financial resources by using your existing Quality Management System (QMS) as a basis for your EMS, taking advantage of the synergies between ISO 9001 and ISO 14001.

Who was involved in determining aspects?

Were air emissions, posshible ground and surface water contamintation, landfill issues, use of natural resources, raw materials and energy considered as well as community issues such as noise, traffic and odor?

Are current, planned and modified activities considered? Look for potential aspects that have not been taken into consideration and ask why they were not considered. How are significant environmental aspects determined?

Does the decision making process take into consideration the amount of control and influence the organization has over its aspects? Look for procedures.

How/when are aspects reviewed and maintained; changes to processes, changes to regulations, introduction of new raw materials?

Does the documentation reflect this change?

Legal and other requirements – Has the organization established, implemented and do they maintain a procedure(s) to identify and have access to the applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, related to its environmental aspects and determined how these requirements apply to its environmental aspects?

What is the procedure regarding this requirement? How does the organization know what regulations and requirements they may be subject to? Do they subscribe to industry newsletters or websites? Do they have a third party environmental service monitor regulations for them and alert them as to any changes?

Is there a list of applicable rules and regulations?

Who is responsible for keeping this information updated and current?

Does the list include any voluntary standards?

How does the organization ensure it is complying with these regulations?

Speak with people in the organization to determine if they are aware of any regulations.

Did the organization consider national, international, state and local rules and regulations?

Does the organization have any agreements with public authorities, or with customers?

Do they subscribe to any voluntary guidelines or industry practices such as Responsible Care?

What process does the organization have for reviewing requirements to make sure they are current in the face of changing processes and business requirements?

Do regulations include such things as Federal Title V or Synthetic Minor, State Emissions Inventory and Permit Fee Program, Regulated Toxic Air Pollutants ENV-A 1400, SARA Title III Toxic chemical releases, SARA Title II Tier II report, Federal EPA clean water act, National Pollution Discharge Elimination systems (NPDES) and Storm water program permit?.

Check the organization’s objective and targets to determine if requirements are included. Was the selection of significant aspects based partially on applicable legal requirements and other requirements?

Objectives, targets and programs – Are the objectives and targets measurable, where practical, and consistent with the environmental policy, including the co mmitments to prevention of pollution, to compliance with applicable legal requirements and with other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and to continual improvement?

How does the organization develop objectives and targets? Who is responsible for developing them? What types of things were taken into consideration during development? Were reducing the creation of waste, reducing the release of specific elements to the air, reducing ground water contamination, reducing use of raw materials by reducing rework and scrap, taken into consideration? Was promoting awareness within

the organization and the surrounding community considered?

Do the objectives and targets reflect the vision of the EMS policy? Are they consistent with the policy?

Do they include commitments to the prevention of pollution and compliance with applicable rules, requirements and

regulations?

Have measurable targets been defined? If not, why not?

Are targets both short and long term?

What factors does the organization consider in setting objectives and targets? How are significant impacts considered? Are legal and other requirements, available technology, financial, operational and business requirements considered? Were interested parties involved in the development of objectives? If so, how?

How were objectives developed? Who participated in their development?

Has the organization established, implemented and does it maintain a program(s) for achieving its objectives and targets, including designation of responsibility for achieving objectives and targets at each relevant function and level of the organization and the means and time-frame by which they are to be achieved?

What plans have been developed to achieve objectives and targets? Do plans include responsibility for achieving the objectives and targets? Do plans reflect objectives and targets at lower levels of the organization? Does the plan include its own targets and timelines for reaching them?

Look at plans. Is there one for every objective and target? What happens when something doesn’t go

according to plan? Is corrective action taken?

How is management kept informed of the progress towards the targets?

How are employees informed of the progress towards the targets?

Look for graphs, information in newsletters, meeting minutes, and posters.

How does the organization plan to achieve objectives and targets?

Have responsibilities been defined?

Have time lines been defined?

How is progress monitored? Is it measurable?