What is ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is an international standard for environmental management systems legislated by ISO (International Organization for Standardization).
To be more specific, ISO 14001 is a management system that must be implemented by an organization to continually eliminate or reduce environmental hazards faced by the organization, through systematically identifying, evaluating, controlling, and improving environmental aspects generated in the course of managing the organization.
The requirement for an environmental management system in global trade has now spread across all industrial fields, and in some industries, the environmental management system is required as an important obligatory factor for securing successful business opportunities.
The standard may be applicable to any organization across all industries, regardless of size, similar to ISO 9001 (QM).

Effectiveness of ISO 14001

ISO 14001:2015 aims to provide organizations with a framework to balance socio-economic needs while responding to changing environmental conditions and protecting the environment. It specifies the requirements for an environmental management system to help organizations achieve the intended outcomes.

A systematic approach to environmental management can provide top management with information to build success over the long term and create options for contributing to sustainable development by:

  • - protecting the environment by preventing or mitigating adverse environmental impacts
  • - mitigating the potential adverse effects of environmental conditions on the organization
  • - fulfilling compliance obligations
  • - enhancing environmental performance
  • - controlling or influencing the way the organization’s products and services are designed, manufactured, distributed, consumed, and disposed of by using a life cycle perspective, which can prevent environmental impacts from being unintentionally shifted elsewhere within the life cycle
  • - achieving financial and operational benefits that can result from implementing environmentally sound alternatives that strengthen the organization's market position
  • - communicating environmental information to relevant interested parties

The success of an environmental management system depends on commitment from all levels and functions of the organization, led by top management.
Organizations can leverage opportunities to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts and enhance beneficial environmental impacts, particularly those with strategic and competitive implications.
Top management can effectively address risks and opportunities by integrating environmental management into the organization’s business processes, strategic direction, and decision-making, aligning them with other business priorities, and incorporating environmental governance into the overall management system.
Demonstration of successful implementation of this International Standard can be used to assure interested parties that an effective environmental management system is in place.
However, the adoption of this International Standard, in itself, will not guarantee optimal environmental outcomes.
The application of this International Standard can differ from one organization to another depending on the organization's context.
Two organizations can carry out similar activities but have different compliance obligations, commitments in their environmental policies, environmental technologies, and environmental performance goals, yet both can conform to the requirements of this International Standard.
The level of detail and complexity of the environmental management system will vary depending on the organization’s context, the scope of its environmental management system, its compliance obligations, and the nature of its activities, products, and services, including its environmental aspects and associated environmental impacts.

Relationship between PDCA and the framework in this International Standard

ISO 14001:2015 Requirements

4. Context of the organization
  • 4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
  • 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
  • 4.3 Determining the scope of the environmental management system
  • 4.4 Environmental management system
5. Leadership
  • 5.1 Leadership and commitment
  • 5.2 Environmental policy
  • 5.3 Organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities
6. Planning
  • 6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities
  • 6.1.1 General
  • 6.1.2 Environmental aspects
  • 6.1.3 Compliance obligations
  • 6.1.4 Planning action
  • 6.2 Environmental objectives and planning to achieve them
  • 6.2.1 Environmental objectives
  • 6.2.2 Planning actions to achieve environmental objectives
7. Support
  • 7.1 Resources
  • 7.2 Competence
  • 7.3 Awareness
  • 7.4 Communication
  • 7.4.1 General
  • 7.4.2 Internal communication
  • 7.4.3 External communication
  • 7.5 Documented information
  • 7.5.1 General
  • 7.5.2 Creating and updating
  • 7.5.3 Control of documented information
8. Operation
  • 8.1 Operational planning and control
  • 8.2 Emergency preparedness and response
9. Performance evaluation
  • 9.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation
  • 9.1.1 General
  • 9.1.2 Evaluation of compliance
  • 9.2 Internal audit
  • 9.2.1 General
  • 9.2.2 Internal audit programme
  • 9.3 Management review
10. Improvement
  • 10.1 General
  • 10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action
  • 10.3 Continual improvement

Scope of Accreditation

No Description of economic sector / activity KAB IAS
1 Agriculture, forestry and fishing O
2 Mining and quarrying
3 Food products, beverages and tobacco O O
4 Textiles and textile products O O
5 Leather and leather products O O
6 Wood and wood products O O
7 Pulp, paper and paper products O O
8 Publishing companies O O
9 Printing companies O O
10 Manufacture of coke and refined petroleum products
11 Nuclear fuel
12 Chemicals, chemical products and fibres O O
13 Pharmaceuticals O
14 Rubber and plastic products O O
15 Non-metallic mineral products O O
16 Concrete, cement, lime, plaster etc. O O
17 Basic metals and fabricated metal products O O
18 Machinery and equipment O O
19 Electrical and optical equipment O O
20 Shipbuilding O O
21 Aerospace O
22 Other transport equipment O O
23 Manufacturing not elsewhere classified O O
24 Recycling O O
25 Electricity supply O
26 Gas supply
27 Water supply
28 Construction O O
29 Wholesale and retail trade; Repair of motor vehicles, motorcycles and personal and household goods O O
30 Hotels and restaurants O O
31 Transport, storage and communication O O
32 Financial intermediation; real estate; renting O O
33 Information technology O O
34 Engineering services O O
35 Other services O O
36 Public administration O O
37 Education O O
38 Health and social work O
39 Other social services O O

Contact Person

Kim Gi Beom

kgb@icrqa.com

Lee Jae Min

lee2750@icrqa.com