ISO 14001 is a management standard, it is not a performance or product standard. The underlying purpose of ISO 14001 is that companies will improve their environmental performance by implementing ISO 14001, but there are no standards for performance or the level of improvement. It is a process for managing company activities that impact the environment. The Environmental Management System contains the following elements: An environmental policy supported by top management . Identification of environmental aspects and significant impacts. Identification of legal and other requirements. Environmental goals, objectives, and targets that support the policy. An environmental management program. Definition of roles, responsibilities, and authorities. Training and awareness procedures. Process for communication of the EMS to all interested parties. Document and operational control procedures. Procedures for emergency response. Procedures for monitoring and measuring operations that can have a significant impact on the environment. Procedures to correct nonconformance. Record management procedures. A program for auditing and corrective action. Procedures for management review. There are two phases to establishing an ISO 14000 EMS: creating the EMS and getting registered 1. Create an EMS 1. Establish a project committee responsible for learning about ISO 14000 and managing the creation of the EMS. 2. Project committee prepares a briefing for top management describing ISO 14000, the EMS, registration, costs, and benefits. 3. Top management commits to the EMS process. 4. Perform a gap analysis to determine how well the organization meets the ISO 14000 requirements and what it will take to meet them. 5. Present results of gap analysis to management and receive approval for continuation of the process. 6. Project committee prepares a draft environmental policy with top managment participation. Project committee then: Designs a proc...
