Understanding the 10 Clauses of ISO 14001 Standard

ISO 14001 standard enlists a set of guidelines for the implementation of Environmental Management System (EMS) in an Organization. With the rise of concern on a global scale regarding the deteriorating environment in the recent past, has led to the development of various stringent regulations in the countries with the aim of checking the impact of the activities of individuals and organizations on the environment. Thus, ISO 14001 Certification has become an important tool for reducing the negative impact of industrial activities on the environment.

The High-Level Structure (HLS) of ISO 14001 Certification comprises of ten sections that utilizes the managerial strategies such as Plan-Do-Check-Act. The first three sections of the certification introduce us with the requirements, whereas the last seven sections give details for establishing an effective EMS. Let’s take a closer look at all these sections for better understanding.

1. Clause 1: Scope-

This outlines the scope of the EMS according to the environmental objectives and policies of your organization. It aims at making your system compliant with the regulatory requirements along with enhancing your environmental performance.

2. Clause 2: Normative references-

Although there are no normative references in ISO 14001:2015, this clause was retained to keep the numberings identical with other standards that follow HLS.

3. Clause 3: Terms and Definitions-

This section deals with the terms and definitions that are related to the planning, support, operation, performance evaluation as well as improvement.

4. Clause 4: Context of the organization-

This section helps in tailoring your EMS according to the requirements of your organization. The impact on environment depends upon several factors, and hence this section helps in considering of all those variables while designing the EMS.

5. Clause 5: Leadership-

This section deals with the need for assigning roles and responsibilities to the staff for functioning of EMS. It also emphasizes on the responsibility of the top management for the implementation and maintenance of the EMS.

6. Clause 6: Planning-

This section deals with identifying risks and opportunities associated with your EMS and planning the activities to address them.

7. Clause 7: Support-

This section deals with requirements on resources, communication, and documentation. It is the largest of all sections. It aims at establishing effective communication between an among different levels in your organization.

8. Clause 8: Operation-

This section requires you to identify those activities which have high impact on the environment and design your EMS in such a way that it is able to limit the impact.

9. Clause 9: Performance evaluation-

This section requires regular monitoring and measurement of your EMS to evaluate and verify its performance. This includes internal audit and regular management review meetings.

10. Clause 10: Improvement-

This section provides for a way towards continual improvement of your management system. It requires you to address your non conformities and undertake corrective actions.

It must be noted that the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) does not certify, it just publishes the ISO standards. An external body performs the certification. SIS Certifications is one such body which has a reputation for being one of the best in the world. Our vast pool of auditors is recognized for their expertise in comprehensively auditing the compliance of your management systems against the required standards and awarding you with the certifications at the end. The smoothness in the process, our integrity, and our commitment to deadlines make us stand apart from other certification bodies. If you are looking for ISO 14001 Certification, connect with us for a wonderful journey together.

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