ISO14001 Changes due will affect all organisations

ISO14001 is the most internationally recognised environmental management system standard, with over 267,000 certified organisations in 158 countries. The Standard sets out a framework for identifying environmental aspects and legal requirements, setting goals, developing operational controls and monitoring to drive continual improvement in environmental performance.
CRS’s Head of Environment, Richard Ball attended an IEMA consultation event on the proposed changes to ISO14001. The changes will change the standard and will affect all organisations’ currently accredited to or in the progress of implementing ISO14001. The changes are due to come into effect after the standard is published, currently planned for January 2015.
The current draft includes changes from two key sources, the first aligns the standard to the new ISO high level structure, the first of the main standards to do so. The new high level structure is a departure from the existing, policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective action and management review model, replacing it with Leadership, Planning, support and operation, performance evaluation and improvement. This new structure will be used in all future ISO management standards e.g. ISO9001.
 
The second key source of changes incorporates a range of improvements to the 1996, and 2004 versions of the ISO14001 standard. Whilst the wording is still being agreed the main concepts are likely to remain.
In addition to the significant change of the new high level structure, the key new proposed alterations from these two sources of change include:

1. A stronger integration of environmental management into the strategic planning of the organisation.
2. Evaluation of Business Risk and Opportunities in an environmental context
3. Life Cycle approach and Value Chain planning and Control
4. Indicators and Communication

If you need more direct support Corporate Risk Systems offers a transition consultancy service, to ensure you maintain your 14001 status. Want to know more – contact rb@crsrisk.com