The latest version of ISO 14001, ISO 14001:2015 has brought changes to the most widely used standard on Environmental Management Systems (EMS). One of the major changes is its structure. ISO 14001:2015 now has the high level structure that is now common to all ISO management system standards referred to as Annex SL. This new common structure brings a more strategic focus to the standard and facilitates the integration with other ISO management system standards. In addition to this new structure, there are many differences between ISO 14001:2015 and ISO 14001:2004. Here we will briefly explain the most relevant ones. Show
Organizational ContextOrganizations are now required to systematically take into account the organizational context. Organizational context can be looked at as the environment in which your business operates. Now you will need to consider which internal and external factors can influence the environmental goals of your organization. This will allow organizations to have a better understanding of the risks and opportunities it will encounter and to be better prepared to minimize (risks) and maximize (opportunities) in order to favour the organization’s environmental performance. Needs and Expectations of Interested PartiesOrganizations are now required to take a careful look at the needs and expectations of interested parties (stakeholders). They will need to identify relevant stakeholders and understand how these can impact the EMS if their needs and expectations are not met. Leadership and CommitmentTop management is now required to demonstrate commitment and leadership to the EMS. In the new standard there is no such a thing as a management representative, now everyone is required to commit in a number of specified ways. In ISO 14001:2004, organizations were required to commit, among other things, to reducing negative environmental impacts. Now, the new standard goes further by requiring organizations to also aim at having a positive impact and improve environmental conditions. Life Cycle PerspectiveThe term life cycle has been included many times more in the new standard than in the 2004 revision. While in the last version, organizations were not required to consider the life cycle of products or services for the identification of environmental impacts, the new one does. Organizations are now required to take a life cycle perspective when identifying and evaluating environmental aspects. For example, procurement, designed, transportation and disposal activities will now need to be considered. The purpose of this life cycle perspective is to contribute to sustainable development and prevent negative environmental impacts from shifting through the life cycle of a product or service. Environmental PerformanceThe standard is now more specific regarding the evaluation of environmental performance. Organizations are required to use quantitative data in the evaluation process. CommunicationsAccording to this new version, organizations are required to communicate externally relevant information regarding the EMS. This should be done following a communication process that the organization must establish. In general, this new standard emphasises environmental performance improvement and drives organization to focus on organizational context and relevant stakeholders. It also promotes risk based thinking and a life cycle perspective.
To the novice quality manager, ISO jargon can be extremely overwhelming. What is an NCR? What do you mean by OFI? Are we certified or accredited? But before you go and pull out your hair, let’s take a moment to go over some of the most frequently used terms and their definitions with regards to ISO and Management System Certification. The new 2015 revision of ISO 14001, the leading international standard for designing and implementing an Environmental Management System, is finally in front of us. Now we can stop the rumors and see what has really changed compared to the previous version of the standard that lasted for 11 years. (You can get the standard directly from the ISO website here.)  To get a better overview of the differences between the two revisions, see this free ISO 14001:2015 vs. ISO 14001:2004 matrix. History of Environmental Management System standardsBut first, let’s take a look at the story behind ISO 14001. In 1973, the European Community principles I was published, which was actually an action plan for the application of protective cautions of environment. In 1992, BSI Group published the world’s first Environmental Management Systems standard, BS 7750. The ISO /TC 207 environment management technique committee was established in 1993 to develop the ISO 14000 family of standards. In 1994, the TS 9719 standard (Environment management system – general features) and BS 7750 supplied the template for the development of the ISO 14000 series in 1996, by the International Organization for Standardization. In April 2005, ISO 14001 underwent its first revision and 11 years later, the second revision is published. AlignmentThe new version of ISO 14001 is aligned with Annex SL, which makes it more compatible with other management systems standards like ISO 9001, ISO 22301,
ISO 27001, and ISO 20000, and makes the integration even easier. See also How to integrate ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. Transition periodCompanies certified against the 2004 revision of ISO 14001 must transition to the new version by September 2018. But don’t be fooled by this loose deadline; lead certification bodies announced they will stop certification against the 2004 revision by September 2016, which means that you can be certified against the old version in 2016 and have your last surveillance audit against the old revision in 2018. Why wait so long? Companies can now become certified against the new version starting September 2015. ComparisonThe new version has 10 clauses, instead of the four in the old version; and instead of 12 mandatory documents, there are now 16. This can seem, at first, like an increase in paperwork, but let’s face it – nobody managed to establish their EMS with only 12 documents, so every company will make as many documents as needed; it is only important not to overwhelm ourselves with documentation. See also: ISO 14001:2015 vs. ISO 14001:2004 matrix. RequirementsThere are some new requirements, but the most significant are Context of the organization (Clause 4) and Actions to address risks and opportunities (Clause 6.1). The idea behind these new requirements is to make the EMS a part of everyday business activities, and vice versa. Of course, some old requirements are history now; environmental targets, management representative, and preventive actions are no longer part of ISO 14001. Only time will tell which of these will survive now that they are no longer a requirement. See also: Determining the context of the organization in ISO 14001 and Risk Management in ISO 14001:2015 – What, why and how? Similarities and differencesAs in any other revision, there are some parts with only minor changes and some others that saw significant changes. Environmental Policy, Leadership, Competence, Training and awareness, Management review, Internal audit, and Corrective action had only slight changes, and most of the existing system related to these requirements can remain as it was. The second group that has moderate changes includes Identification and evaluation of environmental aspects, Environmental objectives and plans for achieving them, Emergency preparedness and response, Performance evaluation, Document management, Communication, and EMS Scope, and these elements should be revised and updated to be compliant with the new version. Last, but not least, is a group of new requirements that has to be established and incorporated into the existing EMS from scratch. Risks and opportunities, Context of the organization, and Interested parties are new requirements that need to be met, and they should be implemented with caution because they cast a completely new light on the Environmental Management System. What does the 2015 revision bring to the EMS?We have waited for this revision for so long, and it is now time to see what the changes really mean to the Environmental Management System. It is absolutely clear that ISO 14001, like any other management system standard, is a double-edged sword, and it can’t work if it’s not implemented and maintained properly, but if everything is done as it should be, ISO 14001:2015 will bring to your EMS:
The 2015 revision of ISO 14001 certainly brings excitement to the auditors, consultants, and companies, as it brings some new challenges to overcome. But, hopefully, the ultimate goal will be achieved: improvement of the Environmental Management Systems, and consequently, better protection of the environment itself. Click here to watch a recording of the webinar ISO 14001:2015 vs. ISO 14001:2004 – The main changes to learn more details about the differences in these two revisions. What is the difference between ISO 14001 2004 and 2015?The latest version of ISO 14001, ISO 14001:2015 has brought changes to the most widely used standard on Environmental Management Systems (EMS). One of the major changes is its structure. ISO 14001:2015 now has the high level structure that is now common to all ISO management system standards referred to as Annex SL.
What is the difference between ISO 14001 and ISO 14004?Unlike ISO 14001, ISO 14004 is not intended for certification, regulatory or contractual use. This means that you cannot certify your environmental management system to ISO 14004 (for more information on certification see ISO 14001 Certification).
What is the difference between ISO 14001 2015 and ISO 14004 2016?ISO 14004:2016, as its title suggests, it is a companion to ISO 14001:2015, but the new version provides more than just implementation guidance. It also guides readers on improving an environmental management system (EMS) and binding environmental management within an organisation's complete business-management system.
What is the major difference between EMS and ISO 14001 2015?For instance, ISO 14001:2015 requires you to identify your environmental aspects and impacts, while EMAS requires you to perform an initial comprehensive environmental review of your processes.
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Iso 14001 de 2004 vs iso 14001 de 2015
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