Resource C

Summary of ISO 14001—
Environmental Management Systems

What follows are the section names and descriptions of the criteria within the global standards for environmental management systems.

1. Environmental Policy—Develop a policy statement of the organization’s commitment to the environment.

2. Environmental Aspects and Impacts—Identify the environmental aspects of products, activities, and services and their effects on the environment.

3. Legal and Other Requirements—Identify and ensure compliance with pertinent laws and regulations.

4. Objectives and Targets and Environmental Management Program—Set environmental goals for the enterprise and plan actions to achieve the objectives and targets.

5. Structure and Responsibility—Assign environmental roles and responsibilities within the organization.

6. Training, Awareness, and Competence—Make sure that employees are aware and capable of carrying out their environmental responsibilities.

7. Communication—Develop processes for internally and externally communicating environmental management issues.

8. EMS Documentation—Maintain information about the environmental management system and related documents.

9. Document Control—Ensure that everyone who should has the current EMS and related documents and that no one has outdated documents.

10. Operational Control—Identify, plan, and manage the organization’s operations and activities in a manner that is consistent with the policy, objectives and targets, and significant aspects of the EMS.

11. Emergency Preparedness and Response—Develop procedures for preventing potential emergencies and responding to real emergencies.

12. Monitoring and Measuring—Periodically monitor and measure major activities and track compliance.

13. Evaluation of Compliance—Develop procedures to periodically determine compliance with legal and other requirements.

14. Nonconformance and Corrective and Preventive Action— Identify and correct problems and prevent them from recurring.

15. Records—Adequately record performance of the EMS.

16. EMS Audit—Periodically verify that the EMS is effective in achieving the objectives and targets.

17. Management Review—Review, revise, and improve the EMS.