17 elements of ISO 14001 that are required to be met by organizations seeking formal recognition for their EMS.

ISO 14001 requirements are as follo s! 1 "n en#ironmental $olicy su$$orted by senior management% 'he identification of en#ironmental as$ects and im$acts( and the identification of significant & en#ironmental im$acts that the organization may cause% ) Identification of en#ironmental com$liance requirements% 4 'he de#elo$ment of ob*ecti#es and targets( and their en#ironmental management $rograms% + ,efined resources( roles( res$onsibilities and authorities for en#ironmental management% 'he de#elo$ment of com$etence( training and a areness $rocedures% . " communication $rocess of the EMS to all stakeholders and interested $arties% / 'he de#elo$ment of EMS documentation as required by the standard% 0 'he de#elo$ment of document control $rocedures% 10 'he de#elo$ment of o$erational control $rocedures% 11 'he de#elo$ment of emergency $re$aredness and res$onse $rocedures% 'he de#elo$ment of $rocedures to monitor and measure o$erations that can ha#e significant 1& im$act to the en#ironment% 1) "n e#aluation of com$liance $rocedure% 1rocedures de#elo$ed for the management of non2conformance( correcti#e and $re#entati#e 14 actions% 1+ 'he de#elo$ment of a records management $rocedure% 1" $rogram for com$leting internal EMS audits and correcti#e actions% and 1. 'he de#elo$ment of $rocedures for management re#ie by senior management.

3ontinuous im$ro#ement !4y design the EMS and en#ironmental $erformance run in a continuous im$ro#ement cycle outlined in the diagram

'he first item on your ISO 14001 checklist should be to ensure senior management are committed to and in#ol#ed ith its de#elo$ment( im$lementation and management. 5uman( financial and $hysical resources need to be identified. Ongoing resources need to be allocated. 6es$onsibilities need to be assigned and agreed to at this stage. 'he organization7 EMS sco$e ill need to be defined i.e. the identification of the $roducts( ser#ices and acti#ities it co#ers and anything that is e8cluded. "n initial en#ironmental re#ie should be com$leted in accordance ith "S9:;S ISO 1401+ En#ironmental management < En#ironmental assessment of sites and organizations =E"SO> and 54 &0- Initial En#ironmental 6e#ie =handbook>. 'he amount of detail required should be assessed $rior to its commissioning. 3urrent en#ironmental management acti#ities and $rocedures should be integrated into the ISO 14001 EMS. 'hese current acti#ities and $rocedures should be identified during the initial en#ironmental re#ie stage and EMS ga$ analysis. Organizations should $lan for the systematic de#elo$ment and im$lementation of the elements of the EMS. 1lans need to include im$lementation requirements( education and training requirements( internal audits and time to close out any actions( time to run the system =records are collected to demonstrate im$lementation> and demonstration of continuous im$ro#ement. 'his needs to be com$leted $rior to ISO 14001 certification. ISO 14001 should be de#elo$ed in con*unction ith ISO 14004 En#ironmental management systems < ?eneral guidelines on $rinci$les( systems and su$$ort techniques. ISO 14004 $ro#ides further guidelines for the elements of an EMS and its im$lementation. Organizations should identify hether they ha#e the skills and resources to de#elo$ an ISO 14001 EMS internally or hether they should outsource its de#elo$ment. Often systems de#elo$ed can be more com$licated than they need to be( some hat confusing and difficult to manage( as ell as( not actually reducing en#ironmental risk and im$ro#ing $erformance. Engaging a 3onsultant should o#ercome this but remember not all 3onsultants ha#e equal e8$erience and qualifications( and unfortunately it@s still quite common for 3onsultants to $roduce substandard EMSs. Engaging an En#ironmental 3onsultant hich s$ecializes in en#ironmental risk management and EMSs as ell as ha#ing adequate qualifications and e8$erience could be considered.

Ref: htt$!99

.iso14001.com.au9iso2140012requirements.html =. "$ril 2&014>