The ISO 14000 family of standards was developed to support organisations in upholding their environmental responsibilities. These standards relate to the development, implementation, and maintenance of Environmental Management Systems (or EMSs).
An EMS that fully meets the requirements outlined in the ISO 14001 standard basically aids in systemically monitoring and reducing an organisation’s environmental impact. This is why ISO 14001 Certification is seen as a potent trust signal for organisations, particularly those who work with B2B clients who value partnerships with ethical enterprises (i.e. suppliers who want to keep their transport emissions low, and environmental service providers like waste disposal specialists, just to name a few).
Many Australian businesses also benefit commercially from securing ISO 14001 Certification. But as is the case with any Certification process, understanding what ISO standards you’ll need to meet for your enterprise is essential for meeting your business goals and objectives.
So what is the ISO 14000 family of standards all about? And what do you need to know to implement an effective EMS that’s tailored to your business and operations? Our trusted ISO consultants at S&J Auditing and Consulting are here to offer their insights, outlining all of the standards that fall within the ISO 14000 family and how they can benefit your organisation.
Overview of ISO 14000 Standards
ISO 14000 Series Explained
The ISO 14000 family of standards includes a selection of current and withdrawn standards, all of which pertain to different aspects of EMS development and implementation. Here are the current standards that fall within the ISO 14000 family.
ISO 14001:2015: Environmental Management Systems – Requirements with guidance for use
The core standard of the ISO 14000 family, ISO 14001:2015 outlines the requirements for an Environmental Management System as well as frameworks for ensuring the continuous improvements of those systems.
Note that organisations can only be certified to ISO 14001:2015 and that all other ISO 14000 standards simply provide frameworks for optimising your EMS further. ISO 14001 can, however, be adopted by businesses of any size or scope and across virtually all industries. This standard can also be applied within an internal operational capacity for your organisation, or specifically to processes relating to the development of products or services.
So, is ISO 14000 the same as ISO 14001? No – 14000 is the family whereas ISO 14001 is the specific EMS requirement standard.
–
ISO 14002-1:2019: Environmental Management Systems – Guidelines for using ISO 14001 to address environmental aspects and conditions within an environmental topic area – Part 1: General
A supporting standard for ISO 14001, ISO 14002-1 provides frameworks for identifying environmental aspects (i.e. water, electricity, and chemical usage and their environmental impacts). Upon analysing the impacts of these aspects on air quality, water quality, natural resources, flora/fauna, and other environmental elements, organisations can use ISO 14002-1 frameworks for developing control measures to mitigate or reduce these impacts.
ISO 14002 is split into two parts, with Part 1 available to the public and Part 2 currently under development. Part 1 of this standard outlines general ISO guidelines, whereas Part 2 outlines guidelines for water management.
–
ISO 14004:2016: Environmental Management Systems – General guidelines on implementation
ISO 14004:2016 provides frameworks for the successful implementation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of Environmental Management Systems. Like ISO 14001, elements of ISO 14004 can be integrated into organisational processes (i.e. monitoring) or product/service-based processes.
–
ISO 14005:2019: Environmental Management Systems – Guidelines for a flexible approach to phased implementation
ISO 14005:2019 provides guidelines for phased approaches to EMS implementation, ensuring EMS implementation stays accessible to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) who’d benefit from a more extended implementation timeline.
By providing frameworks for phased implementation, the ISO 14005:2019 standard allows for a more flexible and sustainable approach to EMS implementation. This lets organisations enjoy a more accessible pathway to ISO 14001 Certification.
–
ISO 14006:2020: Environmental Management Systems – Guidelines for incorporating ecodesign
ISO 14006:2020 provides guidelines for the development, documentation, maintenance, and continuous improvements of ecodesign management. Ecodesign relates to the redevelopment of products/services, procedures, or structures with the ultimate objective of reducing the environmental impacts of these outputs.
Some working examples of ecodesign include greener product packaging, swapping production materials for plant-derived or recyclable alternatives, and powering plants with renewable energy.
–
ISO 14007:2019: Environmental Management – Guidelines for determining environmental costs and benefits
This standard provides guidelines for determining the overarching costs and benefits of an organisation’s environmental aspects (i.e. water or energy use, materials use, etc).
ISO 14007:2019 provides a framework for determining both quantitative and qualitative costs and benefits. This ultimately helps organisations determine which sustainable initiatives are going to provide the most lucrative return for company investors and all other relevant internal or external stakeholders.
–
ISO 14008:2019: Monetary valuation of environmental impacts and related environmental aspects
ISO 14008:2019 provides a methodological framework for the monetary valuation of environmental impacts and any related environmental aspects. In the context of this standard, environmental impacts include impacts on human health, and on the built and natural environment, whereas environmental aspects include the use of natural resources.
This monetary valuation of impacts vs. aspects helps organisations better understand their dependencies on the environment and how upholding their environmental responsibilities can also benefit the longevity and profitability of their business.
–
ISO 14009:2020: Environmental Management Systems – Guidelines for incorporating material circulation in design and development
Material circulation refers to the materials used in the lifecycle of products or services, ranging from materials used in core organisational processes as well as production processes.
ISO 14009:2020 provides frameworks that help organisations implement more sustainable habits relating to materials consumption. This includes using environmentally friendly materials, recycling materials, reducing organisational waste, and ensuring all produced waste is disposed of responsibly.
–
ISO 14015:2022: Environmental Management – Guidelines for environmental due diligence assessment
Recently updated from 2001 to a refreshed 2022 framework, the ISO 14015:2022 provides guidance on how to conduct environmental due diligence (EDD) assessments through identifying environmental aspects, issues and conditions, and determining the consequences of these factors for your organisation.
This standard doesn’t, however, provide guidance on conducting other types of environmental assessments like environmental audits or impact assessments.
–
ISO 14016:2020: Environmental Management – Guidelines on the assurance of environmental reports
ISO 14016:2020 is designed to provide principles and guidelines for presenting environmental information in environmental performance reports. Alongside providing guidelines for environment reporting, ISO 14016:2020 is also applicable to assuring other types of reports (provided that special consideration is paid to identifying the competence needed by the assurance provider).
–
ISO 14017:2022: Environmental Management – Requirements with guidance for verification and validation of water statements
ISO 14017:2022 is applicable to water statement verification and validation on a variety of scopes (i.e. organisational, project-based, and in the production of products/services). ISO 14017:2022 can also be used to provide confidence in reported water information on a local, regional or national level, making this standard suitable for application in the public sector as well as in private corporations.
Environmental Management Systems (EMS)
So what’s the difference between ISO 9001 Certification and ISO 14001 Certification? Well, whilst one refers to the development and implementation of Quality Management Systems, the ISO 14001 Certification is all about Environmental Management Systems.
Understanding EMS
Environmental Management Systems provide a systemic approach to environmental management that’s tailored to your organisation and your goals. An EMS that’s fully compliant with ISO 14001 requirements should cover the following areas:
- EMS process and policy outlines
- Environmental performance monitoring
- Record-keeping for all EMS documentation (including reports)
- Staff training and onboarding relating to the EMS
- Processes for continuous system improvements
With an EMS that’s fully integrated and fully compliant with the ISO 14001 standard, your organisation can maintain environmentally conscious processes and practices that you can also easily update and improve upon as your business evolves and grows.
Our ISO consultants have extensive experience developing tailored EMS solutions for a range of different industries, from civil engineering to chemical waste management, commercial printing, materials laboratories and more.
The 5 Core Elements of EMS Implementation
Like other types of ISO Certification, ISO 14001 operates on principles of continuous improvements to keep your management systems as effective as possible. The PDCA cycle (‘Plan – Do – Check – Act’) provides the most sustainable process for facilitating continuous improvements to any management system, including EMS solutions.
Alongside this general process for system improvements, the ISO 14000 family of standards also references five core elements that make up an optimal improvement process for EMS solutions. These five elements of the ISO 14000 family of standards are as follows:
Five elements of the ISO 14000 family of standards are as follows:
- Environmental Policy
- Planning
- Implementation & Operation
- Checking
- Management Review
These five core elements of EMS implementation can be followed using the model pictured below:
Following this framework, organisations can develop, implement and maintain an EMS that’s aligned with requirements outlined in ISO 14001 and with all other relevant guidelines outlined across the other standards within the ISO 14000 family.
Benefits of Understanding the ISO 14000 Family of Standards
ISO 14001 Certification provides a range of commercial benefits to organisations – but what advantages are there to making sure your implemented EMS also aligns with frameworks from the other ISO standards?
1. Improved Environmental Performance
The most perceptible benefit is the opportunity to maintain a minimal carbon footprint for your business. By implementing EMS solutions that are fully aligned with ISO 14000 frameworks, your business can enjoy efficiency gains, waste reduction, and resource optimisation, which in turn helps your bottom line.
2. Enhanced Marketability for your Enterprise
ISO 14001 Certification can boost your company’s reputation, leading to a greater competitive advantage over other players in your industry. In this aspect, an investment in ISO 14001 Certification is an investment in the longevity of your organisation.
3. Improved Environmental Risk Management
Australian industries like mining, agriculture, manufacturing and even textiles and telecommunications, can all be potentially affected by environmental hazards on their premises. From contaminated water supplies to risks like chemical spills that risk plant shutdowns, developing your EMS with the ISO 14000 standards can help ensure your Environmental Management Systems are also designed to keep costly environmental risks at bay.
4. Industry & Regulatory Compliance
As more industries are recognising the value of social and environmental governance, environmental management is rapidly becoming a regulatory requirement that may dictate your organisation’s ability to qualify for industry licenses. By adopting ISO 14000 frameworks now, you can make sure your organisation stays ahead of the curve when it comes to regulatory compliance.
Strengthen your Bottom Line with the ISO 14000 Family of Standards
Improved business sustainability is multifaceted – it’s not just about staying eco-friendly for the sake of it. You’ll find that your EMS can actually help grow your bottom line in more ways than one. With a tailored Environmental Management System, you can optimise your resource consumption and curb operational waste, meaning a greater output with less cost expenditure.
The opportunity to work with higher-profile clients and apply for tender contracts that you otherwise wouldn’t have qualified for also makes ISO 14001 Certification a commercial investment in your business.
If you’re ready to implement an EMS for your business and secure ISO 14001 Certification, our ISO consultants at S&J Auditing and Consulting can help you develop your pathway to implementation and compliance. We follow an easy 10-step process to give you the highest possible success rate for achieving ISO 14001 Certification and all the benefits that accompany implementing an EMS for your organisation.
Get in touch with us to get started on your ISO 14001 Certification journey today.
