ISO 14001

PN-EN ISO 14001 - general information

Environmental standards ISO 14000 were the basis for defining precise requirements for reducing environmental threats within a country, local community, local governments, as well as manufacturing organizations. The idea of ISO 14000 standards resulted from the need for a universal and optimal system which, by means of its mechanisms, would protect natural environment against damaging activities of every organization. The main three objectives of the system are:

• to preserve, protect and improve natural environment,
• to protect human health,
• to ensure rational use of natural resources.

EMS standards are based on the following criteria:

• GENERAL (standards can be applied by any organization: manufacture, service or commercial type),
• PRO-ACTIVE (prevention of damaging effects),
• DEVELOPING (the aim is to continually improve the effectiveness of environmental activities),
• VOLUNTARY (the standard's regulations become valid when it is accepted),
• PROCESS-BASED (supported by procedures and instructions),
• The environmental management system is applicable to all organizations, regardless of their size and scope of activity. This general approach ensures flexibility because an organization may implement it in the way most suitable for them.

EMS characteristics:

• obliges to improve continually,
• focuses on legal regulations, practical solutions and internal decisions regarding environmental protection,
• obliges to comply with legal regulations,
• is specific for a particular organization and should not be developed for a group of organizations, even if they belong to the same branch,
• all standards refer to environmental aspects of processes, activities or products of a particular organization.

Basic elements of EMS:

EMS is based on the PDCA model (Plan-Do-Check-Act). Achievement of defined objectives (e.g. environmental) consists of four stages of specific activities based on specific requirements. PDCA methodology applied to the EMS model determines four basic rules:

PLANNING - defining environmental policy and its realization, defining requirements concerning organization's environmental management system, defining aims and processes necessary to achieve results in compliance with the accepted environmental policy in the organization;

IMPLEMENTATION - implementation of processes in the organization by developing opportunities and mechanisms necessary to realize the policy, objectives and environmental tasks;

CONTROLLING - monitoring and measurement of processes concerning the policy, objectives and environmental tasks, as well as legal and non-legal requirements which the organization is obliged to respect in order to evaluate the effects of its environmental activity;

REVIEW and IMPROVEMENT - taking actions to improve the environmental management system in order to improve the results of the organization's environmental activity.

Relation between PN-EN ISO 9001:2001 and PN-EN ISO 14001.

Common elements:

• systems are based on PDCA model,
• action are taken according to the organization's policy,
• systems operate according to specific procedures,
• documents and records are monitored according to the procedures,
• processes and actions are monitored and measured according to the accepted policy, aims and tasks,
• corrective and preventive actions,
• internal audits,
• management review,
• improvement.

Differences:

• ISO 9001 standards protect the clients' requirements and assure clients' satisfaction in relation to product quality,
• ISO 14000 standards guarantee environmental improvement to a wider group, i.e. the interested parties,
• the aim of the environmental management system is to fulfil requirements or expectations of a third party which are not defined in contracts but in legal regulations or public opinion.