ISO 14001 (Environmental Management System)

International standard for Environmental Management Systems (EMS), which sets the requirements for an organization to implement, maintain, and continuously improve its environmental management system.
Founded: 1996

Sector: General

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Objective

Environmental Management System (EMS) certification, according to the ISO 14001 standard, is an essential tool for organizations seeking to gain increased trust from clients, employees, the surrounding community, and society by demonstrating a voluntary commitment to the continuous improvement of their environmental performance.

It is an international certification system that allows certified organizations to show a voluntary commitment to continuously improving their overall environmental performance.

Challenges for sustainable development are a priority for any organization concerned with environmental protection and pollution prevention. Implementing practices and tools to improve environmental performance is essential.

Implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) according to ISO 14001 is a simple and effective tool that enhances environmental control and promotes a system of continuous improvement in environmental performance. The EMS aims to anticipate legal obligations within the current political, social, and economic context, which is increasingly influenced by stricter legislation requiring measures that support environmental protection.

The ISO 14001 standard sets the requirements for an organization's EMS but does not define specific environmental performance criteria, leaving the organization free to determine how to achieve them. It is a standard designed to identify, control, and monitor an organization’s environmental aspects, as well as to manage and improve the entire management system (NP EN ISO 14001:2012).

Systematic control of environmental performance can help organizations avoid additional costs in areas such as:

Legal: risks of fines and legal actions;
Environmental: risks of ecological damage or accidents;
Resources: risks of excessive consumption, e.g., raw materials and energy;
Stakeholders: risks that could harm institutional reputation;
Business: risks of losing competitive and financial position.

The certification is valid for three years, with annual follow-up audits and a recertification audit at the end of the three-year period to ensure that the system continues to meet the requirements of the reference standard.