ISO 14001, the standard for Environmental Management Systems, has been undergoing a revision.

As some readers might know, the ISO 14001 Working Group WG5 met in Bogota about three weeks ago. One output of that information exchange was the latest Committee Draft 2 (14001 CD2).

I’ve been reviewing a copy of it against the existing 2004 version and wanted to present an executive; “30,000 foot”, overview. If there is any kind of expressed desire for a deeper analysis I’d be happy to post that as well. In either case, the standard caveat applies when dealing with drafts – things may change before the final publication.

From the top

The first thing you’ll notice is the table of contents is quite a bit larger. Four sections expand and rearrange to ten sections. This reflects the current fashion to comply with what is known as “Annex SL” which serves to incorporate a common text and structure across all ISO management system standards. It is the same for ISO 9001:2015 and the latest ISO 27001 as well.

The top three sections are titled the same in 14001 CD2; Scope, Normative references, Terms and definitions but where 2004 ends at Section 4, Environmental management system requirements, and breaks that into six pieces – 2015 does this:

4. Context of the organization
5. Leadership
6. Planning
7. Support
8. Operation
9. Performance evaluation
10. Improvement

Become friends with this list, you’ll see the same one in every ISO management system standard.

And now, there is another Annex, “Annex C (informative) Relationship between this International Standard and the PDCA model”

Annex C has a table with each section and subsection in one column, and the corresponding PDCA component in another. For example, under parts of 4, 5 and 6 is listed “PLAN”.

Both versions contain a Foreword of approximately the identical content – you won’t read the new one either.

The Introduction, however, is probably worth your time for an initial read, to give you the philosophical underpinnings of the standard – I believe it is useful when interpreting requirements, because they are not always crystal-clear.

To this end, figure 1 within the Introduction is worthy of reproduction.

Section Overviews

1. Scope, 2. Normative references and 3. Terms and definitions

Scope has similar content, reworded somewhat, additional focus on applicability to any organization regardless of size, type and nature.

Normative references continues to be empty; a guest that, despite repeated hints, will not leave .

Terms and definitions in 14001 CD2 are of course quite changed and expanded and should certainly warrant an initial scan. Where there were twenty, there are now thirty-three.

4 Context of the organization

Annex A, and this is a good time to point this out, has fairly straightforward guidance on the standard in general, and it is often overlooked. It explains context as a high-level, strategic understanding of the important issues that can affect, either positively or negatively, the way the organization manages its environmental responsibilities.

So, this includes understanding the organization, and the needs and expectations of interested parties. This section is where you’ll find the requirement for determining the scope of the EMS.

5 Leadership

Here is the management commitment part of standard including objectives, strategic planning – essentially supporting the fulfillment of the rest of the standard’s requirements.

The environmental policy is here along with the as familiar roles, responsibilities and authorities.

6 Planning

Planning includes “Actions to address risks and opportunities”; aspects, compliance obligations. Given that, planning to take action based on those considerations comes into play, with a focus on environmental objectives.

7 Support

Resource determination and allocation is part of Support, including personnel; competence. Subsections here are also Awareness and Communication (internal and external).

Document control, including records, resides here.

8 Operation

“The organization shall plan, implement and control the processes needed to meet environmental management system requirements, and to implement the actions [previously] determined.”

Subsections of Operational planning and control, Value chain control (purchasing), Emergency preparedness and response (controlling an emergency).

9 Performance evaluation

“Monitoring, measurement, analysis and evaluation” starts this section out with a list of what shall be measured:

• key characteristics of its operations that can have a significant environmental impact;
• the key characteristics necessary to assure compliance obligations are met;
• organizational risks and opportunities;
• operational controls as applicable;
• value chain controls as appropriate; and
• progress towards the organization’s environmental objectives, using the determined indicators

There is a section for evaluating compliance, separate from Internal audits – and that is covered here as well, unchanged except for the focus on risks and opportunities.

Management review fits into section 9, as you’d expect – but this subsection is quite a bit more “fleshy” and is worth a closer look.

10 Improvement

The word “Preventive” is absent in 14001 CD2, elsewhere folded into the concept of risk and the first subsection becomes “Nonconformity and corrective action”.

Continual improvement (including the word “continual” – interesting because it is absent in the similarly changed draft of ISO 9001) is the final part of the section.

More Changes May Arise

There is your broad overview of the changed, 14001 CD2 of the next version of ISO 14001. I do hope it helps you plan for the future, but please do keep in mind that there could be additional changes which include a reversal of what has already been outlined.

Thanks for your time.

Sal