The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) normally reviews standards every 5 years to ensure they remain relevant to changing market requirements. ISO 14001:2015 was published in September and is available for purchase.
Some of the most important changes that ISO 14001:2015 introduces to the way an organisation operates are:
- Greater expectations regarding how top management understands the organisation’s management issues;
- Understanding how the environmental context of the organisation, including interested parties, influences business direction;
- Making commitments to sustainable development and social responsibility;
- Extending environmental influence across a value chain with impact on procurement;
- Considering environmental design opportunities as a tool for improvement;
- Ensuring permanent compliance with legal requirements;
- Using performance indicators to monitor improvement.
New requirements in ISO 14001:2015
• Organisational context (clause 4)
• Actions to address risks and opportunities (clause 6.1)
Requirements from ISO 14001:2004 excluded
• Environmental objectives
• Management representative
• Preventive actions
The revised ISO 14001:2015 follows a common structure with the same terms and definitions as other management system standards (e.g. ISO 9001:2015), meaning it integrates easily and represents an advantage for organisations that choose to operate with a single Management System (an “integrated system”).