What Is an ISO 14000 Checklist?
ISO 14000 is an international standard from the series of environmental standards for the Development and Implementation of Environmental Management Systems (EMAS) for which companies can voluntarily certify. ISO 14000 certification improves the environmental performance of a company which, in turn, improves the company’s image and reduces costs as well as accidents or incidents due to environmental factors.
The use of an ISO 14000 checklist helps companies to work without negative effects on the environment, to comply with environmental laws and regulations, and to continuously improve processes. The structured catalog of questions according to the ISO 14000 standard guides responsible employees through their audits and allows them to identify problems and dangers for the environment at an early stage. On the basis of the checklist, corrective measures can be implemented immediately.
This article deals briefly:
2. Requirements for ISO 14000 certification
3. What is environmental management?
5. The ISO 14001 checklist within the PDCA cycle
6. Digital technology for ISO 14001 checklist creation
What Are the Advantages of ISO 14000?
Every company can benefit from an ISO 14000 certificate. With this certification you credibly demonstrate your commitment to environmental protection. In many industries, this is fundamental for successful cooperation.
The top advantages at a glance:
- Increasing legal certainty and ensuring corporate due diligence.
- Elimination of source errors and potential risks with regard to environmental protection.
- Better environmental performance through clearly defined environmental objectives.
- Reduction of pollutants in the enviornment
- Optimal and sustainable use of resources
- Strengthening the responsibility for environmental management
- Raising employee’s awareness for all environmental aspects
- Qualification of employees
- Increase competitiveness
- International recognition
What Are the Requirements for ISO 14000 Certification?
The ISO 14000 requirement comprises environmental management standards such as the use of resources, the required competence of employees, and awareness of environmental impacts.
The following five points show the necessary requirements for ISO 14000 certification:
- Written environmental policy
- Commitment to protect and improve environmental performance
- Defined environmental aspects
- Setting environmental objectives
- Conducting internal audits
What Is Environmental Management? – The ISO 14000 Family
Environmental management is a fundamental part of any organization but especially for high energy consumption companies. The basic goal is to systematically reduce environmental damage. The focus here is on the development, implementation, maintenance, and sustainable improvement of the environmental management system. The ISO 14000 certification is divided into different environmental standards.
The components of ISO 14000
ISO 14004
Sets the standard for guidance on the establishment, implementation, maintenance and improvement of an environmental management system and its coordination with other management systems.
ISO 14006
The ISO 14006 certificate supports organisations that have already implemented an environmental management system ISO 14001. This standard contains guidelines for environmentally friendly product design. Environmentally compatible product design is considered a fundamental part of the company and forms the interface to all relevant areas of activity.
ISO 14064-1
With ISO 14064-1 you verify the quantity of greenhouse gases and thus create an opportunity to improve your organisation’s CO2 balance.
ISO 14001
The ISO 14001 standard systemizes environmental protection in consideration of the defined goals. For that purpose, there is an internal environmental management officer who initiates the necessary processes for environmental protection.
The 3 Types of ISO 14001 Audits
Apart from the fact that one distinguishes between on-site, remote, and self-audits, there is another classification of the checks. It includes three types:
- Internal audits – Required by ISO 14001 and conducted by the organization itself.
- External audits – They contain customer, supplier, certification, and surveillance audits.
- Certification audits – Typically conducted every three years. For this kind of audit the company needs to select a registered auditor that will ensure that the audit is done according to the ISO 14001 procedure.
Introduction of ISO 14001 as Part of the PDCA Cycle
The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle organizes the EMAS processes and helps companies to comply with the standard in the correct order during the implementation of ISO 14001. The PDCA cycle can be summarized in 3 easy to understand steps. Below you will find the different processes and the associated steps:
1. Planning
2. Execute
3. Check
4. Optimise
Planning of the environmental management system
Planning the assessment of environmental performance by selecting relevant indicators. The planning step includes the following:
1.Read and understand the ISO 14001:2015 standard and prepare the legal requirements.
2.Identify relevant environmental aspects for your company.
3. what are any weaknesses you may have to deal with?
4. investigate legal obligations and environmental requirements relevant to you
5. Define goals and operational environmental protection programmes that will help you to achieve the environmental goals
6. Finally, define specific objectives for the respective departments that are fundamental to the final objective
Execution: environmental management system according to ISO 14000
1. Implementation of the defined processes
2. Provision of human, financial, technical and infrastructural resources
3. Make sure that your employees have appropriate qualifications. Arrange for seminars and training courses if necessary
4. During the execution and implementation, pay attention to a detailed protocol.
Control of the environmental management system ISO 14000
1. Monitor the processes concerning legal requirements
2. Check that your relevant environmental management objectives are met
3. Continuously document and adapt your processes
Optimise the environmental management system
1. Pay attention to legal changes
2. Adjust processes if necessary
Digital Tool for Environmental Audit Checklists
Completing a paper-based DIN ISO 14001 checklist can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Replace your paper forms with a digital app to save more time and increase productivity. Lumiform, a powerful mobile app, helps you perform a better ISO 14001 environmental audit checklist, monitor EMAS activities, and track your company’s environmental performance. There are many templates for ISO certifications, such as our digital and downloadable ISO 9001 template or the sample template for ISO 3100 in risk management.
Lumiform makes it possible for you to:
- Create a mobile ISO 14001 checklist in no time at all.
- Perform efficient monitoring and analysis with a smartphone or tablet
- Save hours on reporting with a mobile app by creating comprehensive reports after completing an ISO 14001 audit checklist.
- Establish and instruct corrective actions in case of problems identified during the audit of EMAS activities.
- Store all reports online and automiatically share them with your company’s employees.
