ISO 14001 revision is underway

Katie Bird
(Head Communication and Content Strategies)
ISO
+41 22 749 0431
bird@iso.org

ISO 14001, the world’s most popular standard for environmental management, is now under review, with an update version due to be available in early 2015. 

Over 250,000 organizations are certified to ISO 14001 and while it continues to be as relevant as ever, the revision will take into consideration a number of issues to ensure organizations are able to grow in a sustainable way. 

ISO 14001, one of ISO’s most successful management system standards, is shortly to undergo its second revision to ensure that it remains relevant over the next two decades. Since it was first published in 1996, ISO 14001:2004, Environmental management systems – Requirements with guidance for use, has been adopted by well over 250 000 certified users in 155 countries worldwide.

Recently, over 40 experts from some 25 countries, members of ISO/TC 207, Environmental management, the ISO technical committee that developed ISO 14001, gathered at the Berlin headquarters of DIN, the German Institute for Standardization, to discuss key issues related to the mandate for WG 5, the working group responsible for the revision process. Following is a report of recommendations and early accomplishments.

Two significant actions

The mandate requires the WG to consider two significant pieces of work. First, the work of the ISO Technical Management Board (TMB) Joint Technical Coordination Group (JTCG) on the High Level Structure for Management System Standards (MSS), covering identical text, common terms and core definitions.

Its aim is to standardize the structure and core requirements of MSS to facilitate the integration of multiple MSS into an organization’s management system. Although new standards have been developed using this structure, the revision of ISO 14001 will be the first in which an existing MSS has been recast into the standardized format and text.

Second is the final report of the ISO/TC 207 SC 1, Environmental management systems, Future Challenges for EMS Study Group, which evaluated the potential implications of evolving stakeholder expectations and new developments in the field of environmental management systems (EMS) since 1996. Eleven themes were analyzed, including sustainable development, environmental performance improvement, legal compliance, strategic business management, conformity assessment and national/international policy agendas. The study group also analyzed the obstacles and opportunities to increase uptake of ISO 14001 in small organizations, to control environmental impact in the value/supply chain, engage stakeholders, and communicate externally. In addition to these two significant actions, the mandate requires the basic principles and existing requirements of ISO 14001:2004 be retained and improved.

Early accomplishments

The initial Berlin meeting of ISO/TC 207 summarized the ISO standards development process for WG members, established a timeline and code of conduct, reviewed details in the two key reports forming the basis for the revision, and provided guidelines on writing standards – particularly taking into account the needs of SMEs. Among early accomplishments of the meeting, the WG :

Developed draft operating principles

Began the process of integrating ISO 14001:2004 requirements into the JTCG MSS structure and text

Brainstormed key issues and concerns related to each clause. These will be discussed at future meetings and evaluated for inclusion in the next revision.