organization may decide to implement contractors, and suppliers, and ISO 14001 EMS across the whole review them for potential corporation, in a single facility, or in a environmental liabilities to the single operating area, provided it is a organization. self-contained unit. Assess trends and outcomes of environmental incidents and ‘near misses’, the thoroughness of EMS investigations, and the Every organization has some effectiveness of any corrective and preventive measures. components of an environmental management system in place, however Obtain the views of interested rudimentary they may be to begin with. parties (e.g., stakeholders, The first step in planning the individual, groups, associations with implementation of an ISO 14001 EMS is legitimate concerns about the to assess what has already been organization’s environmental established by an organization. The performance). process, called an initial review, is Assess how existing internal outlined in ISO 14004 EMS General – management systems help or hinder Guidelines on Principles, Systems, and environmental performance. Supporting Techniques, and involves the following tasks: Conduct a analysis’ comparing ‘gap what is in place now with what ISO Review legal and regulatory 14001 requires. requirements concerning environmental performance. These Consider benchmarking desired will probably extend beyond direct performance with what has been environmental and pollution control achieved by other organizations in legislation into property, the same business or functional transportation, shipping, coastal area, and in other, dissimilar marine, health, and other statutes businesses, i.e., learn from the best and regulations. in class. Assess existing environmental Develop action plans to fill the gaps performance in relation to in performance, including schedules, legislative and regulatory responsibilities, resources needed, requirements, codes of conduct, and and rewards for completion. other non-legal guidelines relevant to the organization, including internal company policies, and ISO 14001 procedures. Continual improvement is an ISO Identify activities, products, and 14001 mantra, as is of ‘prevention’ services undertaken by the pollution (i.e., distinct from organization that may have correcting pollution after it has environmental effects, and/or pose occurred). legal risks. Top managers have a pivotal role to Identify policies and procedures that play in leading by example in the deal with external services, planning and implementation of an
organization may decide to implement ISO 14001 EMS across the whole corporation, in a single facility, or in a single operating area, provided it is a self-contained unit. EMS Every organization has some components of an environmental management system in place, however rudimentary they may be to begin with. The first step in planning the implementation of an ISO 14001 EMS is to assess what has already been established by an organization. The process, called an initial review, is outlined in ISO 14004 EMS – General Guidelines on Principles, Systems, and Supporting Techniques, and involves the following tasks: Review legal and regulatory requirements concerning environmental performance. These will probably extend beyond direct environmental and pollution control legislation into property, transportation, shipping, coastal marine, health, and other statutes and regulations. Assess existing environmental performance in relation to legislative and regulatory requirements, codes of conduct, and other non-legal guidelines relevant to the organization, including internal company policies, and procedures. Identify activities, products, and services undertaken by the organization that may have environmental effects, and/or pose legal risks. Identify policies and procedures that deal with external services, contractors, and suppliers, and review them for potential environmental liabilities to the organization. Assess trends and outcomes of environmental incidents and ‘near misses’, the thoroughness of investigations, and the effectiveness of any corrective and preventive measures. Obtain the views of interested parties (e.g., stakeholders, individual, groups, associations with legitimate concerns about the organization’s environmental performance). Assess how existing internal management systems help or hinder environmental performance. Conduct a ‘gap analysis’ comparing what is in place now with what ISO 14001 requires. Consider benchmarking desired performance with what has been achieved by other organizations in the same business or functional area, and in other, dissimilar businesses, i.e., learn from the best in class. Develop action plans to fill the gaps in performance, including schedules, responsibilities, resources needed, and rewards for completion. ISO 14001 Continual improvement is an ISO 14001 mantra, as is ‘prevention’ of pollution (i.e., distinct from correcting pollution after it has occurred). Top managers have a pivotal role to play in leading by example in the planning and implementation of an