The ISO 14001:2015 standard on environmental management systems specifies requirements that enable an organization/enterprise to achieve the intended outcomes set for its environmental management system.

Business Context

Business leaders play a decisive role in establishing, maintaining, and continuously improving the Environmental Management System (EMS).
Top management must ensure that EMS requirements are integrated into the organization’s processes and are fully and effectively implemented.

Leadership Commitment

Leadership commitment to establishing and implementing the EMS may be demonstrated through the following activities:

• Regularly communicating to all employees the importance of implementing and applying the EMS;

• Ensuring the availability of necessary resources for the EMS;

• Establishing and maintaining environmental policies and objectives;

• Monitoring EMS implementation progress. Management review meetings may be held periodically or unexpectedly to evaluate EMS performance results and consider system improvement opportunities.

Training

Providing training for employees on ISO 14001, especially for the project implementation team and management personnel.

Organizations must ensure that persons working under their control are aware of:

• Environmental policies;

• Significant environmental aspects and actual or potential environmental impacts related to their work;

• Their contribution to the effectiveness of the EMS, including the benefits of improved environmental performance;

• The implications of non-conformity with EMS requirements, including failure to meet compliance obligations.

Implementation and Monitoring

• Conduct pilot implementation of established procedures, instructions, and forms. These must be complied with and records of implementation must be maintained (such as monitoring records of environmental indicators/parameters, logbooks, or periodic environmental monitoring journals).

• The operational period should be appropriate to production and business characteristics and product life cycles (to ensure the EMS operates stably).

• Ensure awareness and communication for all members within the organization to effectively implement the EMS. Monitor and verify EMS implementation and take necessary actions to ensure compliance with standard requirements and environmental programs.

• Apply supporting tools to enhance environmental performance such as MFCA, GHK, GP, etc. During pilot implementation, the system should be monitored and adjusted to suit the organization’s operations.

Internal Audit

Conduct internal audits and management review meetings to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the system.
Implement environmental management system audit programs in accordance with ISO 14001:2015 requirements, legal requirements, and the procedures and regulations established by the organization.

Certification Assessment

• Select an appropriate certification body and register for certification assessment. The enterprise may conduct a pre-certification audit if necessary.

• Prepare for the certification body to conduct document review and on-site assessment of the organization’s actual conditions. Review the initial assessment results and implement corrective actions for non-conformities.

• Conduct internal audits and corrective actions. In addition, surveillance audits must be carried out to continuously maintain and improve the environmental management system.

Benefits After Certification at ISSQ Institute

• Support with legal procedures related to customer certification;

• Up to 50% support for certification conversion fees to new standards/regulations (if applicable);

• Free promotion of the company’s image on the website issq.org.vn;

• Free support for other services at the ISSQ Institute.

ISSQ Institute for Quality always stands ready to accompany companies during integration and development.

Please contact us via hotline: +84 981851111 | +84 2422661111 or email: vienchatluong@issq.org.vn | tcvn@issq.org.vn

Publication date: February 18, 2022