Everything you need to know about the ISO 14001 standard

The ISO 14001 standard is an international reference, it helps companies to manage their impact on the environment in an effective manner. It is one of the main ISO sustainability standards.

The purpose of this standard is to encourage businesses to Define goals and an action plan to reduce their environmental impact and therefore limit their risks.

In this article, we'll answer the following questions:

• What is the ISO 14001 standard?
• What are the benefits for businesses?
• What are the 7 steps in the ISO 14001 certification process?
• How to achieve your ISO 14001 certification?

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What is the ISO 14001 standard?

The ISO 14001 standard is an international standard that defines the criteria for an environmental management system (EMS). In other words, it helps businesses and organizations reduce their impact on the environment, to respect the laws and to improve their environmental performance on an ongoing basis.

This standard is not a legal requirement, it is based on volunteering and must be certified by a third party organization. Today, more than 360,000 companies around the world are ISO 14001 certified.

One of the key points to obtain certification is to build its environmental or energy management system (EMS).

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What are the benefits of ISO 14001 certification for businesses?

The expectations of the various stakeholders in terms of the environment are increasingly present and the regulatory framework is constantly growing.
Taking these environmental issues into their own hands is becoming an imperative for companies and the ISO 14001 standard provides a clear structure to formalize their approaches.

Here are the various benefits of the ISO 14001 standard:

Support the company's environmental and CSR strategy

The ISO 14001 standard reinforces the company's environmental strategy with a clearly defined framework for take into account all its environmental issues (water, carbon, energy, etc.).

Get this certification contributes more widely to the CSR strategy of the company by integrating sustainable management into the heart of the company's activities.

This helps the company meet the expectations of stakeholders, such as customers, partners, and investors.

Have better management of environmental impacts and reduce risks

Thanks to the ISO 14001 standard, the company can better identify, control and reduce its impacts on the environment, thus limiting the risks of pollution or non-compliance that could harm its activity.

For example, a chemical company through the ISO 14001 standard will identify and reduce its emissions of polluting substances, which reduces the risks of legal sanctions and environmental incidents.

Reduce your costs

The ISO 14001 standard invites businesses to optimize the use of their resources such as energy and raw materials, thus allowing achieve significant savings.

Reducing waste and improving energy efficiency mean lower costs.

The result: it improves profitability while contributing to environmental protection.

78% of ISO 14001 certified companies see financial gain, according to an AFNOR study, thanks to the reduction in the use of raw materials, water and energy consumption and recycling.

Gaining market share

More and more customers and partners are looking for businesses that are committed to sustainable practices. The ISO 14001 standard, known and recognized worldwide, makes it possible to differentiate from the competition and to attract new customers because it demonstrates an advanced ability to manage environmental issues. It also reinforces the trust of existing customers, to promote loyalty and expansion into new markets.

Improve your brand image by communicating reliable data

Certification provides a structured framework for collect and communicate accurate environmental data This reinforces the transparency and credibility of the company among customers, investors and the general public. Effective communication on environmental results improves brand image and values the company's shares.

Be in regulatory compliance

The standard helps the company to identify and comply with applicable environmental laws and regulations by providing a structured framework for environmental management. Certification requires businesses to implement an Environmental Management System (EMS), which includes environmental risk assessment and compliance with all legal and regulatory obligations.

The SME developed under the ISO 14001 standard encourages regular audits and updates, which helps to stay informed of changes in environmental laws and helps organizations maintain compliance over time.

Raise awareness among employees and involve management

Certification involves all employees in an environmental approach, which strengthens team spirit. It also requires a strong commitment from management, ensuring that initiatives are well supported. This collective participation improves corporate culture and motivates employees more.

It is crucial to understand that solid governance is essential for an effective Environmental Management System, and the ISO 14001 standard helps to set up this governance.

Aim for improvement

ISO 14001 certification encourages the company to constantly look for ways to improve its environmental performance. This includes clear goals, regular audits, and ongoing process reviews. This continuous improvement approach allows the company to remain competitive while reducing its ecological footprint.

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ISO 14001 certification helps a company better manage its environmental impacts, reduce costs, and comply with laws. It improves the company's image by showing its commitment, while involving all employees in a continuous improvement process.

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The 6 steps of the ISO 14001 certification process

The ISO 14001 certification methodology follows a structured process with clearly defined steps to ensure that organizations meet international standards.
The process is centered on The Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) cycle, which promotes continuous improvement and operational efficiency.

The certification process is divided into 7 key steps.

Designate the project pilot

Identify a person or team who will be responsible for setting up the environmental management system (EMS). This referent coordinate activities, oversee implementation and be the main point of contact for all questions related to the certification project.
Also think about clearly assign responsibilities for environmental management at various levels of the organization to ensure that everyone knows what to do.

Explain the importance of ISO 14001 certification internally

Explain to the entire company why you are aiming for ISO 14001 certification, highlighting the environmental, economic and strategic benefits. This step is crucial for gain the support of employees and actively involve them in the process.

Take stock of current practices

This stage is also called gap analysis.
After understanding the requirements, a gap analysis is done for identify discrepancies between current practices and the expectations of the ISO 14001 standard. This step allows you to highlight the shortcomings and areas in need of improvement. A specific action plan is then created to fill these gaps.

Set goals and communicate them internally

Set measurable environmental goals, in line with the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard and the specific challenges of your company. Make sure these goals are correct understood and accepted by all employees, in order to promote collective commitment.

Write clear documentation

Create and maintain comprehensive documentation to support your management system.

This documentation should include:

• The risk management strategy, ensuring that the organization proactively anticipates and addresses potential threats to environmental quality or performance.
• The field of application of the environmental management system.
• Policies, procedures and processes, with detailed descriptions to ensure consistency, traceability and effectiveness of actions.
• Records of compliance measures and corrective action plans, for example: regular audits with their results and the corrective actions implemented, as well as training files.

Monitoring its results and internal audit

Put in place a monitoring system with environmental performance indicators, conduct internal audits and regular reviews for assess progress. Identify deviations from goals and make adjustments as needed to continuously improve.
Indeed, for ISO 14001 certification, it is very common to do an internal audit before the formal audit. Internal audit is essential for verify the compliance of the Environmental Management System.
This includes assessing whether processes meet documented requirements and identifying any potential non-conformances.

Engaging certification

Once the system is in place and working well, hire a certification body to conduct an external audit. Conducted by a third-party auditor, this audit assesses whether the organization meets the criteria of the ISO 14001 standard.

The ISO 14001 certification must be audited by an accredited body, here are some of them:

• AFAQ
• BVQI (Bureau Véritas)
• Dekra Certification
• UTAC
• DNV Certification France
• LRQA
• SGS-ICS

The duration of the ISO 14001 certification is 3 years, provided that a surveillance audit is carried out every year. If the audit confirms that you meet the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard, you will obtain the certification, which must be renewed regularly.

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How to achieve your ISO 14001 certification?

Achieving ISO 14001 certification requires an investment of resources and time. The ideal way to keep the environmental management system in hand is to carry it out internally, but due to lack of time, companies can use external consultants. There is a hybrid method to have all the necessary expertise and gain efficiency and time: use a third-party tool.

In this part, we will explain the different methods to prepare for your ISO 14001 assessment.

Achieve ISO 14001 certification internally

Achieving ISO 14001 certification internally generally takes between 6 months and 18 months, depending on the size of the business, the complexity of its activities and its initial level of preparation.

Here are the typical steps with an estimated time:

• Initial assessment: 1 to 2 months to assess the situation and identify discrepancies.
• Planning and implementation: 3 to 9 months to define actions, adjust processes, and train staff.
• Follow-up and adjustments: 2 to 4 months to carry out internal audits and adjust practices.
• Audit preparation: 1 to 3 months to prepare for the final audit.

The time frame may be shorter if the company already has certain environmental practices in place, or longer if it is starting from scratch.

Call on a consultant to achieve ISO 14001 certification

Calling on a consultant for ISO 14001 certification allows you to: benefit from its expertise to structure, implement, and effectively monitor the process.

The consultant assesses your situation, helps you plan the necessary actions, and trains your teams to ensure good adherence. It generally accompanies you in preparing for the final audit and can continue to support you after obtaining the certification. This is particularly useful if you lack internal resources, if the project is complex, or if it's your first certification, but the cost is often significant.

Use a tool to achieve your ISO 14001 certification

Achieving your ISO 14001 certification with a tool allows you to keep control of the project while benefiting from integrated expertise.

This tool makes you save time by automating certain tasks and guides you step by step through the certification steps.

Using a tool to carry out your certification not only saves time, but also allows you to take a long-term approach with serious monitoring of your environmental management system.

The tool allows you to centralize all information in the same place to be more efficient. Once your environmental management system is on a platform like Ditto, it is very easy to integrate it into a global strategy and to integrate it into a comprehensive sustainability management system.

This facilitates the integration of your data into labels, CSR certifications, etc. by offering better visibility on your CSR strategy.

Using an internal tool allows you to ensure that your strategy does not depend on an external party

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Conclusion

To summarize, the ISO 14001 standard is an internationally recognized framework for all companies that would like better manage their environmental impacts and reduce their risks.
Becoming ISO 14001 certified has many benefits, including helping businesses reduce their costs related to the management of their resources and also that of being in regulatory compliance.
To obtain ISO 14001 certification, here are the 7 key steps listed by our experts:

• Designate the project pilot,
• Explain the importance of certification internally,
• Make an inventory,
• Set goals,
• Writing documentation,
• Follow up on your results,
• Engage certification.

These steps will help you structure your certification project, but if it is the first time, we strongly recommend that you carry it out with the help of a consultant or a tool.
Going through a consultant will allow you tooutsource this project, while a tool will help you develop skills and use your internal resources to keep control of your environmental management system.