EN ISO 14031:1999

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-december-2002
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Environmental management - Environmental performance evaluation - Guidelines (ISO
14031:1999)
Umweltmanagement - Umweltleistungsbewertung - Leitlinien (ISO 14031:1999)
Management environnemental - Evaluation de la performance environnementale -
Lignes directrices (ISO 14031:1999)
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN ISO 14031:1999
ICS:
13.020.10 Ravnanje z okoljem Environmental management
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 14031
First edition
1999-11-15
Environmental management —
Environmental performance evaluation —
Guidelines
Management environnemental — Évaluation de la performance
environnementale — Lignes directrices
Reference number
ISO 14031:1999(E)
©
ISO 1999
ISO 14031:1999(E)
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ii © ISO 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO 14031:1999(E)
Contents
Foreword.iv
Introduction.v
1 Scope .1
2 Terms and definitions .1
3 Environmental performance evaluation .3
3.1 General overview .3
3.1.1 EPE process model .3
3.1.2 Indicators for EPE.4
3.1.3 Use of EPE.5
3.2 Planning EPE (Plan) .6
3.2.1 General guidance.6
3.2.2 Selecting indicators for EPE.8
3.3 Using data and information (Do).13
3.3.1 General overview .13
3.3.2 Collecting data .13
3.3.3 Analysing and converting data .14
3.3.4 Assessing information .14
3.3.5 Reporting and communicating.14
3.4 Reviewing and improving EPE (Check and Act) .16
Annex A (informative) Supplemental guidance on EPE.17
A.1 General overview .17
A.2 Guidance on identifying the views of interested parties in the context of EPE.17
A.2.1 Potential interested parties.17
A.2.2 Issues and views of interested parties.18
A.2.3 Methods for identifying the views of interested parties .19
A.3 Supplemental guidance on selecting indicators for EPE.19
A.3.1 Considerations for selecting indicators for EPE.19
A.3.2 Examples of approaches for selecting indicators for EPE .20
A.4 Examples of indicators for EPE .21
A.4.1 General overview .21
A.4.2 Management performance indicators.22
A.4.3 Operational performance indicators.24
A.4.4 Environmental condition indicators .28
Bibliography.32
© ISO 1999 – All rights reserved iii

ISO 14031:1999(E)
Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO
member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical
committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has
the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in
liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical
Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization.
International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 3.
Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting.
Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this International Standard may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard ISO 14031 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 207, Environmental
management, Subcommittee SC 4, Environmental performance evaluation.
Annex A of this International Standard is for information only.
iv © ISO 1999 – All rights reserved

ISO 14031:1999(E)
Introduction
Many organizations are seeking ways to understand, demonstrate and improve their environmental performance.
This can be achieved by effectively managing those elements of their activities, products and services that can
significantly impact the environment.
Environmental performance evaluation (EPE), the subject of this International Standard, is an internal management
process and tool designed to provide management with reliable and verifiable information on an ongoing basis to
determine whether an organization’s environmental performance is meeting the criteria set by the management of
the organization.
An organization with an environmental management system in place should assess its environmental performance
against its environmental policy, objectives, targets and other environmental performance criteria. When an
organization does not have an environmental management system, EPE can assist the organization in:
� identifying its environmental aspects;
� determining which aspects it will treat as significant;
� setting criteria for its environmental performance; and
� assessing its environmental performance against these criteria.
This International Standard (ISO 14031) supports the requirements in ISO 14001 and the guidance in ISO 14004
(see Bibliography), but it may also be used independently.
EPE and environmental audits help the management of an organization to assess the status of its environmental
performance and to identify areas for improvement as needed. EPE is an ongoing process of collection and
assessment of data and information to provide a current evaluation of performance, as well as performance trends
over time. In contrast, environmental audits are conducted periodically to verify conformance to defined
requirements. Further guidance on environmental auditing is provided in ISO 14010 and ISO 14011 (see
Bibliography).
Examples of other tools that management can use to provide additional information for EPE include environmental
reviews and life cycle assessment (LCA). While EPE focuses on describing the environmental performance of an
organization, LCA is a technique for assessing the environmental aspects and potential impacts associated with
product and service systems. Further guidance on LCA is provided in ISO 14040, ISO 14041, ISO 14042 and
ISO 14043 (see Bibliography). Relevant information derived from these and other data sources can support the
implementation of EPE, as well as the implementation of other management tools.
© ISO 1999 – All rights reserved v

INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 14031:1999(E)
Environmental management — Environmental performance
evaluation — Guidelines
1 Scope
This International Standard gives guidance on the design and use of environmental performance evaluation within
an organization. It is applicable to all organizations, regardless of type, size, location and complexity.
This International Standard does not establish environmental performance levels. It is not intended for use as a
specification standard for certification or registration purposes or for the establishment of any other environmental
management system conformance requirements.
2 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this International Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.
2.1
environment
surroundings in which an organization operates, including air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, humans,
and their interrelation
NOTE Surroundings in this context extend from within an organization to the global system.
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.2
environmental aspect
element of an organization’s activities, products or services that can interact with the environment
NOTE A significant environmental aspect is an environmental aspect that has or can have a significant environmental
impact.
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.3
environmental condition indicator
ECI
specific expression that provides information about the local, regional, national or global condition of the
environment
NOTE “Regional” may refer to a state, a province, or a group of states within a country, or it may refer to a group of
countries or a continent, depending on the scale of the condition of the environment that the organization chooses to consider.
2.4
environmental impact
any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an organization’s
activities, products or services
[ISO 14001:1996]
© ISO 1999 – All rights reserved 1

ISO 14031:1999(E)
2.5
environmental management system
EMS
the part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities,
responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing
and maintaining the environmental policy
[ISO 14001:1996]
2.6
environmental objective
overall environmental goal, arising from the environmental policy, that an organizati
...