ISO/FDIS 14001

ISO/TC 207/SC 1/WG 15
Secretariat: BSI
Date: 2025-11-712-10
Environmental management systems — Requirements with guidance
for use
Systèmes de management environnemental — Exigences et lignes directrices pour son utilisation
FDIS stage
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ii
Contents
Foreword . iv
Introduction . v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
3.1 Terms related to organization and leadership . 1
3.2 Terms related to planning . 3
3.3 Terms related to support and operation . 4
3.4 Terms related to performance evaluation and improvement . 5
4 Context of the organization . 7
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context . 7
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties . 7
4.3 Determining the scope of the environmental management system . 7
4.4 Environmental management system . 8
5 Leadership . 8
5.1 Leadership and commitment . 8
5.2 Environmental policy . 8
5.3 Roles, responsibilities and authorities . 9
6 Planning . 9
6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities . 9
6.2 Environmental objectives and planning to achieve them . 11
6.3 Planning of changes . 12
7 Support . 12
7.1 Resources . 12
7.2 Competence . 12
7.3 Awareness . 13
7.4 Communication . 13
7.5 Documented information . 14
8 Operation . 15
8.1 Operational planning and control . 15
8.2 Emergency preparedness and response . 16
9 Performance evaluation . 16
9.1 Monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation . 16
9.2 Internal audit . 17
9.3 Management review . 18
10 Improvement . 19
10.1 Continual improvement . 19
10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action . 19
Annex A (informative) Guidance on the use of this document . 21
Bibliography . 42

iii
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.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular, the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documentsdocument should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance
with the editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
ISO draws attention to the possibility that the implementation of this document may involve the use of
(a) patent(s). ISO takes no position concerning the evidence, validity or applicability of any claimed
patent rights in respect thereof. As of the date of publication of this document, ISO had not received
notice of (a) patent(s) which may be required to implement this document. However, implementers are
cautioned that this may not represent the latest information, which may be obtained from the patent
database available at www.iso.org/patents. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all
such patent rights.
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation of the voluntary nature of standards, the meaning of ISO specific terms and
expressions related to conformity assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the
World Trade Organization (WTO) principles in the Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT), (see
www.iso.org/iso/foreword.html).
This document was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 207, Environmental management,
Subcommittee SC 1, Environmental management systems., in collaboration with the European
Committee for Standardization (CEN) Technical Committee, in accordance with the Agreement on
technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement).
This fourth edition cancels and replaces the third edition (ISO 14001:2015), which has been technically
revised. It also incorporates the Amendment ISO 14001:2015/Amd 1:2024.
The main changes are as follows:
a) Incorporationincorporation of latest ISO requirements for management system standards as
appropriate.;
b) Clarificationclarification of requirements associated with key topics.
Any feedback or questions on this document should be directed to the user’s national standards body.
A complete listing of these bodies can be found at www.iso.org/members.html.
iv
Introduction
0.1 Background
Achieving a balance between the environment, society and the economy is considered essential to meet
the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.
Sustainable development as a goal is achieved by balancing the three pillars of sustainability.
Societal expectations for sustainable development, transparency and accountability have evolved with
increasingly stringent legislation, growing pressures on the environment from pollution, inefficient use
of resources, improper waste management, climate change, degradation of ecosystems and loss of
biodiversity. Undermining the environment can carry financial, social and business consequences, not
just environmental implications.
These expectations have led organizations to adopt a systematic approach to environmental
management by implementing environmental management systems with the aim of contributing to the
environmental pillar of sustainability. As a result, organizations are better positioned to respond to the
needs and expectations of interested parties and to meet the organization’s compliance obligations.
0.2 Aim of an environmental management system
This document provides organizations with a framework to protect the environment and respond to
changing environmental conditions in balance with socio-economic needs. It specifies requirements that
enable an organization to achieve the intended outcomes it sets for its environmental management
system.
A systematic approach to environmental management provides top management with information to
build success over the long term and create options for contributing to sustainable development by:
— protecting the environment by preventing or mitigating adverse environmental impacts;
— mitigating the potential adverse effect of environmental conditions on the organization;
— assisting the organization to meet its compliance obligations;
— enhancing environmental performance;
— controlling or influencing the way the organization’s products and services are designed,
manufactured, distributed, consumed and disposed by using a life cycle perspective that prevents
adverse environmental impacts from being unintentionally shifted elsewhere within the life cycle;
— achieving financial and operational benefits that resultsresult from implementing environmentally
sound alternatives that strengthen the organization’s market position;
— communicating environmental information to relevant interested parties.
0.3 Success factors
The success of an environmental management system depends on commitment from all levels and
functions of the organization, led by top management. Organizations can leverage opportunities to
prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts and enhance beneficial environmental impacts,
particularly those with strategic and competitive implications. Top management can effectively address
its risks and opportunities by integrating environmental management into the organization’s business
processes, strategic direction and decision-making, aligning them with other business priorities, and
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incorporating environmental governance into its overall management system. Demonstration of
successful implementation of this document can be used to assure interested parties that an effective
environmental management system is in place. Adoption of this document, however, will not in itself
guarantee optimal environmental outcomes.
Application of this document can differ from one organization to another due to the context of the
organization. Two organizations can carry out similar activities but can have different compliance
obligations, commitments in their environmental policy, environmental technologies and
environmental performance goals, yet both can conform to the requirements of this document.
The level of detail and complexity of the environmental management system will vary depending on the
context of the organization, the scope of its environmental management system, its compliance
obligations, and the nature of its activities, products and services, including its environmental aspects
and associated environmental impacts.
0.4 Plan-Do-Check-Act model
The basis for the approach underlying an environmental management system is founded on the concept
of Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA). The PDCA model provides an iterative process used by organizations to
achieve continual improvement. It can be applied to an environmental management system and to each
of its individual elements. It is briefly described as follows.:
— Plan: establish environmental objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance
with the organization’s environmental policy.
— Do: implement the processes as planned.
— Check: monitor and measure processes against the environmental policy, including its
commitments, environmental objectives and operating criteria, and report the results.
— Act: take actions to continually improve.
Figure 1 shows how the framework used in this document can be integrated into a PDCA model, which
can help new and existing users to understand the importance of a systems approach.
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Figure 1 — Relationship between PDCA and the framework in this document
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0.5 Contents of this document
This document conforms to ISO’sISO requirements for management system standards. These
requirements include a harmonized structure, identical core text, and common terms with core
definitions, designed to benefit users implementing multiple ISO management system standards.
This document does not include requirements specific to other management systems, such as those for
quality, occupational health and safety, energy or financial management. However, this document
enables an organization to use a common approach and risk-based thinking to integrate its
environmental management system with the requirements of other management systems.
This document contains the requirements used to assess conformity. An organization that wishes to
demonstrate conformity with this document can do so by:
— making a self-determination and self-declaration,; or
— seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as
customers,; or
— seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization,; or
— seeking certification/registration of its environmental management system by an external
organization.
Annex A provides explanatory information to prevent misinterpretation of the requirements of this
document. Guidance on applying the ISO 14001 framework to specific environmental topic areas is
addressed in the ISO 14002 series. Implementation guidance on environmental management systems is
included in ISO 14004.
Clause A.3 provides further insight on specific words and phrases used in this document to enhance the
understanding of concepts that are relevant to an environmental management system.
The terms and definitions in Clause 3 are arranged in conceptual order, with an alphabetical index
provided at the end of this document.
viii
Environmental management systems — Requirements with
guidance for use
1 Scope
This document specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an
organization can use to enhance its environmental performance. It is intended for use by an organization
seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the
environmental pillar of sustainability.
This document helps an organization to achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management
system, which provide value for the environment, the organization itself and interested parties. The
intended outcomes of an environmental management system include:
— enhancing environmental performance;
— meeting compliance obligations;
— achieving environmental objectives.
This document is applicable to any organization, regardless of size, type and nature, and applies to the
environmental aspects of its activities, products and services that the organization determines it can
either control or influence considering a life cycle perspective. This document does not state specific
environmental performance criteria.
This document can be used in whole or in part to systematically improve environmental management.
Claims of conformity to this document, however, are not acceptable unless all its requirements are
incorporated into an organization’s environmental management system and fulfilled without exclusion.
2 Normative references
There are no normative references in this document.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
ISO and IEC maintain terminology databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at https://www.iso.org/obp
— IEC Electropedia: available at https://www.electropedia.org/
3.1 Terms related to organization and leadership
3.1.1
management system
set of interrelated or interacting elements of an organization (3.1.5) to establish policies (3.1.3) and
objectives (3.2.5) as well as processes (3.3.4) to achieve those objectives
Note 1 to entry: A management system can address a single discipline or several disciplines.
EXAMPLE : Quality, environment, occupational health and safety, energy, or financial management.
Note 2 to entry: The management system elements include the organization’s structure, roles and responsibilities,
planning and operation.
Note 3 to entry: The scope of a management system can include the whole of the organization, specific and identified
functions of the organization, specific and identified sections of the organization, or one or more functions across a
group of organizations.
3.1.2
environmental management system
part of the management system (3.1.1) used to manage environmental aspects (3.2.2), meet compliance
obligations (3.2.9), and address risks and opportunities (3.2.10)
Note 1 to entry: The environmental management system elements include: Contextcontext of the
Organizationorganization (Clause 4), Leadershipleadership (Clause 5), Planningplanning (Clause 6),
Supportsupport (Clause 7), Operationoperation (Clause 8), Performance Evaluationperformance evaluation
(Clause 9), and Improvementimprovement (Clause 10).
3.1.3
policy
intentions and direction of an organization (3.1.5) as formally expressed by its top management (3.1.6)
3.1.4
environmental policy
policy (3.1.3) related to environmental performance (3.4.11)
3.1.5
organization
person or group of people that has its own functions with responsibilities, authorities and relationships
to achieve its objectives (3.2.5)
Note 1 to entry: The concept of organization includes, but is not limited to, sole-trader, company, corporation, firm,
enterprise, authority, partnership, charity or institution, or part or combination thereof, whether incorporated or
not, public or private.
Note 2 to entry: If the organization is part of a larger entity, the term “organization” refers only to the part of the
larger entity that is within the scope of the environmental management system (3.1.2).
3.1.6
top management
person or group of people who directs and controls an organization (3.1.5) at the highest level
Note 1 to entry: Top management has the power to delegate authority and provide resources within the
organization.
Note 2 to entry: If the scope of the management system (3.1.1) covers only part of an organization, then top
management refers to those who direct and control that part of the organization.
3.1.7
interested party (preferred term)
stakeholder (admitted term)
person or organization (3.1.5) that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision
or activity
EXAMPLE : Customers, communities, suppliers, regulators, non-governmental organizations, investors and
employees.
Note 1 to entry: To “perceive itself to be affected” means the perception has been made known to the organization.
3.2 Terms related to planning
3.2.1
environment
surroundings in which an organization (3.1.5) operates, including air, water, land, natural resources,
flora, fauna, humans and their interrelationships
Note 1 to entry: Surroundings can extend from within an organization to the local, regional and global system.
Note 2 to entry: Surroundings can be described in terms of biodiversity, ecosystems, climate or other
characteristics.
3.2.2
environmental aspect
element of an organization’s (3.1.5) activities or products or services that interacts or can interact with
the environment (3.2.1)
Note 1 to entry: An environmental aspect can cause (an) environmental impact(s) (3.2.4). A significant
environmental aspect is one that has or can have one or more significant environmental impact(s).
Note 2 to entry: Significant environmental aspects are determined by the organization applying established criteria.
3.2.3
environmental condition
state or characteristic of the environment (3.2.1) as determined at a certain point in time
3.2.4
environmental impact
change to the environment (3.2.1), whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partially resulting from an
organization’s (3.1.43.1.5) environmental aspects (3.2.2)
3.2.5
objective
result to be achieved
Note 1 to entry: An objective can be strategic, tactical, or operational.
Note 2 to entry: Objectives can relate to different disciplines (such as finance, health and safety, and
environmentenvironment (3.2.1)). They can be, for example, organization-wide, or specific to a project, product,
service or process (3.3.4).
Note 3 to entry: An objective can be expressed in other ways, e.g. as an intended result, as a purpose, as an
operational criterion, as an environmental objective (3.2.6), or by the use of other words with similar meaning (e.g.
aim, goal, or target).
Note 4 to entry: In the context of environmentalenvironmental management systems (3.1.13.1.2), environmental
objectives are set by the organization (3.1.5), consistent with the environmentalenvironmental policy (3.1.33.1.4),
to achieve specific results.
3.2.6
environmental objective
objective (3.2.5) set by the organization (3.1.5) consistent with its environmental policy (3.1.4)
3.2.7
prevention of pollution
use of processes (3.3.4), practices, techniques, materials, products, services or energy to avoid, reduce or
control (separately or in combination) the creation, emission or discharge of any type of pollutant or
waste, in order to reduce adverse environmental impacts (3.2.4)
Note 1 to entry: Prevention of pollution can include source reduction or elimination; process, product or service
changes; efficient use of resources; material and energy substitution; reuse; recovery; recycling; reclamation; or
treatment.
3.2.8
requirement
need or expectation that is stated, generally implied or obligatory
Note 1 to entry: “Generally implied” means that it is custom or common practice for the organization (3.1.5) and
interested parties (3.1.7) that the need or expectation under consideration is implied.
Note 2 to entry: A specified requirement is one that is stated, e.g. in documented information (3.3.2).
3.2.9
compliance obligations (preferred term)
legal requirements and other requirements (admitted term)
legal requirements (3.2.8) that an organization (3.1.5) has to comply with and other requirements that an
organization has to or chooses to comply with
Note 1 to entry: Compliance obligations are related to the environmental management system (3.1.2).
Note 2 to entry: Compliance obligations can arise from mandatory requirements, such as applicable laws and
regulations, or voluntary commitments, such as organizational and industry standards, contractual relationships,
codes of practice and agreements with community groups, non-governmental organizations, or other interested
partiesinterested parties (3.1.7).
3.2.10
risks and opportunities
potential adverse effects (i.e. risks) and potential beneficial effects (i.e. opportunities)
3.3 Terms related to support and operation
3.3.1
competence
ability to apply knowledge and skills to achieve intended results
3.3.2
documented information
information required to be controlled and maintained by an organization (3.1.5) and the medium on
which it is contained
Note 1 to entry: Documented information can be in any format and media and from any source.
Note 2 to entry: Documented information can refer to:
— the management system (3.1.1), including related processes (3.3.4);
— information created in order for the organization to operate (documentation);
— evidence of results achieved (records).
3.3.3
life cycle
consecutive and interlinked stages of a product (or service) system, from raw material acquisition or
generation from natural resources to final disposal
Note 1 to entry: The life cycle stages include acquisition of raw materials, design, production, transportation/
delivery, use, end-of-life treatment and final disposal.
[SOURCE: ISO 14044:2006, 3.1, modified ― The words “(or service)” have been added to the definition
and. Note 1 to entry has been added.]
3.3.4
process
set of interrelated or interacting activities that uses or transforms inputs to deliver a result
Note 1 to entry: Whether the result of a process is called an output, a product or a service depends on the context of
the reference.
Note 2 to entry: A process can be documented or not.
3.4 Terms related to performance evaluation and improvement
3.4.1
audit
systematic and independent process (3.3.4) for obtaining evidence and evaluating it objectively to
determine the extent to which the audit criteria are fulfilled
Note 1 to entry: An audit can be an internal audit (first party) or an external audit (second party or third party), and
it can be a combined audit (combining two or more disciplines).
Note 2 to entry: An internal audit is conducted by the organization (3.1.5) itself, or by an external party on its behalf.
Note 3 to entry: “Audit evidence” and “audit criteria” are defined in ISO 19011.
Note 4 to entry: Independence can be demonstrated by the freedom from responsibility for the activity being
audited or freedom from bias and conflict of interest.
3.4.2
conformity
fulfilment of a requirement (3.2.8)
3.4.3
nonconformity
non-fulfilment of a requirement (3.2.8)
Note 1 to entry: Nonconformity relates to requirements in this document and additional environmental
management system (3.1.2) requirements that an organization (3.1.5) establishes for itself.
3.4.4
corrective action
action to eliminate the cause(s) of a nonconformity (3.4.3) and to prevent recurrence
3.4.5
continual improvement
recurring activity to enhance performance (3.4.10)
Note 1 to entry: Enhancing performance relates to the use of the environmental management system (3.1.2) to
enhance environmental performance (3.4.11) consistent with the organization’s (3.1.5) environmental policy (3.1.4).
Note 2 to entry: The activity does not have to take place in all areas simultaneously, or without interruption.
3.4.6
effectiveness
extent to which planned activities are realized and planned results are achieved
3.4.7
indicator
quantitative, qualitative or binary variable that can be measured or described, representing the status of
operations, management, conditions or impacts
[SOURCE: ISO 14031:2021, 3.4.1]
3.4.8
monitoring
determining the status of a system, a process (3.3.4) or an activity
Note 1 to entry: To determine the status, there can be a need to check, supervise or critically observe.
3.4.9
measurement
process (3.3.4) to determine a value
3.4.10
performance
measurable result
Note 1 to entry: Performance can relate either to quantitative or qualitative findings.
Note 2 to entry: Performance can relate to managing activities, processes (3.3.4), products, services, systems or
organizations (3.1.5).
3.4.11
environmental performance
performance (3.4.10) related to the management of environmental aspects (3.2.2)
Note 1 to entry: For an environmental management system (3.1.2), results can be measured against the
organization’s (3.1.5) environmental policy (3.1.4), environmental objectives (3.2.6) or other criteria, using indicators
(3.4.7).
4 Context of the organization
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
The organization shall determine external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and that
affect its ability to achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management system.
These issues shall include environmental conditions being affected by the organization or capable of
affecting the organization, such as pollution levels, availability of natural resources, climate change,
biodiversity or ecosystem health (see A.4.1).
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
The organization shall determine:
a) the interested parties that are relevant to the environmental management system;
b) the relevant needs and expectations (i.e. requirements) of these interested parties;
c) which of these needs and expectations become its compliance obligations (see 6.1.3) and will be
addressed through the environmental management system.
NOTE 1 Relevant interested parties can have needs and expectations related to environmental conditions, such
as pollution levels, availability of natural resources, climate change, biodiversity or ecosystem health.
NOTE 2 The relevant needs and expectations of interested parties, other than legal requirements, become a
compliance obligation when the organization decides to comply with them.
4.3 Determining the scope of the environmental management system
The organization shall determine the boundaries and applicability of the environmental management
system to establish its scope.
When determining this scope, the organization shall consider:
a) the external and internal issues referred to in 4.1;
b) the compliance obligations referred to in 4.2;
c) its organizational units, functions and physical boundaries;
d) its activities, products and services;
e) its authority and ability to exercise control and influence, over the life cycle of its activities, products
and services.
Once the scope is defined, all activities, products and services of the organization within that scope shall
be included in the environmental management system.
The scope shall be available as documented information and shall be available to interested parties.
4.4 Environmental management system
To achieve the intended outcomes, including enhancing its environmental performance, the organization
shall establish, implement, maintain and continually improve an environmental management system,
including the processes needed and their interactions, in accordance with the requirements of this
document.
The organization shall consider the knowledge gained in 4.1 and 4.2 when establishing and maintaining
the environmental management system.
5 Leadership
5.1 Leadership and commitment
Top management shall demonstrate leadership and commitment with respect to the environmental
management system by:
a) taking accountability for the effectiveness of the environmental management system;
b) ensuring that the environmental policy and environmental objectives are established and are
compatible with the strategic direction and the context of the organization;
c) ensuring the integration of the environmental management system requirements into the
organization’s business processes;
NOTE Reference to “business” in this document can be interpreted broadly to mean those activities that
are core to the purpose(s) of the organization’s existence.
d) ensuring that the resources needed for the environmental management system are available;
e) communicating the importance of effective environmental management and of conforming to the
environmental management system requirements;
f) ensuring that the environmental management system achieves its intended outcomes;
g) directing and supporting persons to contribute to the effectiveness of the environmental
management system;
h) promoting continual improvement;
i) supporting other relevant roles to demonstrate their leadership as it applies to their areas of
responsibility.
5.2 Environmental policy
Top management shall establish, implement and maintain an environmental policy that, within the
defined scope of its environmental management system:
a) is appropriate to the purpose and context of the organization, including the nature, scale and
environmental impacts of its activities, products and services;
b) provides a framework for setting environmental objectives;
c) includes a commitment to the protection of the environment, including prevention of pollution and
other specific commitment(s) relevant to the context of the organization;
NOTE Other specific commitment(s) to protect the environment can include: preservation or conservation
of natural resources; sustainable resource use; climate change mitigation and adaptation; or protection of
biodiversity and ecosystems.
d) includes a commitment to meet its compliance obligations;
e) includes a commitment to continual improvement of the environmental management system to
enhance environmental performance.
The environmental policy shall:
— be available as documented information;
— be communicated within the organization;
— be available to interested parties.
5.3 Roles, responsibilities and authorities
Top management shall ensure that the responsibilities and authorities for relevant roles are assigned and
communicated within the organization.
Top management shall assign the responsibility and authority for:
a) ensuring that the environmental management system conforms to the requirements of this
document;
b) reporting on the performance of the environmental management system, including environmental
performance, to top management.
6 Planning
6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities
6.1.1 General
The organization shall establish, implement and maintain (a) process(es) needed to meet the
requirements in 6.1.2 to 6.1.5.
The process(es) for 6.1.2 to 6.1.5 shall be available as documented information to the extent necessary to
have confidence they are carried out as planned.
6.1.2 Environmental aspects
Within the defined scope of the environmental management system, the organization shall determine the
environmental aspects of its activities, products and services that it can control and those that it can
influence, and their associated environmental impacts, considering a life cycle perspective.
NOTE 1 A life cycle perspective includes consideration of the environmental aspects and impacts at each life cycle
stage. The life cycle stages include acquisition of raw materials, design, production, transportation/delivery, use,
end-of-life treatment and final disposal.
The organization shall determine potential emergency situations (see 8.2), including those that can have
an environmental impact.
When determining environmental aspects, the organization shall take into account:
a) normal and abnormal conditions;
b) change, including planned or new developments, and new or modified activities, products and
services (see 6.3);
c) potential emergency situations.
The organization shall determine those aspects that have or can have a significant environmental impact,
i.e. significant environmental aspects, by using established criteria.
NOTE 2 Significant environmental aspects can result in risks and opportunities associated with either adverse
or beneficial environmental impacts.
The organization shall communicate its significant environmental aspects among the various levels and
functions of the organization, as appropriate.
The following shall be available as documented information:
— environmental aspects and associated environmental impacts;
— criteria used to determine its significant environmental aspects;
— significant environmental aspects.
6.1.3 Compliance obligations
The organization shall:
a) determine and have access to the compliance obligations related to its environmental aspects;
b) determine how these compliance obligations apply to the organization;
c) take these compliance obligations into account when establishing, implementing, maintaining and
continually improving its environmental management system.
NOTE Compliance obligations can result in risks and opportunities to the organization.
The compliance obligations shall be available as documented information.
6.1.4 Risks and opportunities
When planning for the environmental management system, the organization shall consider:
a) the external and internal issues referred to in 4.1;
b) the relevant needs and expectations (i.e. requirements) of interested parties referred to in 4.2;
c) the scope of its environmental management system referred to in 4.3;
and determine the risks and opportunities to the organization related to its environmental aspects (see
6.1.2), compliance obligations (see 6.1.3) and other issues and requirements, if any, identified in 4.1 and
4.2, that need to be addressed to:
— give assurance that the environmental management system can achieve its intended outcomes;
— prevent, or reduce, undesired effects, including the potential for external environmental conditions
to affect the organization;
— achieve continual improvement.
The risks and opportunities that need to be addressed shall be available as documented information.
6.1.5 Planning action
The organization shall plan:
a) to take actions to address its:
1) significant environmental aspects determined in 6.1.2;
2) compliance obligations determined in 6.1.3;
3) risks and opportunities determined in 6.1.4;
b) how to:
1) implement the actions into its environmental management system processes (see 6.2, Clause 7,
Clause 8 and 9.1), or integrate the actions into other business processes;
2) evaluate the effectiveness of these actions (see 9.1).
When planning these actions, the organization shall consider its technological options and its financial,
operational and business requirements.
6.2 Environmental objectives and planning to achieve them
6.2.1 Environmental objectives
The organization shall establish environmental objectives at relevant functions and levels, taking into
account the organization’s significant environmental aspects and related compliance obligations, and
considering its risks and opportunities.
The environmental objectives shall be:
a) consistent with the environmental policy;
b) measurable (if practicable);
c) monitored;
d) communicated;
e) updated as appropriate;
f) available as documented information.
6.2.2 Planning actions to achieve environmental objectives
When planning how to achieve its environmental objectives, the organization shall determine:
a) what will be done;
b) what resources will be required;
c) who will be responsible;
d) when it will be completed;
e) how the results will be evaluated, including indicators for monitoring progress toward achievement
of its measurable environmental objectives (see 9.1.1).
The organization shall consider how actions to achieve its environmental objectives can be integrated
into the organization’s business processes.
6.3 Planning of changes
When the organization determines the need for changes that affect or can affect the environmental
management system, the changes shall be carried out in a planned manner. The changes shall be managed
to ensure that the organization can achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management
system.
NOTE 1 The need for change to the environmental management system can arise from internal or external
sources. See A.6.3 for examples.
NOTE 2 Managing change is addressed in various requirements in this document. See A.6.3 for examples.
7 Support
7.1 Resources
The organization shall determine and provide the resources needed for the establishment,
implementation, maintenance and continual improvement of the environmental management system.
7.2 Competence
The organization shall:
a) determine the necessary competence of person(s) doing work under its control that affects its
environmental performance and its ability to meet its compliance obligations;
b) ensure that these persons are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, or
experience;
c) determine training needs associated with its environmental aspects and its environmental
management system;
d) where applicable, take actions to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluate the effectiveness
of the actions taken.
NOTE Applicable actions can include, for example: the provision of training to, the m
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