Tavares Group Blog

ISO 14001:2015 Next Steps

With the release of ISO DIS 14001:2014 in July of 2014 and the expected release of the finalized version of ISO 14001:2015 in mid/late 2015, organizations currently certified to the current version of ISO 14001 will be tasked with transitioning over to the new version. As discussed in our previous article, the proposed revised standard places a greater emphasis on environmental leadership and aims to better integrate the EMS within all business processes and strategies. However, one must keep in mind that each organization’s EMS and their approach at implementing the new standard will be different because each organization has inherent differences (e.g. scope, risks, etc).  Although timelines have yet to be officially confirmed, many are estimating a late 2015 official release of the new standard and a 3 year transition period, due to the nature and number of the changes within the standard. All new organizations seeking certification will also have to certify to ISO 14001:2015 after its date of publication. Also, it is speculated that all audits being conducted after mid 2017 will be to the new standard.  Below we have listed the 6 steps a facility/organization can follow over the next 3 years to ensure they are on the right track to transition over to ISO 14001:2015.

1. Retain a copy of the draft international standard if possible 

The Draft International Standard (DIS) is publicly available for purchase and comment. Many certification bodies have also already begun running free ISO 14001:2015 online update sessions. By doing as much preliminary research as possible (e.g. reading white papers, blogs, keeping an eye on social media) and knowing how the standard has changed, you will have a better understanding of how these changes will impact your EMS, and your organization will be well on its way to transitioning over to the new standard.

2. Conduct a gap analysis

Conduct a gap analysis in order to determine the areas in which your EMS requires adjustment. For instance, although some elements from 14001:2004 have been carried forward to the new standard, they may now include additional requirements. Also, new requirements, such as “interested parties”, “process”, “life cycle”, “risk due to threats and opportunities”, and “external and internal issues” will need to be supplemented within an existing EMS. Some questions you could ask to guide the assessment of your current EMS include:

• “are internal and external issues (i.e. political or economic environment) taken into account in the design and maintenance of our EMS?”
• “are we aware of the needs and requirements of all interested parties when maintaining our EMS?”,
• “are environmental objectives part of our organization’s business strategy?”, or
• “how actively involved is Top Management within the EMS?”

A gap analysis will provide a clearer picture to you and your team of the areas which require minor adjustments and more detailed supplementation.

3. Develop an implementation plan – action items, timelines, roles and duties

Developing an implementation plan, with identified action items, timelines roles and duties is crucial to the successful and timely transition from the current standard to the new ISO 14001:2015. Ensure all individuals whose role is impacted by the implementation plan, including Top Management are consulted during its development in order to ensure buy-in and a smooth transition.

4. Training

Providing training for all personnel whose roles are impacted by your EMS is another critical step in implementing this new standard. For instance, team members should know that the performance of the EMS is now more ingrained within the entire business strategy and considers a life cycle perspective and is not limited to what occurs within the facility. For many organizations, new processes will have been developed to integrate the EMS into all business processes, therefore training will be required to ensure these new processes are being followed.

5. Update EMS documentation

In seeing that the final published version of new standard could still change as it has not yet been finalized, updating existing EMS documentation should only be done once the new standard has been published.

6. Keep in touch with your certification body

Your certification body wants to ensure your organization’s successful transition over to the new standard. Keep in touch with your certification body as they will provide guidance on official transition timelines, including dates of ISO 14001:2004-2015 transition audits to earn certification to the new standard. As mentioned above, many certification bodies have already begun offering online training sessions.

Is your organization prepared for this transition? Whether your business is ready to implement a management system for the first time or optimize the established system to meet the requirements of a new version, Tavares Group Consulting can help with those needs at every step from gap analysis to implementation. Sandra Tavares, Principal of Tavares Group Consulting is an active member of the Canadian Advisory Committees on Environmental Management and Social Responsibility; these committees provide Canadian feedback to the ISO Technical Committees who develop the ISO 14001 and ISO 26000 standards, respectively. Visit our Management Systems Case Studies page to learn more, and contact us to learn more about how we can support you through this transition.