The ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard was officially released on September 15, 2015. During the drafting of this standard, the experience in the implementation of the past ten years has been summarized, and in order to adapt to the current new situation of global environmental protection, a large number of revisions have been made to the original standard. Compared with the 2004 version, the new version of the standard has greater development and Variety.

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The drafting group of this standard (ISO/TC207/SC1/WG5) lasted more than three and a half years and held ten meetings of the drafting group to complete the drafting of the standard. It can be said that the formulation of the standard concentrated the wisdom of experts from various countries.

First, the drafting principles of the standard are introduced. The principles for drafting the new ISO14001 standard include:

1. According to the requirements of the management system guidelines (ISO/IEC Directives 1) approved by ISO/TMB, adopt the prescribed framework structure (HLS), share the names of sub-clauses and share the text, terms and definitions.

2. Considering the suggestions made by TC207 "EMS Future Challenges Study Group", revise or supplement the clauses required by the environmental management system;

3. Keep the requirements of the existing ISO14001 standard as much as possible, and consider the consistency with other standards in the ISO14000 series.

In order to determine the revision focus of the new ISO14001 standard, in 2008 ISO/TC207 decided to set up a special study group (EMS Future Challenge Study Group) to study the existing problems and improvement directions of the environmental management system standard. To this end, the study group investigated the problems and needs in the application of standards in various countries. In 2010, the research group put forward a research report, listing more than a dozen issues to be solved by the ISO14001 environmental management system standard. The drafting group of the new version of ISO14001 has fully considered these suggestions in the drafting process.

Therefore, the new version of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard has undergone great changes in terms of structure and content, and some of these changes can have a greater impact on the implementation of the standard. These changes can also be said to be standard development.

The main changes of the new ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard can be summarized into the following ten aspects:

1. According to the requirements of the guidelines, a new standard frame structure has been adopted

2. Added requirements for strategic environmental management

3. Emphasize the integration with the business of the organization;

4. Emphasizes the role of leadership

5. Expand "pollution prevention" to "environmental protection"

6. Greater emphasis on improving environmental performance

7. Added the requirement of "Lifecycle Viewpoint"

8. Introduced the "risk control" scheme

9. The requirements for "information exchange" have been refined;

10. Other changes (eg: documented information, terms and definitions, etc.)

Among the changes in the above ten aspects, there are changes in standard form and changes in standard requirements. We want to pay special attention to the development and change of the standard requirements. To understand the meaning of each change, and to study how to establish, implement, and properly apply in the environmental management system audit.

The development and changes of the above ten aspects are described below.

1. According to the requirements of the guidelines, a new standard frame structure was adopted

The formulation of guidelines to unify the format of management system standards is a major initiative of the International Organization for Standardization in the past decade.

In order to solve the compatibility of the two management system standards ISO9001 and ISO14001, in 2004, the International Organization for Standardization established a "Joint Working Group (JTG)" composed of TC176 and TC207 experts to jointly study how to improve the consistency of the two standards. .

In 2006, the International Organization for Standardization realized that it is not only necessary to solve the compatibility problem of the two management system standards ISO9001 and ISO14001, but also to solve the consistency problem of all management system standard structures formulated by ISO. A larger "Joint Technical Coordination Group" was thus re-established. After four years of work, the Joint Technical Coordination Group released the first edition of the guidelines in 2010 (the fifth edition was published in 2014).

The new version of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard complies with the provisions of this guideline. include:

1. The overall framework of the standard complies with the requirements of the high-level structure of the guidelines;

2. Common terms and definitions in the standard adopt the terms and definitions of the guidelines;

3. The standard shared terms shall adopt the terms and texts specified in the guidelines.

The framework structure of the new ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard includes the following 10 parts:

(1) Scope (Scope)

(2) Normative references

(3) Terms and definitions (Terms and definitions)

(4) Context of the organization

(5) Leadership

(6) Planning

(7) Support

(8) Operations

(9) Performance evaluation

(10) Improvement (Improvement)

Figure 1 The relationship between the new version of the standard structure and PDCA

As can be seen from the standard structure shown in Figure 1, the structure of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard is completely different from the 2004 version. It more accurately reflects the relationship between PDCA and the role of each part.

2. Added requirements for strategic environmental management

The "strategic environmental management" mentioned here refers to: from the strategic height of the organization's survival or development, analyze the internal and external environment of the organization and the needs and expectations of related parties, so as to propose the tasks and goals of environmental management, and through the establishment and implementation of the environment management system to achieve these tasks and objectives and to achieve the expected results of the environmental management system.

Requirements related to strategic environmental management are put forward in several clauses of the standard. Such as:

4.1 states: The organization shall identify external and internal issues that are relevant to its purpose and affect its ability to achieve the expected results of the environmental management system.

5.1 stipulates: ensure that its environmental policy and environmental objectives are consistent with the strategic direction of the organization and the environment in which it is located;

Requirements in 6.1: When planning the environmental management system, the organization shall consider the issues and requirements mentioned in 4.1 and 4.2;

9.3 The management review stipulates that: the management review shall consider internal and external issues related to the environmental management system and changes in the needs of interested parties; the output of the management review shall include: any conclusions related to the strategic direction of the organization.

It can be seen from these requirements that the establishment and implementation of the environmental management system must consider the internal and external issues of the organization and achieve the strategic goals of the organization.

3. Emphasize the integration with the business of the organization

The establishment and implementation of the environmental management system must be integrated with the business of the organization. This requirement has been raised in several places in the new version of the standard. Such as:

As specified in 5.1: Ensure that the environmental management system requirements are integrated into the organization's business processes;

Requirements in 6.1.4: Integrate these measures into its environmental management system processes or other business processes and implement them;

Requirements in 6.2.2: The organization shall consider how its measures to achieve environmental objectives can be integrated into the organization's business processes;

9.3 states that the output of the management review should include opportunities to improve the integration of the environmental management system with other business processes.

It can be seen from the above requirements that the establishment and implementation of the environmental management system must be integrated into the business process of the organization and into the daily management of the organization.

4. Emphasizes the role of leadership

The ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard has specially added a chapter "Leadership" according to the requirements of the ISO/IEC guidelines, reflecting the important position of "leadership" in the environmental management system. At the same time, in the frame structure diagram of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard, the "leadership role" is placed at the center position, which also reflects the core position of the leadership role in the environmental management system.

Leadership plays a decisive role in the establishment and implementation of an environmental management system. The participation and attention of leaders is the key to the successful implementation of an organization's environmental management system.

In the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard, in addition to the requirements for leadership, in addition to the establishment of environmental policies, provision of resources and assignment of responsibilities in the 2004 edition, a number of new requirements have been added. Such as:

It is stipulated in 5.1 that top management shall: be responsible for the effectiveness of the environmental management system; ensure that the environmental management system requirements are integrated into the organization's business processes; ensure that the environmental management system achieves its intended results.

In order to achieve the above requirements, the top management of the organization should lead the managers at all levels and all employees to earnestly meet the requirements of the standard clauses of the environmental management system, so as to ensure that the environmental management system of the organization can achieve its expected results and ensure that the environmental management system effectiveness.

5. More emphasis on environmental performance

The main purpose of implementing an environmental management system is to improve environmental performance through effective management of environmental factors. The new version of the standard also stipulates in the "scope" that the expected results of the environmental management system should include: improving environmental performance, fulfilling compliance obligations, and achieving environmental goals. Among the clauses and requirements of the new version of the standard, there are many requirements for improving environmental performance, such as:

4.4 stipulates: In order to achieve the expected results of the organization, including improving its environmental performance, the organization shall establish, implement, maintain and continuously improve the environmental management system in accordance with the requirements of this standard.

It is stipulated in 5.2 that the environmental policy shall include a commitment to continuously improve the environmental management system to improve environmental performance.

9.1.1 states: The organization shall monitor, measure, analyze and evaluate its environmental performance.

Requirement 9.3: The management review shall evaluate the environmental performance of the organization.

It is necessary to carefully understand this requirement of the new version of the standard, and in the implementation of the environmental management system, improve the environmental performance as the main task of the organization.

6. Added the requirement of "considering the life cycle"

The organization shall effectively manage the environmental aspects associated with its activities, products and services through the implementation of an environmental management system. Among them, the environmental factors related to the products should include the selection of raw materials, the use of products and the environmental factors of each process of product disposal. However, this requirement is not clearly specified in the requirements of the 2004 edition.

In the requirements of the new version of the standard, the requirement of "considering the life cycle" is clearly put forward. This is an important advance in the new version of the standard.

By definition, the life cycle refers to a series of successive stages in a product (or service) system, from the acquisition of raw materials in nature or from natural resources, to final disposal.

The requirements for considering the life cycle in the standard are as follows:

It is stipulated in 6.1.2 that the organization shall, within the scope of the defined environmental management system, determine the environmental factors that can be controlled and influenced by its activities, products and services and its related environmental impacts. A lifecycle perspective should be considered at this point.

8.1 states: From a life cycle perspective, the organization shall develop controls to ensure that during the design and development of products and services, each stage of the life cycle is considered and environmental requirements are addressed.

The "life cycle stages" referred to here include: raw material acquisition, design, production, transportation and delivery, use, end-of-life processing and final disposal.

When an organization identifies environmental factors, it should consider according to this new requirement, it should identify the environmental factors that can be controlled or exert influence in each stage of the life cycle, and implement the management of these environmental factors according to the ability of the organization. Make the implementation of the environmental management system more effective.

Seven, the introduction of the "risk control" program

According to the requirements of the guideline, the new version of the environmental management system standard introduces a "risk control" scheme. The "environmental risk" mentioned here comes from three aspects, namely: environmental factors, compliance obligations and other risks. In this regard, the standard puts forward the following requirements:

6.1.1 states: When planning the environmental management system, the organization shall determine the risks and opportunities that need to be addressed in relation to environmental aspects, compliance obligations, and other issues and requirements identified in 4.1 and 4.2.

Requirements in 6.1.4: The organization shall take measures to manage its: 1) significant environmental aspects; 2) compliance obligations; 3) the risks and opportunities identified in 6.1.1;

9.3 stipulates: "Risks and opportunities" should be reviewed in the management review.

During the establishment and implementation of the environmental management system, the organization shall fully identify and effectively control the above-mentioned environmental risks and opportunities according to the relevant requirements of the standard.

8. Expand "pollution prevention" to "environmental protection"

5.2 of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard requires that the environmental policy should include a commitment to protect the environment, including pollution prevention and other specific commitments related to the environment in which the organization operates.

The scope of "protection of the environment" in this requirement is broader than that of "pollution prevention" in the ISO 14001:2004 edition. It includes "pollution prevention" and "other specific commitments related to the organization's environment".

The "other specific commitments related to the environment in which the organization operates" include the sustainable use of resources, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and conservation of biodiversity and ecosystems.

This change in the ISO 14001:2015 edition brings this standard more in line with the requirement that "an environmental management system is suitable for organizations of any size, type and nature". In the environmental policy of ISO14001:2004 edition, only the requirement of "pollution prevention" is put forward, which is only applicable to production-type organizations that produce and discharge pollutants. For other types of organizations, this expression is insufficient.

The environmental factors identified by the organization according to the new version of the standard should include not only the environmental factors related to the generation and emission of various pollutants, but also the sustainable use of resources, mitigation and adaptation to climate change, protection of biodiversity and ecosystems. envirnmental factor.

This change in environmental management system requirements, in the administrative area and organizations whose business activities have an impact on biodiversity and ecosystems (such as agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry, fisheries, mining, construction, etc.) pay attention.

9. The requirements for "information exchange" have been refined;

In Standard 7.4 Information Exchange, sub-clauses 7.4.1 General, 7.4.2 Internal Information Exchange and 7.4.3 External Information Exchange are set up respectively, and the requirements for information exchange are specified in detail.

Compared with the 2004 version of the standard, the content of internal information exchange has been specially increased; the implementation of external information exchange has also been clearly stipulated. Standard requirements: The organization shall conduct external information exchange on environmental management system related information in accordance with the provisions of the information exchange process established by it and the requirements of its compliance obligations.

This requirement clearly states that the external information exchange should be carried out in accordance with the requirements of compliance obligations, and the requirement of "whether to exchange information with external parties at the discretion of the organization" stipulated in the 2004 edition has been revised.

10. Other changes

The terms that are no longer used in the new version of the environmental management system standard include: environmental indicators, documents, records, procedures, internal audits, auditors, and preventive measures; the reason for not using the term "environmental indicators" is that this term can be used "Environmental Objectives" cover.

In the title of the clause, "laws, regulations and other requirements" are replaced with "compliance obligations"; "documents" and "records" are replaced with "documented information"; in addition, for the convenience of small and medium-sized organizations In this standard, "procedure" is replaced by "process", etc.

In addition, in the requirements, the organization is no longer required to set up the position of "manager representative", the purpose is to make the organization's senior management personnel responsible for the corresponding environmental management work according to their responsibilities, and to avoid the establishment of new positions for the implementation of the environmental management system. , resulting in the phenomenon of "virtual positions".

These changes in the requirements of the ISO14001:2015 environmental management system standard reflect the needs of the current environmental protection situation and summarize years of experience in the implementation of environmental management systems. The release and implementation of the new version of the standard will further improve the environmental management level of various countries.

Organizations implementing environmental management system standards and personnel engaged in environmental management system certification and consulting must carefully understand and correctly grasp these developments and changes in the new version of the standard, so as to improve the level of environmental management system implementation and certification. Welcome to inquire: Miss Luo 13798904733