All you need to know about ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is an international benchmark, helping companies to manage their environmental impact effectively. It is one of the main ISO sustainability standards.

The aim of this standard is to encourage companies to define objectives and an action plan to reduce their environmental impact and thus limit their risks.

In this article, we will answer the following questions:

• What is ISO 14001? 
• What are the benefits for companies? 
• What are the 7 stages of the ISO 14001 certification procedure?
• How to achieve ISO 14001 certification

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What is ISO 14001?

ISO 14001 is an international standard that defines the criteria for an environmental management system (EMS). In other words, it helps companies and organizations reduce their impact on the environment, comply with legislation and continuously improve their environmental performance.

This standard is not a legal obligation; it is voluntary and must be certified by a third-party organization. Today, over 360,000 companies worldwide are ISO 14001 certified.

One of the key points in obtaining certification is the construction of an environmental or energy management system (EMS).

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What are the benefits of ISO 14001 certification for companies? 

Stakeholder expectations in terms of the environment are on the rise, and the regulatory framework continues to expand.
The ISO 14001 standard provides a clear structure for formalizing these approaches. 

Here are some of the benefits of ISO 14001: 

Supporting the company's environmental and CSR strategy

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

Obtaining this certification contributes more broadly to CSR strategy strategy by integrating sustainable management at the heart of the company's activities. 

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

Better manage environmental impacts and reduce risks

Thanks to ISO 14001, companies can better identify, control and reduce their impact on the environment, thus limiting the risks of pollution or non-compliance that could harm their business.

For example, an ISO 14001-certified chemical company will identify and reduce its emissions of polluting substances, thereby reducing the risk of legal sanctions and environmental incidents.

Reduce your costs

The ISO 14001 standard calls on companies to optimize the use of resources such as energy and raw materials, thus generating significant savings.

Reducing waste and improving energy efficiency means lower costs. 

The result: improved profitability while helping to protect the environment.

78% of ISO 14001-certified companies perceive a financial gain, according to a study by AFNOR, thanks to reduced use of raw materials, water and energy consumption, and recycling.

Gaining market share

More and more customers and partners are looking for companies committed to sustainable practices. The world-renowned ISO 14001 standard helps companies to stand out from the competition and attract new customers by demonstrating advanced management of environmental issues. It also strengthens the confidence of existing customers, encouraging loyalty and expansion into new markets.

Improve your brand image by communicating reliable data

Certification provides a structured framework for collecting and communicating accurate environmental data. This reinforces the company's transparency and credibility with customers, investors and the general public. Effective communication of environmental results improves brand image and enhances the value of the company's actions.

Regulatory compliance

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

The EMS developed under ISO 14001 encourages regular audits and updates, keeping up to date with changes in environmental legislation and helping organizations maintain compliance over time.

Raise employee awareness 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 enhances the corporate culture and motivates employees.

It's crucial to understand that strong governance is essential for an effective Environmental Management System, and ISO 14001 helps to put that governance in place.

Aiming for improvement

ISO 14001 certification encourages the company to constantly seek ways of improving its environmental performance. This involves clear objectives, regular audits and a continuous review of processes. This continuous improvement approach enables the company to remain competitive while reducing its ecological footprint.

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ISO 14001 certification helps a company to better manage its environmental impact, reduce costs and comply with legislation. It enhances the company's image by demonstrating its commitment, while involving all employees in a continuous improvement process.

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The 6 stages of the ISO 14001 certification procedure

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

The certification procedure is divided into 7 key stages.

Designate the project leader

Identify a person or team who will be responsible for setting up the environmental management system (EMS). This person will coordinate activities, oversee implementation and act as the main point of contact for all matters relating to the certification project.
Also remember to clearly assign responsibility for environmental management at different levels of the organization to ensure that everyone knows what they are expected to do.

Explain the importance of ISO 14001 certification internally

Explain to the whole company why you are aiming for ISO 14001 certification, highlighting the environmental, economic and strategic benefits. This step is crucial to getting employees on board and actively involved in the process.

Take stock of current practices

This stage is also known as gap analysis.
After understanding the requirements, a gap analysis is carried out to identify discrepancies between current practices and the expectations of ISO 14001. This step highlights gaps and areas requiring improvement. A specific action plan is then created to close these gaps.

Setting objectives and communicating them internally

Define measurable environmental objectives, in line with ISO 14001 requirements and your company's specific challenges. Make sure that these objectives are clearly understood and accepted by all employees, to encourage collective commitment.

Write clear documentation

Create and maintain comprehensive documentation to support your management system.

This documentation must include :

• Risk management strategy, ensuring that the organization proactively anticipates and addresses potential threats to quality or environmental performance.
• The scope of the environmental management system.
• Policies, procedures and processes, with detailed descriptions to ensure consistency, traceability and efficiency.
• Records of compliance measures and corrective action plans, e.g. regular audits with their results and corrective actions taken, as well as training records.

Monitoring results and internal audit

Set up a monitoring system with environmental performance indicators, conduct internal audits and regular reviews to assess progress. Identify deviations from targets and make adjustments to ensure continuous improvement.
Indeed, for ISO 14001 certification, it is very common to carry out an internal audit prior to the formal audit. The internal audit is essential to verify the conformity of the Environmental Management System.
In particular, it involves assessing whether processes meet documented requirements, and identifying any potential non-conformities.

Start certification

Once the system is up and running, hire a certification body to carry out an external audit. Conducted by a third-party auditor, this audit assesses whether the organization meets ISO 14001 criteria.

ISO 14001 certification must be audited by an accredited body:

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

ISO 14001 certification lasts for 3 years, provided you carry out a surveillance audit every year. If the audit confirms that you meet the requirements of ISO 14001, you will obtain certification, which must be renewed regularly.

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How to achieve ISO 14001 certification

ISO 14001 certification requires an investment in resources and time. The ideal way to keep the environmental management system in hand is to carry it out in-house, but for lack of time, companies can call on external consultants. There is a hybrid method for obtaining all the necessary expertise and gaining in efficiency and time: using a third-party tool.

In this section, we explain the different methods for preparing an ISO 14001 assessment.

ISO 14001 certification in-house

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

Here are the typical steps with estimated times:

• Initial assessment: 1 to 2 months to take stock and identify gaps.
• 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 timeframe may be shorter if the company has already implemented certain environmental practices, or longer if it is starting from scratch.

Call on a consultant for ISO 14001 certification

Calling on a consultant for ISO 14001 certification means you can benefit from their expertise in structuring, implementing and monitoring the process.

The consultant assesses your situation, helps you to plan the necessary actions, and trains your teams to ensure proper adherence. He or she will usually help you prepare for the final audit, and can continue to support you after 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 substantial.

Using a tool to achieve ISO 14001 certification

ISO 14001 certification with a tool lets you keep control of the project while benefiting from integrated expertise.

This tool saves you time by automating certain tasks, and guides you step-by-step through the certification process. 

Using a certification tool not only saves time, but also ensures that your environmental management system is properly monitored over the long term. 

The tool enables you to centralize all your information in one place for greater efficiency. Once your environmental management system is on a platform like Beavr, it 's very easy to integrate it into a global strategy and make it part of a complete sustainability management system.

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

Using an in-house tool ensures that your strategy is not dependent on an external party.

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Conclusion

In a nutshell, ISO 14001 is an internationally recognized framework for all companies wishing to better manage their environmental impacts and reduce their risks.
ISO 14001 certification has a number of advantages, including helping companies to reduce their resource management costs, as well as ensuring regulatory compliance.
To obtain ISO 14001 certification, here are the 7 key steps listed by our experts:

• Designate the project leader,
• Explain the importance of certification internally,
• Take stock,
• Setting goals,
• Write documentation,
• Track your results,
• Initiate certification.

These steps will help you to structure your certification project, but if it's your first time, we strongly advise you to carry it out with the help of a consultant or a tool.
Using a consultant will enable you tooutsource this project, while a tool will help you to build up your skills and use your in-house resources to keep control of your environmental management system.