ISO 14001: the international standard for establishing environmental care systems

The ISO 14001:2004 is an international standard which poses requirements for the environmental care system of an organisation and the attitude of the organisation towards environmental care.

An environmental care system is the systematic implementation, by the business, of the whole system of facilities (policy related, organisational and administrative) aimed towards gaining insight into, controlling and reducing environmental impact of its operations.

The elements of an environmental care system are as follows:

1. (Environmental) policy declaration – herein the management declares its emphatic support for the (environmental) management system.
   
   
2. Environmental aspects matrix and environmental year plan – the first of these demonstrates the connection between business activities and environmental impact. The latter shows activities, priorities and time planning for the purpose of environmental care.
   
   
3. Integration – integration of business is necessary to anchor environmental care within the organisation.
   
   
4. Internal checking – internal checking is necessary to verify the correct implementation of the agreements.
   
   
5. Measurements and registrations – these are essential for gaining insight into environmental impact.
   
   
6. Internal guidance and training – these are important for increasing involvement and motivation.
   
   
7. Internal and external reports –these are done in order to inform management, governmental bodies and stakeholders about the progress on the field of environmental care.
   
   
8. Audit of the entire environmental care system – this is to safeguard the actuality and practicability of the environment (and its care system).

The organisation can obtain a certificate via an external audit, which states that it meets the requirements posed by the standard. This is a sign to the organisation as well as its stakeholders that the organisation works on environmental care in an already established and structured way.

OVET obtained this certificate on September 22nd, 2005. After the recertification, it is now valid until April 27^th, 2027

Download ISO 14001:2015  certificate valid 2027