EFFECTIVE IMPLEMENTATION OF ISO 14001

Revision of ISO 14001, Environmental management systems – Specification with guidance for use has generated questions among those responsible for implementing new environmental management systems and those in charge of maintaining mature ones. Some view ISO 14001:2004 as a clarification of previously ambiguous language; others believe it has imposed additional requirements.

Effective Implementation of ISO 14001 provides a clear explanation of each requirement imposed by ISO 14001:2004 and describes how it compares to the comparable requirement in the original standard. It also presents the documentation developed by organizations from three discrete sectors – heavy industry; service; and government.

For readers who are designing and implementing an environmental management system for the first time, Effective Implementation of ISO 14001 goes beyond general description to identify the ways in which ISO 14001:2004 can be implemented within the constraints of business strategies, environmental imperatives, and regulatory requirements. For readers faced with maintaining a mature environmental management system, it assists the process of comparing existing approaches and activities with the revised requirements, identifying weak or missing elements, and modifying the environmental management system to conform to ISO 14001:2004.

Marilyn R. Block is currently President of MRB Associates, where she provides consulting and training, including ISO 14001 Lead Auditor training. She has a PhD from the University of Maryland, College Park, and is a member of the US Technical Advisory Board to ISO/TC 207 and ASQ. As one of the U.S. experts for ISO/TC207 (Subcommittee 1) on environmental management principles, systems, and supporting techniques, she contributed to the development of ISO 14001 and ISO 14004. More recently, she participated in the process of revising those standards.