Stages of action

If an EMS is being implemented with a view to certification to ISO 14001, it is vital that companies obtain a copy of the standard (as well as ISO 14004) and evaluate each part of the system to ensure that it complies with the requirements of the standard. In order to help with this process, various observations are made in the remainder of the chapter.

ISO 14001 identifies five main phases in EMS implementation. These follow the pattern of plan, act and check:

Commitment and policy: it is necessary to obtain management commitment, choose an EMS champion and build a project team. The team will usually take responsibility for the conduct of a preliminary environmental review designed to establish the baseline performance. The latter must be recorded if improvement is to be demonstrated. In addition, an environmental policy statement should be formulated.
Planning: the review will enable the company to identify its relevant environmental aspects, defined as elements of activities, products or services that can interact with the environment and they may result in environmental impacts. For example, one activity of furniture manufacture is wood coating, which has a number of potential aspects including the release of volatile organic compounds, odour and particulate matter. Each aspect can lead to a number of impacts, e.g. a contribution to photochemical smog and global warming in the case of VOCs.

The review identifies the aspects and it is then necessary to prioritise them using a significance evaluation technique. The most significant will then be subject to the improvement programmes, targets and objectives to contribute to the company's continual improvement.
Implementation: this stage involves actually making an impact upon performance. It will typically involve training of relevant personnel to give them the skills needed to implement initiatives. Communication will be required to gain support for improvement programmes and documentation will be needed to provide appropriate procedures and work instructions.
Measurement and evaluation: if progress is to be demonstrated it must be measured and evaluated against the targets and objectives. Audits will be used to ensure that the system is working properly and corrective / preventive actions will need to be taken where things have gone away
Review and improvement: the EMS will need to be reviewed occasionally to ensure its continuing suitability and relevance to the organisation.