Overview
![](/assets/images/picto-drapeau-france-3a76576a5d60a512053b4612ab58dae5.png)
ABSTRACT
Documentary simplification marks a significant evolution of the 2015 version of the ISO 14001 standard. It was a response to urgent requests from users of the standard. The notions of "procedure" but also of "documentation of the management system" or "records" are abandoned in favor of "documented information". This evolution does not detract from the rigor with which these documents must be identified, controlled and kept up to date. This article helps organizations wishing to set up an Environmental Management System (EMS) in accordance with the requirements of ISO 14001 v.2015 to identify the nature of the information to be documented. It gives examples concerning the form that this information can take.
Read this article from a comprehensive knowledge base, updated and supplemented with articles reviewed by scientific committees.
Read the articleAUTHOR
-
Alain PRATS: Doctor of Natural Sciences - Engineer, risk management consultant, auditor certified by ICAE (Institut de certification des auditeurs en environnement), INERIS, Aix-en-Provence, France
INTRODUCTION
The standard ISO 14001 "Environmental management systems: requirements and guidelines for use" underwent a major revision, both in form and substance, in October 2015.
In terms of form, the 2015 version adopts the HLS (High Level Structure), which proposes a common organization, in 10 chapters, of the various requirements of management system standards. The adoption of this structure facilitates the integration of all these requirements within a single management system.
Five major trends emerge from this new version:
analyzing and understanding the context in which the organization operates, in particular by listening more closely to interested parties and improving communication;
strengthening leadership and demonstrating the coherence between management's strategic vision and the environmental approach;
the risk/opportunity approach to management ;
controlling or influencing environmental impacts throughout the value chain from a life-cycle perspective;
the widely encouraged "process" approach, which replaces, among other things, the formal obligation to have certain procedures in place.
The immediate consequence of these significant changes is a major overhaul of the type of documented information required to demonstrate compliance of the environmental management system (EMS) with the various requirements of the standard. ISO 14001 v. 2015.
The 2015 version of the standard ISO 14001 introduces the single term "documented information" to replace the EMS terms "documentation" and "records".
Documented information may relate to :
the description of the EMS, in particular the description of the processes in place ;
information created to operate the organization (documentation), e.g. operating procedures, plans, instructions, ranges, photographs, etc. ;
proof of results (recordings).
The main objective of this article is therefore to enable organizations to correctly understand the impact of this evolution on the description and operation of their management system. It focuses on the type of documented information required by the standard, proposing formats that meet these requirements without compromising the smooth running of the company, the...
Exclusive to subscribers. 97% yet to be discovered!
You do not have access to this resource.
Click here to request your free trial access!
Already subscribed? Log in!
![](/assets/images/logo-eti-286623ed91fa802ce039246e516e5852.png)
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference
KEYWORDS
process | Documented information | evidences | efficiency and performance of the EMS
This article is included in
Environment
This offer includes:
Knowledge Base
Updated and enriched with articles validated by our scientific committees
Services
A set of exclusive tools to complement the resources
Practical Path
Operational and didactic, to guarantee the acquisition of transversal skills
Doc & Quiz
Interactive articles with quizzes, for constructive reading
Documented information and ISO 14001 v. 2015 environmental management system
Bibliography
Also in our database
Websites
LEGIFRANCE: http://www.legifrance.gouv.fr
AFNOR Association française de normalisation : http://afnor.fr
INERIS Institut national de l'environnement industriel et des risques : http://www.ineris.fr
...Standards and norms
French and European standards
- Environmental management systems – Requirements and guidelines for its use (Classification number: X30-200) - NF EN ISO 14001 - 2015
- Quality management systems – Requirements (Classification number: X50-131) - NF EN ISO 9001 - 2015
- Quality management systems – Basic principles and vocabulary (Classification number: X50-130) - NF EN ISO 9000 - 2015
- Lignes directrices...
Regulations
Council Regulation (EEC) No 1836/93 of June 29, 1993 allowing voluntary participation by companies in the industrial sector in a Community eco-management and audit scheme (Official Journal L 168, 10/07/1993, p. 0001-0018).
Environment Code – Regulatory part – Book 5
Exclusive to subscribers. 97% yet to be discovered!
You do not have access to this resource.
Click here to request your free trial access!
Already subscribed? Log in!
![](/assets/images/logo-eti-286623ed91fa802ce039246e516e5852.png)
The Ultimate Scientific and Technical Reference