ISO 14001 – Environmental Program Management

The ISO 14000 series of standards has received widespread attention, and, like ISO 9000, it is becoming a requirementfor domestic and global organizations.

This document is intended to provide a baseline understanding of the ISO 14000 standards and to discuss the current status of this important standard.

The International Organization for Geneva, Switzerland, is composed of 92 European Union (EU) to establish universal quality standards. Over time, ISO Standardization (IOS), headquartered in member countries. Adherance to standards developed by the IOS is voluntary. However, countries and industries may adopt the IOS standards. Until approximately 15 years ago, IOS focused on traditional standards-setting activities. In 1987, IOS published the ISO 9000 series standards that were used with the 9000 became recognized as a positive indicator of quality and a prerequisite to establishing/maintaining business relationships within and outside the European Union.

In the United States, both the American National Standards Institute and the American Society of Quality Control are privately funded organizations that have adopted ISO 9000, Quality Management, and the ISO 14000 standards.

ISO 14000 is the generic title given to 14040, ISO 14041, and ISO14050 have the 14000 series of standards. ISO 14001, ISO 14004, ISO 14010, ISO 14011, ISO 14012, ISO 14020, ISO been published as international standards. The ISO 14000 series of standards consists of the following 18 subjects that can be grouped under two major headings:
14001 Specification with Guidance for Use
14004 General Guidelines on Principles,
14010 General Principles of Environmental Auditing
14011 Audit Procedures
14012 Environmental Auditing ? Qualification Criteria
14015 Environmental Site Assessments
14031 Evaluation of Environmental Performance ? Guidelines
14032 Evaluation of Environmental Performance ? Case Studies
14020 Goals and Principles of All Environmental Labeling
14021 Environmental Labels and Declarations ? Terms and Definitions
14024 Environmental Labels and
14025 Type III Labeling
14040 Life Cycle Assessment ? Principles and Framework
14041 Life Cycle Assessment ? Inventory Analysis
14042 Life Cycle Assessment ? ImpactAssessment
14043 Life Cycle Assessment ? Interpretation
14048 Life Cycle Indicator Format
14050 Guide on the Principles of Terminology Work

At the current time, the ISO 14000 as International Standards are referred to Standards that have not been published as Draft International Standards (DIS). Most DIS are in the final review period before publication. If a particular standard is of interest and is not final, a copy of the DIS may be available for review.