Requirements of an organisation’s sustainability management system (SMS)

Sample Solution

  Introduction The Implementation and Operation clause of the ISO 14001 standard outlines the requirements for an organization's environmental management system (EMS). The seven requirements are:

1. Operational planning and control2. Emergency preparedness and response3. Communication4. Training, awareness, and competence5. Documentation6. Control of nonconformities and corrective actions7. Internal audit

This document will provide an overview of each of these requirements.

1. Operational planning and control

An organization must identify and control the environmental aspects of its operations and activities that have or could have a significant impact on the environment. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Identifying environmental aspects and impacts
• Establishing environmental objectives and targets
• Developing operational controls to achieve environmental objectives and targets
• Implementing operational controls
• Monitoring and measuring the effectiveness of operational controls

2. Emergency preparedness and response

An organization must identify potential environmental emergencies and develop procedures for preventing and responding to them. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Identifying potential environmental emergencies
• Developing emergency preparedness and response procedures
• Training employees on emergency preparedness and response procedures
• Testing emergency preparedness and response procedures
• Reviewing and updating emergency preparedness and response procedures as needed

3. Communication

An organization must communicate its environmental policy and its environmental performance to interested parties. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Identifying interested parties
• Determining the communication needs of interested parties
• Developing a communication plan
• Implementing the communication plan
• Reviewing and updating the communication plan as needed

4. Training, awareness, and competence

An organization must provide training and awareness to all employees who have the potential to cause environmental impacts. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Identifying employees who have the potential to cause environmental impacts
• Developing training and awareness programs
• Implementing training and awareness programs
• Reviewing and updating training and awareness programs as needed

5. Documentation

An organization must document its EMS. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Environmental policy
• Environmental objectives and targets
• Operational controls
• Emergency preparedness and response procedures
• Training and awareness programs
• Monitoring and measurement procedures
• Records of nonconformities and corrective actions
• Internal audit reports

6. Control of nonconformities and corrective actions

An organization must identify, investigate, and correct nonconformities. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Identifying nonconformities
• Investigating nonconformities
• Determining the root cause of nonconformities
• Taking corrective actions to eliminate the root cause of nonconformities
• Preventing the recurrence of nonconformities

7. Internal audit

An organization must conduct internal audits of its EMS. This includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Planning internal audits
• Conducting internal audits
• Reporting the results of internal audits
• Taking corrective actions based on the results of internal audits

Conclusion The seven requirements of the Implementation and Operation clause of the ISO 14001 standard provide a framework for organizations to manage their environmental impacts. By implementing these requirements, organizations can improve their environmental performance, reduce their environmental risks, and demonstrate their commitment to environmental sustainability.