ISO 14001 requires organizations to identify aspects associated with activities, products and services that it can control or influence and determine those aspects that can have a significant impact on the environment.


Aspect

‘Element of an organization's activities or products or services that can interact with the environment'


Impact

‘Any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partly resulting from an organization's environmental aspects'


There are three distinct requirements contained within ISO 14001.

First, the organization shall identify the environmental aspects of its activities, products and/or services. In other words the organization must understand how it interacts with the environment.

Second, the organization shall identify the specific environmental aspects that can be controlled, and over which it can be expected to have influence.

Third, arrive at a list of significant environmental aspects based upon the individual environmental impact of each environmental aspect. The importance of this third step cannot be underestimated. The final list of significant environmental aspects will provide the basis for the Environmental Policy statement, and the Environmental Objective(s) and Targets. In other words the list of significant environmental aspects drives the entire content and scope of the operational portion of the environmental management system.

Content Requirements of Environmental Aspects

• Understand how it interacts with the environment
• Control versus influence
• Arrive at a list of significant environmental aspects based upon impacts
• Develop a procedure to support the three step decision making process

Major Steps for Identification of Significant Environmental Aspects

Step 1:- Identity range of activities and their interactions with the environment
Step 2:-Recognize the list of activities by environmental aspect
Step 3:-Define how each environmental aspect impacts the environment
Step 4:-Determine significant environmental aspects
Step 5:-Extract significant environment aspects and their associated impacts for EMS Focus
Step 6:-Identify Objectives and Targets
Step 7:-Establish Management Programs
Step 8:-Implementation and Operation
Step 9:-Checking and Corrective Action
Step 10:-Management Review

Step 1:- Identity range of activities and their interactions with the environment
Step 2:-Recognize the list of activities by environmental aspect
Step 3:-Define how each environmental aspect impacts the environment
Step 4:-Determine significant environmental aspects
Step 5:-Extract significant environment aspects and their associated impacts for EMS Focus
Step 6:-Identify Objectives and Targets
Step 7:-Establish Management Programs
Step 8:-Implementation and Operation
Step 9:-Checking and Corrective Action
Step 10:-Management Review

About the Author:
Lakshy Management Consultant Pvt. Ltd. specializes in the entire range of ISO management system certification standards. Our consultants provide world class consulting services and training for achieving ISO 9001 Quality Management, ISO 14001 Environment Management, HACCP ISO 22000 Food Safety Management, OHSAS 18001, SA 8000 Social Accountability, ISO 27001 ISMS etc.