ISO 14001 EMS Structure Template

Edit this template to remove or change the text in this section. 

This template is designed to help you easily build standard operating procedures which adhere to the ISO 14001:2015 requirements for an environmental management system.

The structure of this template is based on the ten clauses of the Annex SL management system standard, as well as the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle for continuous improvement, outlined in the recent 2015 updates to ISO management system standards.

Throughout each section, you will find guidelines with which to design, implement, and continuously improve your SOPs.

By using this template, you will build out an EMS “mini-manual” containing all of the standard operating procedures used by your organization, to the requirements of ISO 14001:2015.

Add this template to your organization in Process Street and you can export it to word and save as PDF once you have completed it.

You can select “Edit template” to change the text within each section.

Using Process Street’s rich form fields, you are able to add new text, images, and sub-checklists into this template by using the widgets on the right-hand side of the editing screen.

The ISO 14001:2015 requirements can vary between industries. If you need to view the specific standards and differences between industries, check this page of the ISO website.

More detailed information on how to work with ISO 14001:2015 can be found here.

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Welcome

[Include welcome text about the company here]

[Clearly outline an introductory statement to the EMS, including why the EMS is important, an overview of the goals for implementing the EMS, how the EMS should be used, and other details to form a brief and comprehensive executive summary]

[Give your EMS Manual a Title]

Revision:

Date:

Doc Number:

Conforms to ISO 14001:2015

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Revision and Approval

• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]
• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]
• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]
• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]

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The intended outcomes of an environmental management system include:

• Enhancement of environmental performance;
• Fulfilment of compliance obligations;
• Achievement of environmental objectives.

Scope of the Environmental Management System

[Include your scope statement here. This must include a description of products/services. This will appear on any resulting ISO 14001 certificate. Consult with your certification body]

Environmental Policy

[Include your environmental policy here]

Locations

[List all physical locations with their full address where the business operates]

Exclusions

[List any locations which have exclusions from the EMS and identify which specific procedures are excluded]

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[Include normative references]

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[Insert your relevant terms and definitions here]

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Understanding the Organization and its Context

[Include your context of the organization text. This should cover internal and external issues which could impact strategic direction]

Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties

[List your interested parties here. This requires stakeholders who receive products/services, are impacted by products/services, or may otherwise have a significant interest in the company]

[The standard now requires the organization to assess who the interest parties are in terms of its EMS, what their needs and expectations may be, and consequently, if any of these should become compliance obligations]

Scope of the EMS in the Context of the Organization

[Examing scope and boundaries of EMS in consideration of aforementioned interested parties and their needs, as well as any related compliance or regulatory obligations]

[Also consider EMS functions and physical boundaries of the organization, as well as the organization’s ability to control external factors]

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Leadership and Commitment

[Indicate how environmental policy and objectives are aligned with each other, and with strategic policies and other business systems (where applicable)]

[Indicate the extent to which leadership has been provided with support, training, & guidance to complete their EMS-related tasks]

[Define communication methods and frequencies for internal and external interested parties]

Organizational Roles, Responsibilities and Authorities

[Clearly outline EMS and organizational leadership, including positions of notable leadership and how they interface with EMS]

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Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities

[Describe actions taken to address risks and opportunities]

Tip: You may wish to include the results of a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) in this section.

[List various external and internal risks present]

[Outline strategies for how EMS will avoid or resolve unexpected external factors that may negatively impact intended outcomes and objectives]

[Include any / all documented information concerning the risks and opportunities considered and addressed in the planning phase]

Environmental Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them

[After considering and identifying environmental aspects, risks, opportunities, and compliance obligations, clearly define environmental objectives]

[Ensure that environmental objectives are consistent with environmental policy; ideally these objectives should be measurable, and able to be monitored and communicated effectively.

[Include any / all documented information concerning the environmental objectives considered and addressed in the planning phase]

[Make a clear list of actionable steps for what needs to be done, when it needs to be done, what resources are required, who is responsible, and how the results are to be measured]

[Consider how objectives could be implemented into existing business systems]

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Resources

[Clearly outline resources utilized to achieve stated environmental objectives]

Competence

[Clearly outline all experience, training, and/or education undergone by each individual assigned with responsibility for any given EMS task]

[Declare actions and procedures taken, both internally and externally, to ensure that experience, training, and/or education was completed to the required standard, providing reference material and/or documentation where possible]

Awareness

[Clearly outline and provide evidence of how you have made employees aware of the environmental policy and its contents, as well as how any current and future EMS implications may impact their roles, including how various positive (improved performance) and negative (poor performance) outcomes might affect the EMS]

Communication

[Record processes for internal and external communication, including: what needs to be communicated; how it should be done, who needs to receive the communication; and how frequently it should happen]

Documented Information

[Record all mandatory documented information, as well as all documentation that is viewed as critical to the EMS and its operation]

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Emergency Preparedness and Control

[List emergency procedures for resolving situations that have been determined to have a resulting environmental impact]

Process Management Methodology

[Explain your process methodology]

Top Level Processes

1. Process 1
2. Process 2
3. Process 3

Complete Company Procedures

This is an example procedure. Edit this template to change the text in this section. 

Summary

• This procedure defines the requirements for…
• The ____ is responsible for the implementation and management of this procedure

Revision and Approval

• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]

Procedure

1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
   1. Subtask 1
   2. Subtask 2
   3. Subtask 3
4. Step 4

This is an example procedure. Edit this template to change the text in this section. 

Summary

• This procedure defines the requirements for…
• The ____ is responsible for the implementation and management of this procedure

Revision and Approval

• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]

Procedure

1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
   1. Subtask 1
   2. Subtask 2
   3. Subtask 3
4. Step 4

This is an example procedure. Edit this template to change the text in this section. 

Summary

• This procedure defines the requirements for…
• The ____ is responsible for the implementation and management of this procedure

Revision and Approval

• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]

Procedure

1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
   1. Subtask 1
   2. Subtask 2
   3. Subtask 3
4. Step 4

This is an example procedure. Edit this template to change the text in this section. 

Summary

• This procedure defines the requirements for…
• The ____ is responsible for the implementation and management of this procedure

Revision and Approval

• [revision number] – [date] – [nature of changes] – [approved by]

Procedure

1. Step 1
2. Step 2
3. Step 3
   1. Subtask 1
   2. Subtask 2
   3. Subtask 3
4. Step 4

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Monitoring, Measuring, Analysis and Evaluation

[Record significant aspects, compliance obligations, and operational controls of environmental progress]

[Clearly outline how environmental progress and performance is being monitored, measured, and/or analyzed, including monitoring and measuring procedures and frequency periods]

[Record to whom the results of performance evaluation are being reported]

[List outstanding unfulfilled compliance requirements, if any]

Evaluation requirements will vary from organization to organization based on factors such as size, compliance obligations, sector worked in, past history and performance, and so on, but regular evaluation is typically always required.

Internal Audit

[Record results of previous audits here, if applicable, including any documents and reports relevant to the audit]

[Record your internal audit frequency]

Management Review

[Record complaints from interested parties, and detail resultant improvement opportunities]

[Record all details and data from the management review]

The management review can be carried out as a series of high-level or board meetings with topics tackled individually; it doesn’t have to be done all at once.

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Continuous improvement

[Utilizing all outputs from management reviews, internal audits, compliance and performance evaluations, record any/all improvement actions and strategies]

For ideas on how to establish and implement improvement actions, check out this article on continuous improvement.

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