The key elements of an ISO 14001 EMS are:
Environmental Policy
- the environmental policy and the requirements to pursue this policy via objectives, targets, and environmental programs
Planning
- the analysis of the environmental aspects of the organization (including its processes, products and services as well as the goods and services used by the organization);
Implementation and operation
- implementation and organization of processes to control and improve operational activities that are critical from an environmental perspective (including both products and services of an organization)
Checking and corrective action
- checking and corrective action including the monitoring, measurement, and recording of the characteristics and activities that can have a significant impact on the environment
Management Review
- review of the EMS by the organization's top management to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness
Continual improvement
- the concept of continual improvement is a key component of the environmental management system; it completes the cyclical process of plan, implement, check, review and continually improve.
