CAN/CSA-ISO 14001:16 (R2021) ✓ Most Recent

Preface:

This is the third edition of CAN/CSA-ISO 14001, Environmental management systems — Requirements with guidance for use, which is an adoption without modification of the identically titled ISO (International Organization for Standardization) Standard 14001 (third edition, 2015-09-15). It supersedes the previous edition, published in 2004 as CAN/CSA-ISO 14001 (adopted ISO 14001:2004).

For brevity, this Standard will be referred to as "CAN/CSA-ISO 14001" throughout.

The key changes relate to
a) increased prominence of environmental management within the organization's strategic planning processes
b) a greater focus on leadership
c) the addition of proactive initiatives to protect the environment from harm and degradation, such as sustainable resource use and climate change mitigation
d) improving environmental performance
e) lifecycle thinking when considering environmental aspects
f) the addition of a communications strategy.

In addition, the revised Standard follows a common structure, with the same terms and definitions as a number of other management system standards, such as CAN/CSA-ISO 9001.

Scope:

This International Standard specifies the requirements for an environmental management system that an organization can use to enhance its environmental performance. This International Standard is intended for use by an organization seeking to manage its environmental responsibilities in a systematic manner that contributes to the environmental pillar of sustainability.

This International Standard helps an organization achieve the intended outcomes of its environmental management system, which provide value for the environment, the organization itself and interested parties. Consistent with the organization's environmental policy, the intended outcomes of an environmental management system include:

• enhancement of environmental performance
• fulfilment of compliance obligations
• achievement of environmental objectives

This International Standard is applicable to any organization, regardless of size, type and nature, and applies to the environmental aspects of its activities, products and services that the organization determines it can either control or influence considering a life cycle perspective. This International Standard does not state specific environmental performance criteria.

This International Standard can be used in whole or in part to systematically improve environmental management. Claims of conformity to this International Standard, however, are not acceptable unless all its requirements are incorporated into an organization's environmental management system and fulfilled without exclusion. See more