Principle of certification according to ISO 14001:2015

The basic aim of the standard is to support environmental protection, reduce environmental impacts of the organization and prevent pollution. The standard does not set out any absolute requirements for the environmental performance of an organization, but emphasizes compliance with legislative requirements for individual environmental compartments.The internationally recognized standard ISO 14001:2015 includes the crucial elements of the efficient environmental management system, which can be used both for services and for production sectors. The standard describes requirements for the management system of businesses, which enables them to reduce environmental impacts related to operation of organizations. The standard requires the company to define its environmental objectives and target levels and to build the management system necessary for achieving them.

The certificate guarantees and demonstrates that the environmental management system has been established, documented, successfully implemented and maintained in accordance with the requirements of ISO 14001:2015 standard. As the certificate is issued by an accredited third party – certification body ” the organization continually improves its environmental performance by working upon the weaknesses revealed during each audit.

Crucial elements of the standard

  • Environmental policy

  • Planning

  • Establishment and operation

  • Surveillance and corrective actions

  • Organization’s management review

Benefits of Certification

  • Assurance and improvement of care for environment

  • Awareness of one”s own responsibility

  • Identification and description of risks and their reduction

  • Improving the company’s profile/image

  • Motivation of employees

  • Timely identification of environmental problems

  • More guarantees for meeting legal and other requirements

  • Competitive advantages

  • Management tool for suitable exploitation of resources

Certification Process

The certification process consists of 3 basic phases:

  1. Elaboration of documentation
  2. Implementation of System Documentation
  3. Certification by an accredited certification body

The times of elaboration of documentation and putting the system into practice depends upon the client organization.

The certification audit takes places in two stages.

1st stage audit

  • Registration of application for certification
  • Agreement for conducting a 1st stage audit
  • Appointing a team of auditors
  • Assessment of System documentation
  • Preparing an audit plan
  • On-site audit in connection with examination of documentation
  • Elaboration of the 1st stage audit report documenting nonconformities and audit findings

2nd stage audit

  • Agreement for conducting a 2nd stage audit
  • Appointing a team of auditors
  • Assessment of System documentation
  • Preparing an audit plan
  • On-site audit from the point of view of the environmental aspect
  • Elaboration of the 2nd stage audit report
  • Assessment of the audit reports by the expert reviwers
  • Issuing the certificate

During the three year validity period of the certificate, a surveillance audit takes place once a year, whose aim is to make sure that the environmental management system is maintained and further developed.

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