ISO 14001 Foundation Certification EMS Planning and Objectives 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When setting environmental objectives under ISO 14001:2015, which criteria must they meet?
- They must be set solely by external auditors
- They must be consistent with the environmental policy, measurable, and monitored (Correct answer)
- They must always include a 100% waste reduction target
- They must be approved by the ISO Technical Committee
Correct answer: They must be consistent with the environmental policy, measurable, and monitored
Environmental objectives must be consistent with the environmental policy, measurable where practicable, monitored, communicated, and updated as appropriate.
ISO 14001:2015 Clause 6.2 specifies that environmental objectives must: be consistent with the environmental policy; be measurable where practicable; take into account significant environmental aspects and compliance obligations; be monitored; be communicated; and be updated as appropriate. Plans for achieving these objectives must also specify actions, resources, responsibilities, timelines, and how results will be evaluated.
Question 2: What must be included in plans for achieving environmental objectives under ISO 14001:2015?
- Only the responsible department and target date
- What will be done, required resources, responsible persons, completion timeline, and how results will be evaluated (Correct answer)
- A full financial cost-benefit analysis for each objective
- Approval signatures from all interested parties
Correct answer: What will be done, required resources, responsible persons, completion timeline, and how results will be evaluated
Plans for achieving objectives must include what will be done, required resources, who is responsible, the timeline, and how results will be evaluated and integrated into operations.
Clause 6.2.2 requires that plans for achieving environmental objectives specify: what will be done; what resources will be required; who will be responsible; when it will be completed; and how the results will be evaluated, including indicators for monitoring progress toward measurable objectives.
Question 3: In ISO 14001:2015 planning, what is the purpose of identifying compliance obligations?
- To establish the salary structure for environmental staff
- To ensure the organization knows what legal and other requirements it must adhere to (Correct answer)
- To generate a list of environmental awards the organization can pursue
- To determine which environmental aspects need to be outsourced
Correct answer: To ensure the organization knows what legal and other requirements it must adhere to
Identifying compliance obligations ensures the organization knows all legal requirements and voluntary commitments it must adhere to, integrating them into EMS planning.
ISO 14001:2015 requires organizations to determine and have access to their compliance obligations — the legal requirements they must comply with and voluntary commitments they have chosen to adhere to. These obligations must be considered when establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving the EMS, and must be taken into account when determining significant environmental aspects.
Question 4: Which of the following is a key input when planning an EMS under ISO 14001:2015?
- The organization's stock market performance
- Results from evaluating significant environmental aspects and compliance obligations (Correct answer)
- Customer satisfaction survey results
- The number of employees with environmental qualifications
Correct answer: Results from evaluating significant environmental aspects and compliance obligations
Planning an EMS requires using the results of identifying significant environmental aspects and compliance obligations as key inputs to determine what actions and controls are needed.
Clause 6.1 requires organizations to consider environmental aspects, compliance obligations, and risks and opportunities when planning the EMS. The outputs of these analyses inform the determination of what actions are needed, what objectives should be set, and what operational controls must be implemented to ensure the EMS achieves its intended outcomes.
Question 5: How should environmental objectives relate to the organization's significant environmental aspects?
- Objectives can be set independently of environmental aspects
- At least some objectives should address significant environmental aspects where the organization can exert influence (Correct answer)
- Objectives must address every identified environmental aspect without exception
- Objectives must focus only on aspects that exceed legal limits
Correct answer: At least some objectives should address significant environmental aspects where the organization can exert influence
While not every aspect requires a specific objective, the standard expects that significant environmental aspects inform and influence the setting of environmental objectives.
ISO 14001:2015 Clause 6.2.1 states that objectives shall take into account significant environmental aspects and compliance obligations. While the organization has flexibility in which aspects to address through objectives, the intent is that the most significant environmental impacts drive the priority objectives to ensure the EMS delivers real environmental improvements.
Question 6: What does ISO 14001:2015 require regarding the communication of environmental objectives?
- Objectives must only be shared with the certification auditor
- Objectives must be communicated within the organization and to relevant interested parties (Correct answer)
- Only top management needs to be aware of the objectives
- Objectives must be published in the national environmental register
Correct answer: Objectives must be communicated within the organization and to relevant interested parties
ISO 14001:2015 requires that environmental objectives be communicated within the organization and, where appropriate, to relevant interested parties.
Clause 6.2.1 specifies that environmental objectives shall be communicated within the organization. Additionally, Clause 7.4 on communication requires organizations to determine what environmental information needs to be communicated internally and externally. Communicating objectives supports employee engagement and demonstrates transparency to stakeholders.
ISO 14001 Foundation Certification EMS Planning and Objectives 2
When setting environmental objectives under ISO 14001:2015, which criteria must they meet?