ISO 14001

CHECKLIST

Use our checklist and find out if you are sufficiently prepared for certification.
Tick the statements that apply to you or your company to gather a clear overview of the ISO 14001 requirements that you
already meet and those that may need further attention.

This checklist is based on the structure of ISO 14001:2015 and focuses on sections four to ten, which contain the requirements
for achieving certification to ISO 14001.

Section 4 - Context of the Organisation

You have determined the internal factors that influence performance, strategic direction and the purpose of your
company, e.g. the competence and commitment of your workforce, their willingness to co-operate and follow your
policies, and your organisation’s communication methodologies)

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You have determined the external factors that influence performance, strategic direction and the purpose of your
company, e.g. relevant legislations and laws, your organisation’s economic and political conditions etc.

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 You know what opportunities and risks arise for your company as a result of internal and external factors.

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You know the expectations of the internal (e.g. employees, works council) and external (e.g. customers, residents,
competitors) interested parties who influence your EMS system.

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You have defined the scope of your environmental management system (EMS), taking into account all aspects that
influence its performance.

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You have clearly defined your organisation’s environmental policies and procedures and know how they influence
each other.

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You have clearly defined how your organisation’s environmental policies and procedures are managed, and you monitor
them regularly.

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If you have outsourced your environmental procedures or processes, you can name them and explain the reason for this.

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Section 5 - Leadership

The top management of your company is demonstrably in charge of your EMS and ensures its effectiveness and
maintenance (e.g. through regular checks).

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The top management of your company ensures that you consistently understand and meet the needs of your internal and
external stakeholders.

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The top management of your company ensures that you consistently understand and comply with legal and regulatory
requirements regarding the environmental policies and procedures you have in place.

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Roles, responsibilities and authorities within your organisation are clearly defined, documented and communicated.

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Section 6 - Planning

You have identified and analysed opportunities and risks for your company, and you have defined measures for
dealing with them.

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 If you have not defined any measures for opportunities and risks, you can explain this clearly and conclusively.

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You have defined and documented measurable goals for all functions, levels and processes required for the EMS.

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Your goals are consistent with your environmental policy.

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You have defined measures to achieve your environmental goals.

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Any changes to the EMS are implemented on the basis of systematic planning.

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Section 7 - Support

You have identified the necessary resources to set up, maintain and continuously improve your EMS and are able to

provide them.

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 For the implementation of your EMS, you have determined the necessary people and the necessary infrastructure and

can make them available.

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You have determined and provided the process environment for the implementation of your EMS, taking into account

possible social, psychological and physical influencing factors.

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To ensure that your products and services conform to the specified requirements, you have identified and allocated

resources to ensure reliable monitoring.

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You ensure that the necessary knowledge for process implementation and for achieving product conformity is available

and maintained within your organisation.

You continuously ensure that the employees in your company have the necessary skills to safely and effectively do
their job.

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You ensure that all persons who carry out tasks under supervision within your company are informed about the

environmental policy and objectives and are aware of the consequences of non-compliance.

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 You have a defined communication strategy (internal and external).

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When dealing with documented information, you proceed strategically and thus ensure that it is always up-to-date,

complete and protected in a suitable format.

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Section 8 - Operation

You have precisely determined the requirements for your environmental policy.

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You have clearly defined controls for the elimination of risk.

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You have clearly defined how the transition or transformation of your goals, processes or technologies is managed, e.g.
implementing strategies for effecting change, controlling change and helping people adapt to change.

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You have controls in place to manage the processes and risks associated with the procurement of goods and services.

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 You have a robust procedure in place in case of emergencies, allowing you to respond quickly and efficiently to
minimise injury.

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Operational processes and procedures are maintained and evaluated at regular intervals to ensure that they work
as intended.

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You have a defined development process which ensures your EMS continuously improves.

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You ensure that the development process is checked by suitable personnel.

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Possible outsourced processes and services meet your requirements. You have defined the selection process and review

of these services.

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You have coherent documentation of your approval process.

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 You control and document non-conforming results according to a defined plan.

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Section 9 – Evaluation of Performance

You have determined what needs to be monitored, measured, analysed and evaluated when by whom and retain

documented information as evidence of the results.

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You have identified suitable methods for monitoring stakeholder feedback and apply these on an ongoing basis.

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You continuously carry out holistically planned internal audits to check the effectiveness and maintenance of your EMS

and its consistency with the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard.

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The top management of your company regularly checks your EMS and, if necessary, determines measures to adapt
the system.

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Section 10 - Improvement

You have a defined procedure for handling non-conformities and complaints, which also includes the implementation of

corrective measures and documentation.

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When evaluating improvement strategies, you consult with your employees regarding potential changes to gather their

input and buy-in.

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