ISO 14001 Environmental Management

I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 has been revised! 

As the international standard for environmental management, ISO 14001 provides a trusted framework that helps organisations of all types and sizes manage their environmental responsibilities systematically and effectively.  The new edition, ISO 14001:2026, builds on this strong foundation to reflect today’s evolving environmental priorities.  The 2026 revision gives clearer guidance, easier navigation and stronger alignment with today’s environmental priorities, priorities such as climate change, biodiversity and resource efficiency.

NSAI certifies to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026, the technical equivalent of ISO 14001:2026.

All organisations certified to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2015 must transition to I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026 before the three-year transition deadline of 30th April 2029.  You can download a copy of the NSAI transition policy here.

Download a copy of the ISO information document ‘Your trusted standard, clearer than ever’ here.

You can purchase a copy of I.S. EN ISO 14001:2026 via our standard sales partner here.

Environmental Management System 

With rising public awareness of the need to protect our environment, governments and businesses are under increasing pressure to minimize their environmental footprint and promote sustainable development.

The Environmental Management Systems (EMS) Standard has been developed to help organisations identify, manage and control those activities that have an environmental impact.

Reducing your environmental footprint

Through a combination of analysis and action most organizations can transform the way they interact with the environment by, for example:

• Cutting down on waste
• Lowering energy use
• Using renewable resources
• Avoiding risk and preventing pollution
• Complying with regulatory and legal requirements
• Designing for the complete product lifecycle.

By moving towards a cleaner, greener way of working, an organisation can become a model of good citizenship, enhancing its public image in the process.

This in turn can lead to:

• Strengthened stakeholder confidence
• Greater competitive advantage
• More secure long-term viability.

ISO 14001 is designed to be compatible with other management standards, particularly the widely used ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard, ISO 45001 Health and Safety Management and ISO 50001 Energy Management
 

Who is it for?

Every organisation, whether it's involved in manufacturing, services or trade, has an impact on the environment and can therefore benefit from ISO 14001.

In over 150 countries around the world, industrial companies, service organisations, utilities and public bodies have embraced ISO 14001 as their preferred model for environmental management.

They range from giant multinational corporations to the not-for-profit sector, from national governments to small family businesses.

What it does

ISO 14001 recognizes that there is no one-size-fits-all way of tackling environmental challenges. Every organisation is different. The Standard is flexible and does not seek to dictate the detail of your environmental policy.

Instead, ISO 14001 sets out broad principles which can help you to:

• Establish good environmental performance as a strategic objective
• Sustain continual improvement of environmental performance
• Look at your products from ‘cradle to grave’
• Reduce waste and pollution
• Analyse, plan, control and monitor all activities that may have an environmental impact
• Comply with legislative and regulatory requirements
• Demonstrate to regulators, stakeholders and other interested third parties that you have an efficient environmental management system.

Companion Standards

• I.S. EN ISO 14004:2016 - Environmental managment systems - General guidelines on implementation
• I.S. EN ISO 14031:2013 - Environmental management - Environmental performance evaluation - Guidelines
• I.S. EN ISO 14006:2011 - Environmental management systems - Guidelines for incorporating ecodesign
• ISO 14001:2015 - A practical guide for SMEs: This booklet aims to help small businesses understand the requirements of an environmental management system and to help them implement ISO 14001 successfully

Do you wish to receive a no obligation quotation for certification? Simply complete and return the NSAI General request for quotation form (RFQ)

Contact NSAI: certification@nsai.ie