PECB ISO 14001 Foundation key terms

The part of an organization's management system used to develop and implement its environmental policy and manage its environmental aspects, structured as interrelated processes within a defined scope.

An element of an organization's activities, products or services that interacts or can interact with the environment, such as emissions, waste generation, water use or noise.

A change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partly resulting from an organization's environmental aspects, such as climate change, habitat loss or resource depletion.

An aspect that has or can have one or more significant environmental impacts, determined by the organization using defined criteria and considered in planning and operational control.

The documented rules, thresholds or scoring approach an organization uses to judge which environmental aspects qualify as significant, including consideration of environmental conditions and interested parties.

Top management's documented statement of commitment to environmental protection, fulfilment of compliance obligations and continual improvement, providing the framework for setting environmental objectives.

A result to be achieved that is set by the organization consistent with its environmental policy, measurable where practicable, and supported by planning of what will be done, resources and timing.

The measurable results of an organization's management of its environmental aspects, evaluated against its environmental policy, objectives and other criteria using indicators.

A legal or other requirement that an organization must or chooses to comply with, related to its environmental aspects, including permits, regulations, contracts and voluntary commitments.

A way of thinking that considers stages from raw material acquisition through design, production, transport, use, end-of-life treatment and final disposal when identifying aspects and controlling processes.

A recurring activity to enhance environmental performance, not a one-off fix, achieved through repeated cycles of planning, implementation, checking and correction within the EMS.

An iterative management cycle used to structure an EMS: plan objectives and processes, implement them, check results against policy, and act to improve performance.

Use of processes, practices, techniques, materials or products to avoid, reduce or control the creation, emission or discharge of pollutants, including reuse, recycling and substitution.

The person or group at the highest level that directs and controls the organization, responsible for providing resources, integrating EMS requirements into business processes and reviewing performance.

The active, visible role of top management in taking accountability for EMS effectiveness, promoting improvement and ensuring the system fits the organization's strategic direction.

A person or organization that can affect, be affected by, or perceive itself to be affected by a decision or activity, such as regulators, neighbours, customers, employees or investors.

The combination of internal and external issues and conditions that can influence the organization's intended EMS outcomes, including environmental conditions and stakeholder expectations.

The state or characteristics of the environment at a point in time, such as air quality, water availability, climate or biodiversity, which the organization must consider in its planning.

Potential adverse effects and potential beneficial effects arising from environmental aspects, compliance obligations and other issues that planning must address and control.

The documented boundaries and applicability of the environmental management system, including activities, products, services and sites covered, stated so it can be understood by interested parties.

A process needed for the EMS that the organization chooses to have performed by an external provider, which must still be controlled or influenced within the system.

Planned arrangements, criteria and controls applied to processes so that environmental aspects and compliance obligations are managed and unintended changes are prevented.

Planned actions to prepare for and respond to potential accidents and emergency situations, including testing, training and review after incidents or drills.

Systematic collection of data on environmental performance and aspects, using calibrated equipment where required, with results retained as evidence and evaluated against criteria.

A measurable representation of the status of an organization's environmental performance, such as energy use per unit of output or tonnes of waste sent to landfill.

The process of assessing whether the organization meets its compliance obligations, carried out at planned intervals and followed by action where requirements are not met.

A planned, independent and objective examination of the EMS against the organization's own criteria and the standard's requirements, with results reported to management.

The set of arrangements for audits, covering frequency, methods, responsibilities, planning requirements and reporting, with selection based on environmental importance and prior results.

Top management's periodic evaluation of EMS suitability, adequacy and effectiveness, using defined inputs and producing decisions on improvement, resources and changes needed.

A failure to meet a requirement, whether from the standard, the organization's own EMS rules or a compliance obligation, requiring correction and analysis of cause.

Action taken to eliminate the cause of a nonconformity so it does not recur, proportionate to the impact, and reviewed for effectiveness after implementation.

Information the organization must control and maintain, including documents needed for EMS operation and records kept as evidence of results, in any medium and format.

The planned internal and external exchange of EMS-relevant information, including what, when, with whom and how the organization communicates about its environmental aspects.

The combination of education, training and experience needed by persons whose work affects environmental performance or compliance obligations, verified and recorded by the organization.

Persons working under the organization's control knowing the environmental policy, significant aspects and impacts of their work, and how their contribution supports EMS effectiveness.

The sequence of activities or parties that create value through products or services, including suppliers and contractors whose environmental behaviour the organization may influence.

A detailed, often quantified performance requirement applied to an objective or part of it, used to track progress over a defined period.