ISO 14001:2015 Basic Training Course – 1 Day Agenda
Target Audience:
- Environmental managers, compliance officers, and sustainability professionals.
- Employees responsible for managing or improving environmental impacts.
- Organizations interested in ISO 14001 certification or improving their environmental performance.
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, participants will:
- Understand the purpose and scope of ISO 14001.
- Identify the key requirements of the ISO 14001 standard.
- Recognize the benefits of implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS).
- Learn how to integrate ISO 14001 into business processes.
- Apply basic strategies to manage environmental risks and improve performance.
Course Agenda
Module 1: Introduction to ISO 14001
- Overview of ISO 14001:2015
- History and evolution of ISO 14001
- Key principles and benefits of implementing an EMS
- Understanding the PDCA (Plan-Do-Check-Act) cycle
- Importance of ISO 14001 for sustainability and regulatory compliance
- Purpose & Scope of ISO 14001
- How the standard applies across industries
- Definitions: Environmental Aspects, Environmental Impacts, Legal Requirements
Activity: Group discussion on participants’ current environmental management challenges.
Module 2: Key Requirements of ISO 14001
- Clause 4: Context of the Organization
- Understanding internal and external factors that affect the EMS
- Identifying stakeholders and their needs
- Clause 5: Leadership and Commitment
- Role of top management in establishing an effective EMS
- Developing environmental policies and objectives
- Clause 6: Planning
- Risk-based thinking in environmental management
- Identifying environmental aspects and impacts
- Legal and other compliance requirements
- Setting and achieving environmental objectives
Activity: Case study on identifying environmental aspects and impacts in a manufacturing company.
Module 3: Implementing ISO 14001
- Clause 7: Support
- Resources, competence, awareness, and communication
- Documented information: What needs to be documented and controlled?
- Clause 8: Operation
- Operational planning and control
- Emergency preparedness and response
- Lifecycle Perspective
- Assessing and managing environmental impacts from the design stage to disposal
Activity: Workshop on drafting an environmental policy statement.
Lunch Break
Module 4: Monitoring and Evaluating EMS Performance
- Clause 9: Performance Evaluation
- Monitoring, measurement, and analysis of environmental performance
- Internal audits: purpose, planning, and conducting an audit
- Management reviews: ensuring the system’s effectiveness
- Clause 10: Improvement
- Handling non-conformities and corrective actions
- Opportunities for continual improvement
- ISO 14001 Certification Process
- Steps to certification
- Choosing a certification body and preparing for external audits
Activity: Mock internal audit exercise where participants practice identifying non-conformities in a simulated EMS scenario.
Module 5: EMS Documentation & Compliance
- EMS Documentation Structure
- Essential documents: manuals, procedures, and records
- Controlling documented information and maintaining records
- Legal compliance and ensuring adherence to environmental regulations
- Operational Controls and Monitoring
- Identifying key environmental indicators and metrics
- Tools for tracking environmental performance
Activity: Group discussion on how participants’ organizations currently document and monitor environmental performance.
Module 6: Continual Improvement and Best Practices
- ISO 14001 and Continuous Improvement
- Implementing a culture of continual improvement through Kaizen and Lean approaches
- Employee involvement in environmental initiatives
- Integrating ISO 14001 with other management systems (e.g., ISO 9001)
- Best Practices in Environmental Management
- Industry examples of successful ISO 14001 implementation
- Leveraging technology for better environmental monitoring and reporting
Q&A Session: Open floor for participant questions and discussion on the practical application of ISO 14001.
Conclusion & Review
- Key Takeaways
- Importance of leadership, planning, and monitoring in an EMS
- How to start implementing or improving an EMS in your organization
- Final Quiz: Short quiz to test participants’ understanding of the course material.
- Feedback & Next Steps: Course evaluation and recommendations for further learning or support.