ISO 14001

	Application			Obligatory Business Conditions
	Searching the database of certificates			Client's Handbook
				Rules for Use Certificate

PRINCIPLES OF CERTIFICATION ACCORDING TO ISO 14001

The internationally recognized standard ISO 14001 comprises the core elements of an effective environmental management system which can be used for services, as well as doe the production (manufacturing) sector. The standard describes the requirements for a corporate governance system which allows for reducing the environmental impacts related to the operation of organizations. The standard requires that a company defines environmental goals and creates a management system necessary for their achievement. The certificate guarantees that an environmental management system is implemented, documented, used and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the ISO 14001 standard. As a result of the fact that the certificate is issued by an accredited third party – a certification authority – the entity actively minimizes the environmental impacts of its activities, products and services.

ISO 14001:2015

15 September 2015 saw the issuance of a new version of the standard ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management Systems – Requirements with Guidance for Use. The standard was translated and issued in February 2016. The technical standard ČSN EN ISO 14001:2016 came into effect on 1 March 2016. The certification and recertification of management systems according to ISO 14001:2004 will take place until the end of August 2017. However, considering that the certificates issued according to the standard ISO 14001:2004 have a limited validity until 15 September 2018, we recommend that all the parties interested in certification and recertification perform an audit already according to the standards ISO 14001:2015/ČSN EN ISO 14001:2016.

MAJOR CHANGES / REVISIONS OF ISO 14001 STANDARD

• greater interconnection with the ISO 9001 standard and with the EMAS environmental management system
• less emphasis on documentation, the possibility of use of information technologies
• increased importance of strategic environmental management, i.e. the context, with the aim to identify and address all the risks and opportunities of the organization
• greater emphasis on leadership in support of environmental management
• viewing one’s own products and services from the beginning to the end of their lifecycle

BENEFITS OF CERTIFICATION

• providing and improving the care for the environment
• achieving the intended deliverables of environmental management
• realizing one’s own responsibility
• managing environmental responsibility in a systematic manner
• identification, description and reduction of risks
• improving the company’s profile/image and improving the environment
• motivation of employees
• early identification of problems with the environment
• more guarantees for the compliance with legal and other requirements
• preventing potential problems, sanctions and expenses related to the removal of potential damages caused to the environment
• competitive advantages

CERTIFICATION PROCESS

The basic phases of the certification process are as follows:

• implementing the QMS into practice
• preparing the documentation
• certification by an accredited certification authority
  
  • assessing and registering the client’s request for certification
  • entering into a contract on the performance of a certification audit (certification audit takes place in two stages)
  • setting up a team of auditors
  • preparing a plan of the audit
  • checking the facts in stages:
    a) reviewing the client’s documentation
    b) checking the facts on site
  • drawing up a report on the result of the certification audit
  • assessment of the audit report by the certification authority
  • issuing the certificate
• supervisory audit
  
  • o during the three-year validity period of the certificate, a supervisory audit is performed once a year in the first and second year. Following up on the result of the supervision, a decision will be issued on the confirmation of the validity of the certificate until the next supervision or a decision will be issued on suspending the validity of the certificate. In case of significant deviations from the requirements of the standards, it is possible – as a last resort – to revoke the certificate
• recertification audit
  
  • To ensure continuous validity of certification, a recertification audit should take place based on the certificate holder’s decision in the third year before expiration of the certificate’s validity.

IQNET – international certificate

Institute for Testing and Certification is a member of the Association for Quality System Certification CQS, which is a member of the international network IQNet. Through this co-operation, it is possible to issue upon request both the ITC certificate and the CQS certificate and the internationally recognized IQNet certificate within the framework of a single certification process.

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RELATED SERVICES

• Certification of Quality Management system (ISO 9001)
• Certification of quality management systems in manufacturers of medical devices (ISO 13485)
• Certification of Environmental Management System (ISO 14001)
• Certification of occupational health and safety management system (OHSAS 18001)
• Certification of critical control points system in food processing industry (HACCP)
• Assessment of conformity of products to the requirements of European directives (CE marking of products)
• Testing of products, ATEST ITC
• Calibration, verification of standards and measuring instruments
  
• Voluntary certification – “ITC – certified quality“ mark
• Technical standardization

CONTACTS

Person	Phone	fax	e-mail
Jaroslav Rapant	+420 577 601 299	+420 577 104 855	qscertitczlin.cz

Post address:
Institute for Testing and Certification, Inc.
QMS EMS certification department
trida Tomase Bati 299, Louky, 763 02 Zlin
Czech Republic

The person responsible for accuracy of data: Jaroslav Rapant