ISO 14001 : 2015 –ACCREDITED CERTIFICATION TRANSITION

MARTIN HOCKADAYENVIRONMENTAL SECTOR MANAGER

ISO 14001 : 2015

1. Transition Process

2. Change in Audit Approach

HOW IS THE TRANSITION GOING TO BE MANAGED?

Transition Overview

• Three years to transition

• Existing certifications can be upgraded at any point in

the three years

• New certifications can be to either standard

• ISO 14001:2004 certificates will have valid until dates of

the transition deadline

UKAS Approval

• Certification Bodies need to have specific UKAS

approval before ISO 14001:2015 certificates can

be issued.

• UKAS have not yet published their requirements

for this.

Normal Adopters

• Upgrade audits may be conducted at standard Surveillance

/ Recertification auditing, or a one-off Special audit.

• Upgrade can be conducted at one audit, or spread over a

number of audits.

• Upgrade will likely require additional audit time to cover

both standards.

Normal Adopters (cont.)

• The issue of an ISO 14001:2015 certificate can

only be granted once outstanding issues (Major

NCs) have been addressed.

Early Adopters

• Upgrade audits may be conducted against the

FDIS when published.

• Certification to be issued on final publication,

following an internal gap-analysis by the CB.

Accreditation

• UK Certification Bodies are accredited by UKAS (United Kingdom Accreditation Service).

• Accreditation is against ISO/IEC TS 17021:2011 – the standard for CBs.

• Accreditation is for specific industry areas

– Accreditation schedules on UKAS website: http://www.ukas.com/about-accreditation/accredited-bodies/

– Look for “EA 37 – Education”. CBs without this are not competent to audit the education sector.

HOW ARE MY AUDITS GOING TO CHANGE?

Key Audit Changes

Context of the Organisation

“What extent should we go to when determining what internal and external issues, etc. are relevant to us to satisfy the auditor?”

• Until it stops adding value.

• The system is for your benefit – not the auditor’s.

Key Audit Changes

Leadership

Top management shall demonstrate leadership and commitment with respect to the environmental management system…

• Audits will likely need to start planning to involve top management, if they aren’t already.

• Auditing will need to be flexible to account for the multitude of priorities top management will have.

Key Audit Changes

Business Strategy

Top management shall … [ensure] that the environmental policy and environmental objectives … are compatible with the strategic direction … of the organisation

• Audits will likely look into areas of strategy, and collaboration between EMS teams and strategic decision makers, to a greater extent.

Key Audit Changes

Integration

Top management shall … [ensure] the integration of the environmental management system requirements into the organization’s business processes

• Expectation for moving away from a silo mentality for EMS management.

Key Audit Changes

Documented Information

The revised standard is flexible in allowing organisations to determine whether documented information is required for a number of clauses.

• Auditing should be adaptive to this.

SUMMARY

• The transition should be a partnership

• Don’t panic – there’s plenty of time to make any changes

• Systems should be updated to benefit the user, not the auditor

THANK YOU

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