ISO 14001:2015 Foundation Course

Learning objectives describe what students will know and be able to do by the end of the course. On completion, successful students will be able to:

• Explain the purpose and benefits of an environmental management system;
• Explain the specific environmental management-related requirements of ISO 14001;
• Explain Environmental Aspects and Impacts and the linkage to Environmental Legislation or other requirements the organisation.

In order for students to achieve the overall learning objectives, they will need to acquire and develop specific knowledge. This is specified below as ‘enabling objectives’ and can be considered as steps to the achievement of the learning objectives stated above. Explain the purpose and benefits of an environmental management system.

• Explain the purpose of an environmental management system and the requirements and business benefits of improved environmental performance;
• Explain the interrelationship between Management Responsibility, Environmental Policy, Environmental Aspects for the scope of an organisation, Policy Implementation, Objective and Targets, Operational Control, Checking Performance, Management Review and Continual Improvement;
• Summarise relevant environmental legislation and sources of legislation;
• Explain the terminology defined in the standard;
• Explain the difference between legal compliance and conformance with the standard;
• Explain the specific environmental management-related requirements of ISO 14001;
• Describe what an environmental management Policy should contain;
• Describe the purpose and key features of an Environmental Aspects review appropriate to the scope of the organisation and the expected outcome;
• Describe the process for identifying and keeping up to date the Environmental Legislation related to the identified environmental aspects;
• Describe the process for assessing environmental aspects to determine those with a Significant Impact on the environment and their relative importance;
• Describe how Objectives and Targets should link to the Environmental Policy; Legal and Other Requirements and the priorities established by the significant impacts assessment;
• Describe how Operational Controls associated with significant environmental aspects must meet specified conditions including operating criteria and where appropriate these are adhered to by suppliers and contractors;
• Describe the role of Emergency Plans to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts associated emergency situations and accidents and that these must be practiced and performance evaluated;
• Describe methods for Legal Compliance can be periodically evaluated based on objective evidence from internal audit, etc.;
• Describe typical arrangements for Monitoring and Measurement performance of operations with significant environmental impact;
• Describe the process involved in achieving Continual Improvement of environmental performance including methods for corrective and preventive action.