6.2 Environmental Objectives and Planning to Achieve them [ISO 14001 Procedure]

Purpose

This procedure establishes how your organization implements and monitors its environmental objectives, targets, and programs, consistent with your EMS policy and whose achievement demonstrates continual improvement of our management system. For each significant environmental aspect, your organization establishes an appropriate objective and target to improve.

Scope and Number of the Environmental Objectives

The scope of this procedure applies to your organization’s EMS. It defines the responsibilities and time frames for establishing objectives, targets, and programs in conformance with our commitments and policies and the requirements of ISO 14001:2015. This procedure ensures that the objectives and targets are consistent with our commitment to preventing pollution.

The scope and number of the environmental objectives and targets must be realistic and achievable; otherwise, the success and continued commitment of top management and employees will diminish.

Factors to Consider

Consider the factors below as you begin to formulate your environmental objectives:

1. Legal and compliance requirements
2. Significant aspects (aspects directly related to substantial impacts)
3. Significant safety hazards
4. Financial, operational, and business requirements
5. Views of interested parties

Targets & Environmental Performance Indicators

Targets must be quantified where practicable. The units used to quantify the targets are called performance indicators, defined as expressions used to provide information about management system performance.

The following are some examples of environmental performance indicators:

• The quantity of raw material or energy used
• The amount of waste produced
• The number of incidents/accidents
• The percentage of waste recycled
• Investment in environmental protection

Environmental indicators are defined as a measurable representation of the status of operations, management or conditions; each environmental objective will need one or more associated performance indicators.

Examples of Environmental Objectives

Examples of objectives and commitments that support the protection of the environment may include:

• Sustainable resource use
• Climate change mitigation and adaptation
• Protection of biodiversity and ecosystem
• Addressing other relevant environmental issues

Example Objective

The following is an example of an objective with a specific target and an environmental performance indicator:

1. Objective: reduce the energy required in manufacturing processes

2. Target: achieve a 15 % reduction in energy usage by 2022

3. Indicator: quantity of electricity per production unit (kilowatt/unit)

Organizations must set environmental objectives for relevant functions, levels and processes within their operations. The organization decides which functions, levels, and processes are relevant.

Documented Information

Documented information on environmental objectives typically takes the form of a description or matrix of the objective and the corresponding means and timeframe to achieve it.

6.2.2 Planning Actions to Achieve Environmental Objectives

The organization must undertake planning to determine how its environmental objectives will be achieved. This planning includes:

• Determining the work required for the organization to realize its environmental objectives
• The resources necessary to undertake this work
• Who will be responsible for ensuring that the work is done
• When the work needs to be completed by

Management Improvement Program

Organizations must establish and maintain one or more management improvement programs to achieve their environmental objectives.

The management improvement program is a key element to the success of the EMS.

Properly designed and implemented, management programs should achieve the environmental objectives and improve your organization’s performance.

The management program must:

• Address each environmental objective and target
• Designate the personnel responsible for achieving targets at each relevant function/level of the organization
• Provide an action plan describing how each target will be achieved
• Establish a time frame or a schedule for achieving each target

Who should be Involved?

Setting environmental objectives and targets should involve people from the relevant functional area(s). These people are well-positioned to help establish, plan for, and achieve these targets. Their involvement helps build commitment and demonstrates positive leadership.

Action Plan

Establishing an action plan for each environmental objective may require considerable effort from the personnel at relevant levels within your organization. To ensure the progress of the action plan and a coordinated effort, a target leader should be selected for each environmental target.

The target leader should be accountable for ensuring an environmental target is achieved within the specified time frame.

Once the action plan is established, you must implement it. You may find that the following suggestions will help foster a cooperative effort in accomplishing the plan:

• Involve your employees early in establishing and carrying out the action plans
• Communicate the expectations and responsibilities laid out in the action plans to those who need to know
• Build on the plans and programs you have now for EMS compliance
• Please keep it simple
• Focus on the continual improvement of management programs over time

Evidence of Planning

Look for evidence that effective planning is taking place to support achieving the organization’s environmental objectives.