Happy birthday, ISO 14001!

Launched in 1996, the voluntary ISO 14001 standard has established itself as a global benchmark for building and monitoring environmental management systems (EMS). Twenty-five years on, is it time to revise this standard, under which 19,000 sites in France have been certified? We will find out in 2022.

August 2021: the Climate and Resilience Act becomes part of France's environmental legislation. What a long way we have come since the 1990s, when environmental awareness first began to emerge in society! Ozone layer depletion, the Kyoto Protocol, environmental scandals... At the time, the subject was not yet making headlines, but among economic players, the first thoughts were emerging about the need to contribute to the effort and to organize internally to limit their own impact.

This led to the creation of the concept of environmental management systems (EMS), the ecological counterpart of quality management systems (QMS), which already had their own voluntary standard, ISO 9001. ISO began its initial work on EMS in 1991, with a dedicated committee (ISO/TC 207/SC 1, led by the UK), with the aim of developing a guide to help companies and institutions lay the foundations for their environmental policy. Each member country worked on the project, and all approved a final version of the text in 1996: the voluntary standard ISO 14001. Adopted in Europe and France, it is now marketed under the name NF EN ISO 14001 in the AFNOR collection .

You can find video feedback on ISO 14001 : certification of environmental management systems

We don't realize it today, but when the first version of ISO 14001 was released, it was highly innovative, says Lina Ismail, project manager at AFNOR, who follows environmental management issues in connection with ISO/TC 207. For the first time, a globally recognized standard set out the founding principles of sustainable development. Evolving with the times, it has established itself as an essential benchmark. "With the times" means through a series of revisions: 2004, 2015, and perhaps 2022?

ISO 14001, scalable, modern, universal

Twenty-five years later, no economic player disputes the idea that it is necessary to address and demonstrate environmental impacts, whether they be companies, local authorities, or institutions. Externally, this is primarily to prove good practices in the face of competition and to show credentials (or rather green credentials) in calls for tenders. Indeed, many contractors require their suppliers, service providers, and subcontractors to hold a certificate attesting that their EMS meets the requirements of ISO 14001. Then, internally, to mobilize their teams, create momentum around a societal issue, and also control their risks.

The conclusion is clear, as we outlined in an opinion piece in spring 2021 : The standard has spread throughout the economy, from the CAC 40 to very small businesses. "One of the strengths of ISO 14001 lies in its universal nature," confirms Vincent Morisset, president of the French standardization commission covering this standard. Companies of all sizes, in all sectors and in all locations can find something in it. The text enables each company to identify and control its environmental impact, and then assess the relevance of taking concrete measures, with a view to continuous improvement. "The strength of the standard is that it brings together all environmental issues: CO2, biodiversity, eco-design, energy, waste, resources, etc.," continues Béatrice Poirier, ISO 14001 product manager at AFNOR Certification.

The major revision of the text in 2015 introduced a new principle: in addition to the obligation of means that organizations impose on themselves by applying the standard (they must therefore establish a management system), the text guides them toward an obligation of results: they are now encouraged to demonstrate that their environmental performance is improving. "This paradigm shift has significantly strengthened ISO 14001," insists Vincent Morisset.

A standard that speaks to all levels of the organizational chart

The life cycle approach has breathed new life into the standard, which is spreading throughout all levels of the organization: management and quality managers are no longer the only ones concerned! "Managers, especially those in the field, are on the front line when it comes to taking concrete action and raising awareness of best practices among their teams. By placing the environment at the heart of corporate strategy, ISO 14001 leads to far-reaching actions," observes Marie-Hélène Amétrano. In 2019, France had 6,402 active ISO 14001 certificates, 5% more than in 2018, covering nearly 19,000 sites. Worldwide, ISO counted more than 312,500 active certificates that year, compared to 308,000 a year earlier ( source: Iso Survey 2020 ).

ISO 14001, the cornerstone of environmental certifications

While eco-labels are multiplying, ISO 14001 remains by far the most meaningful, as it is based on the most widely applied standard, explains Lina Ismail. This certification derives its legitimacy not only from figures, but also from the benchmarks it sets. ISO 14001 has debunked the idea that environmental policy is the preserve of large corporations. On the contrary, this standard shows that all organizations can adopt it. Many SMEs are approaching us about this.

According to a study by AFNOR Certification in March 2018 97% of certified companies are satisfied with ISO 14001. For 90% of them, their image has improved and 78% even perceive a financial gain. However, this is no reason to rest on one's laurels... In mid-September 2021, the International Organization for Standardization launched a major consultation with users of the standard to better understand its use, advantages, and limitations. The aim is to determine whether it needs to be revised, as it was in 2004 and 2015.

 A new revision could allow us to go even further on certain concepts such as the life cycle, according to Marie-Hélène Amétrano. 

Resource and biodiversity management are at least as important as climate issues, and we need to be even more demanding in these areas. But we also need to strengthen links with CSR and the circular economy, and emphasize the positive value of the environment, which is too often associated with a punitive approach.

The results of the study, expected in January 2022, will serve as a starting point for discussions in each ISO member country to determine whether a revision is appropriate. The French standards committee will also launch a review of this founding text.