ISO 14001 2004 is an environmental management standard that defines the environmental policy of an organization. This standard helps organizations to protect the environment, check pollution, and improve their overall environmental performance. ISO 14001 is a useful tool for an organization to step up from just maintaining regulatory compliance to an organization with improved productivity and enhanced competitive advantage.
ISO 14001:2004 is applicable to any business that wishes to establish, implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system and conform to its stated environmental policy.
ISO 14001:2004 is the perfect certification for companies seeking an internationally recognized environmental management system. This certification can help companies create a structure for managing environmental operations. ISO 14001:2004 is applicable to all types and sizes of manufacturing and service operations throughout the world.
ISO 14001:2004 specifies environmental requirements that the organization identifies as those which it can control and influence. It does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria. ISO 14001 is flexible - it is as applicable to both the small business and the multinational organization.
The extent of the application depends on factors like the environmental policy of the organization, the nature of its activities, products and services, the location and the conditions in which the company functions.