ISO CONSULTING · ISO 14001
ISO 14001 implementation
ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. We help you build one that meets your environmental legal obligations, controls costs and protects your reputation, without burying your team in paperwork.
Why ISO 14001
Every business affects the environment through its waste, water, energy, emissions and chemicals. South African environmental law holds businesses responsible for that impact, and customers, retailers and investors increasingly want proof that it's being managed.
ISO 14001:2015 gives you a structured way to do that. It helps you meet regulatory requirements, satisfy customers and stakeholders, and keep day-to-day operations under control so the business becomes more sustainable. Done well, it also saves money and gets your own people to take ownership of the system.
The benefits our clients see:
- Legal compliance: a clear view of the environmental laws that apply to you, and evidence that you meet them
- Cost control: less waste, lower water and energy use, and fewer surprises
- Reputation and credibility: a recognised standard that customers, retailers and tenders ask for
- Brand protection: fewer incidents that could end up in the news or in court
- Better processes: structured improvement and easier management of change
- Engaged people: employees who understand and own the system, which helps retention
What's included
- Gap analysis against ISO 14001 and applicable environmental legislation
- Environmental aspects and impacts register: what your activities do to the environment, and which impacts matter most
- Legal register (compliance obligations) covering national, provincial and municipal requirements
- Environmental policy, objectives and targets that fit the business
- Operational controls for waste, effluent, emissions, chemicals and resource use
- Emergency preparedness for environmental incidents such as spills and leaks
- Training and awareness for management and staff
- Internal audit and management review support
- Certification audit support through Stage 1 and Stage 2
How it works
- Gap analysis. We assess your operations and determine the critical compliance areas and environmental objectives.
- Aspects and legal register. We identify your significant environmental aspects and the laws that apply to them.
- Design and implement. We build a lean, accurate system with your team and put the controls into practice.
- Check. We run an internal audit and support management review.
- Certify. We prepare you for, and support you during, the audit by your chosen accredited certification body.
Our principles: designed around your organisation · a lean system without needless complexity · the shortest realistic route to system maturity · cost-effective consulting.
Who it's for
- Food and beverage manufacturers supplying retailers or export markets with environmental requirements
- Manufacturing and processing plants with effluent, emissions, waste or chemical storage
- Companies tendering for government or corporate contracts that ask for ISO 14001
- Businesses already certified to ISO 9001 or ISO 45001 that want an integrated system
Environmental law ISO 14001 helps you meetThe Acts and regulations behind this service
| Law / standard | Section / clause | What it requires |
|---|---|---|
| National Environmental Management Act 107 of 1998 | Section 28 | A duty of care: anyone who causes, or may cause, significant pollution or degradation must take reasonable measures to prevent or minimise it. |
| National Environmental Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 | Applicable provisions | Duties for waste generators, including reducing, storing and disposing of waste safely. |
| National Water Act 36 of 1998 | Applicable provisions | Controls on water use and the discharge of effluent. |
| National Environmental Management: Air Quality Act 39 of 2004 | Applicable provisions | Controls on emissions to air, including atmospheric emission licences for listed activities. |
| Municipal by-laws (e.g. City of Cape Town) | Applicable by-laws | Local rules on trade effluent, waste and air quality. |
| ISO 14001:2015 | Clauses 6.1.2 and 6.1.3 | Environmental aspects, and compliance obligations. |
What is ISO 14001?
ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. It sets out how an organisation identifies its environmental impacts, meets its legal obligations, sets objectives and keeps improving its environmental performance. The current version is ISO 14001:2015, and organisations can be certified against it by an accredited certification body.
Is ISO 14001 a legal requirement?
No. ISO 14001 is voluntary. Environmental laws such as the National Environmental Management Act are not. An ISO 14001 system gives you a structured way to identify and meet those legal obligations. Many retailers, export customers and tenders also ask for certification, so it often becomes a commercial requirement.
How long does ISO 14001 implementation take?
It depends on your starting point, the number of sites and the complexity of your environmental aspects. We give you a realistic timeline after the gap analysis.
What are environmental aspects and impacts?
An environmental aspect is something your business does that interacts with the environment, such as using water, generating waste or storing chemicals. The impact is the effect, such as water depletion, land pollution or a chemical spill. ISO 14001 asks you to identify your significant aspects and put controls in place for them.
Does BMS issue the ISO 14001 certificate?
No. Certification is done by an independent certification body, which should be SANAS-accredited in South Africa. BMS is your implementation consultant: we build the system with you, train your people, run the internal audit and support you through the certification audits.
Get in touch
Start with a gap analysis
Find out where you stand against ISO 14001 and get a clear plan to certification.
- Phone064 549 5312
- Emailinfo@bmsholdings.co.za
- AddressThe Colosseum, First Floor, Century Way, Century City, Cape Town, 7441