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ISO 14004: Environmental Management Systems - General Guidelines on Principles, Systems and
Supporting Techniques provides practical help on tailoring an EMS to a particular company.
It sets forth EMS principles, explains fundamental environmental management concepts, defines
key terms, and offers a step-by-step walk-through of an EMS. It goes into a great deal more
detail than does the ISO 14001 specification, bringing together the combined experience among
the drafters in the practical application of an EMS.
Drafters of this document have emphasized that ISO 14004 is not to be used for certification or
to be audited against by auditors. It is for use by companies for internal guidance. In particular,
the guidance:
 Establishes key principles for managers
to use in implementing an EMS; sets
forth the benefits of an EMS
Provides detail on all the steps needed
to begin implementation, including
gaining
top management commitment and leadership, conducting an initial
environmental review, and establishing an
environmental policy
Helps with the planning process by
offering guidance on identifying
environmental
aspects and evaluating impacts, establishing procedures for
identifying
legal and regulatory requirements, setting internal performance
priorities, setting objectives and
targets, and establishing an environmental
management program to address schedules, resources, and
responsibilities for
achieving objectives and targets
Suggests an implementation plan, with
help on ensuring resources are
available and adequate, aligning
the EMS with current systems, assigning
accountability
and responsibility, ensuring personnel have the proper skills and
training and are
environmentally aware and motivated to maintain the system,
communicating and reporting information through
the appropriate media and to
the appropriate parties, and ensuring procedures for emergency response
Suggests a way a company may establish
a system for measuring, monitoring,
and evaluating the performance of the management
system against its
objectives and targets, including identifying and implementing
corrective and
preventive action, the content
of EMS records and means of managing EMS
information, and the elements of an EMS audit
Makes suggestions on how a company
should manage its continual
improvement process as applied to the
EMS to achieve overall improvement in
environmental performance
Offers examples of international
environmental guiding principles, such as the
Rio Declaration on Environment and Development and the ICC Charter
for Sustainable Development.
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