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ISO 14001 checklist

ISO 14001 checklist

Audit tool for evaluating environmental management system compliance with ISO 14001 requirements. Use it to identify gaps and prepare for certification.

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ISO 14001 checklist

Audit tool for evaluating environmental management system compliance with ISO 14001 requirements. Use it to identify gaps and prepare for certification.

Use this template with Lumiform

The Lumiform application helps frontline teams uphold internal standards effortlessly.
  • Customize this template or build your own
  • Fill out templates via mobile app
  • Assign and track corrective actions
  • Get reports and analyse your data
Prices start from ░░░ per month
Book a demo
Learn more
or Download template as PDF

This ISO 14001 checklist template transforms complex environmental management system requirements into a clear, actionable audit tool. With detailed assessment points covering standard clauses—from environmental policy to management review—you can meticulously evaluate your organization’s compliance status.

There are already over 500,000 ISO 14001 certifications across 180 countries, demonstrating its widespread adoption as the gold standard for environmental management. Whether you’re preparing for initial certification or conducting routine internal audits, this template helps you identify gaps, document evidence, and track corrective actions with professional precision.

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Preview of the template
Audit
4.1 General requirements
Has the organization established and maintained an environmental management system consistent with the requirements contained in ISO 14001?
4.2 Environmental Policy
Has top management defined the organization’s environmental policy?
Is the environmental policy appropriate to the nature, scale, and environmental impacts of the organization’s activities, products, or services?
Does the environmental policy include a commitment to continual improvement and prevention of pollution?
Does the environmental policy include a commitment to comply with relevant environmental legislation and regulations and with other requirements to which the organization subscribes?
Does the environmental policy provide a framework for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets?
Is the environmental policy documented,implemented, and maintained and communicated to all employees?
Is the environmental policy available to the public?
4.3 PLANNING
4.3.1 Environmental aspects
Has the organization established and maintained (a) procedure(s) to identify the environmental aspects of its activities,products, or services that it can control and over which it can be expected to have an influence?
Has the organization determined which of its aspects have a significant impact on the environment?
Has the organization ensured that its aspects and related significant impacts are considered in setting its environmental objectives?
Does the organization periodically update information regarding its aspects and significant impacts?
4.3.2 Legal and other requirements
Has the organization established and maintained a procedure to identify and have access to legal and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, that are applicable to the environmental aspects of its activities, products, or services?
4.3.3 Objectives and targets
Has the organization established and maintained documented environmental objectives and targets, at each relevant function and level within the organization?
Has the organization, when establishing and reviewing its objectives, considered: The legal and other requirements? Its significant environmental aspects? Its technological options? Its financial, operational, and business requirements? The views of interested parties?
Are the organization’s objectives and targets consistent with its environmental policy, including the commitment to the prevention of pollution?
4.3.4 Environmental management program(s)
Has the organization established and maintained environmental management program(s) for achieving its objectives and targets?
Do environmental management program(s) designate responsibility for achieving objectives and targets at each relevant function and level of the organization?
Do environmental management program(s) define the means and timeframe by which they are to be achieved?
Are environmental management program(s) reviewed and changed when appropriate if new or modified activities, products, or services are implemented in the organization?
4.4 Implementation and Operation
4.4.1 Structure and responsibility
Has the organization defined, documented, and communicated the roles, responsibilities, and authorities to facilitate effective environmental management? How is this done?
Has management provided resources essential to the implementation and control the environmental management system?
Resources include human resources and specialized skills, technology, and financial resources?
Has the organization’s top management appointed (a) specific management representative(s) who irrespective of other responsibilities, has defined roles, responsibilities, and authority to: Ensure that the environmental management system (EMS) requirements are established, implemented, and maintained in accordance with this International Standard. Report on the performance of the EMS to top management for review and as a basis for improvement of the EMS.
4.4.2 Training, awareness and competence
Has the organization identified the training needs for all personnel whose work may create a significant impact upon the environment? How is this done?
Has the organization established and maintained procedure to make it employees at each relevant function aware of:
The importance of conformance with the environmental policy and procedures and with the requirement of the environmental management system (EMS)?
The significant environmental impacts, actual or potential, of their work activities and the environmental benefits of improved personal performance?
Their roles and responsibilities in achieving conformance with the environmental policy and procedures and with the requirements of the EMS, including emergency preparedness and response requirements?
The potential consequences of departure from specified operating procedure?
How does the organization ensure that personnel performing tasks which can cause significant environmental impacts are competent on the basis of appropriate education, training, and/or experience?
4.4.3 Communication
Regarding its environmental aspects and environmental management system, has the organization established and maintained procedures to ensure: Internal communication between the various levels and functions of the organization? Proper receiving, documenting, and responding to relevant communication from external interested parities?
Has the organization considered its process(es) for external communication on its significant environmental aspects and recorded its decision?
4.4.4 Environmental management system documentation
Has the organization established and maintained information in paper or electronic form to: Describe the core elements of the management system and their interaction? Provide direction to related documentation?
4.4.5 Document control
Has the organization established and maintained procedures for controlling all documents required by this International Standard to ensure:
They can be located?
They are periodically reviewed, revised as necessary, and approved for adequacy by authorized personnel?
The current versions of relevant documents are available at all locations where operations essential to the effective functioning of the environmental management system are performed?
Obsolete documents are promptly removed from all points of issue and points of use, or otherwise assured against unintended use?
Any obsolete documents are retained for legal and/or knowledge preservation purposes are suitably identified?
Are the organization’s documents legible, dated (with dates of revision), and readily identifiable, maintained in an orderly manner and retained for a specified period?
Has the organization established and maintained procedures and responsibilities concerning the creation and modification of the various types of documents?
4.4.6 Operational control
Has the organization identified those operations and activities that are associated with the identified significant environmental aspects in line with its policy, objectives, and targets?
Has the organization planned these activities, including maintenance, in order to ensure that they are carried out under specified conditions by: Establishing and maintaining documented procedures to cover situations where their absence could lead to deviations from the environmental policy and the objectives and targets? Stipulating operation criteria in the procedures? Establishing and maintaining procedures related to the identifiable significant environmental aspects of goods and services used by the organization and communicating relevant procedure and requirements to suppliers and contractors?
4.4.7 Emergency preparedness and response
Has the organization established and maintained procedures to identify potential for and respond to accidents and emergency situations, and for preventing and mitigating the environmental impacts that may be associated with them?
Has the organization reviewed and revised, where necessary, its emergency preparedness and response procedure, in particular, after the occurrence of accidents or emergency situations?
Has the organization periodically tested such procedures where practicable?
4.5 Checking and Corrective Action
4.5.1 Monitoring and measurement
Has the organization established and maintained documented procedures to monitor and measure, on a regular basis, the key characteristics of its operations and activities that can have a significant impact on the environment?
Does the monitoring and measurement include the recording of information to track performance, relevant operational controls and conformance with the organization’s environmental objectives and targets?
Does the organization calibrate equipment and maintain records according to the organization’s procedures?
Has the organization established and maintained a documented procedure for periodically evaluating compliance with relevant environmental legislation and regulations?
4.5.2 Nonconformance and corrective and preventive action
Has the organization established and maintained procedures for defining responsibility and authority for handling and investigating non conformance, taking action to mitigate any impacts caused, and for initiating and completing corrective and preventive action?
When corrective and preventive actions are taken to eliminate the causes of actual and potential non conformances, are they appropriate to the magnitude or problems and commensurate with the environmental impact encountered?
Has the organization implemented and recorded any changes in the documented procedures resulting from corrective and preventive action?
4.5.3 Records
Has the organization established and maintained procedures for the identification, maintenance, and disposition of environmental records, including: Training records? The results of audits (EMS audits)? The results of reviews (Management Reviews)?
Are the organization’s records legible, identifiable, and traceable to the activity, product, or service involved?
Are the environmental records stored and maintained in such a way that they are readily retrievable and protected against damage, deterioration, or loss?
Are the retention times for records established and recorded?
Are records maintained, as appropriate to the system and to the organization, to demonstrated conformance to the requirements of this International Standard?
4.5.4 Environmental management system audit
Has the organization established and maintained program(s) and procedure(s) for periodic environmental management system audits to be carried out in order to: -Determine whether or not the environmental management system conforms to planned arrangements for environmental management including the requirements of this International ---Standard and has been properly implemented and maintained? Provide information on the results of audits to management?
Is the organization’s audit program, including any schedule, based on the environmental importance of the activity concerned and the results of previous audits?
Do the audit procedure cover the audit scope, frequency, and methodologies, as well as the responsibilities and requirements for conducting audits and reporting results?
4.6 Management Review
Does the organization’s top management, at intervals it determines, review the environmental management system to ensure its continuing suitability and effectiveness?
Does the management review process ensure that the necessary information is collected to allow management to carry out this evaluation?
Are the management reviews documented?
Does each management review address the possible need for changes to policy, objectives, and other elements of the environmental management system, in the light of: Environment management system audit results? Changing circumstances? The commitment to continual improvement?
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Frequently asked questions

How should I use this ISO 14001 checklist for an internal audit?

Begin by familiarizing yourself with the checklist structure and ISO 14001 requirements. During the audit, work through each section methodically, gathering evidence for each requirement. Mark compliance status clearly, document findings with specific examples, and identify any non-conformities that require corrective action.

What evidence should I collect when completing this ISO 14001 checklist?

Collect documented procedures, records of monitoring activities, training logs, communication materials, and management review minutes. Also gather physical evidence through site observations, staff interviews, and system demonstrations. Focus on both the existence of documentation and evidence of implementation in practice.

What should I do if I find non-conformities when using this checklist?

Document each non-conformity with specific details about what was found, where, and how it fails to meet requirements. Analyze the root cause, develop a corrective action plan with clear responsibilities and timelines, and schedule follow-up verification to ensure effective implementation of the corrective actions.

Can I customize this ISO 14001 checklist for my organization?

Yes, adapt the checklist to reflect your organization’s scope, significant environmental aspects, and operational context. You can add industry-specific requirements, more detailed questions for high-risk areas, or incorporate your organization’s terminology while maintaining alignment with ISO 14001 requirements.

This template, developed by Lumiform employees, serves as a starting point for businesses using the Lumiform platform and is intended as a hypothetical example only. It does not replace professional advice. Companies should consult qualified professionals to assess the suitability and legality of using this template in their specific workplace or jurisdiction. Lumiform is not liable for any errors or omissions in this template or for any actions taken based on its content.