5468_14001pitfalls_0206.qxd 5/6/06 9:36 AM Page 22
THE ROUTE TO 14001:2004 THE ROUTE TO 14001:2004
Avoiding the Pitfalls Avoiding the Pitfalls
KEY REQUIREMENTS COMMON PITFALLS
The Standard requires that: a73 Too few or too many Objectives. (There need to be
sufficient for the EMS to be delivering real improvements,
a73 Objectives are: established, maintained, documented, and
but not somany that efforts are too diffused.)
at each relevant function and level in the organisation.
a73 Not set up at each relevant function and level, eg the
a73 You consider legal and other requirements, significant
objectives are not being applied to each factory in a
aspects, financial, technical, operational and business
group with the excuse that continual improvement is
issues as well as the views of interested parties when
being delivered by the other parts of the group.
formulating objectives.
a73 Objectives and Targets without enough dimensions to
A robust system for deciding the significance of Aspects should
make them measurable - as a minimum the target
help to ensure that many of these subsidiary issues are included
finish date should be stated.
in the objective and target-setting process.
a73 Objectives which do not clearly lead to improvement -
Typically the following considerations are made: eg a consultancy whose business was to help improve
the environmental performance of their clients decided
LEGAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
that their main environmental objective would be ‘to
These should have been used as part of the significance
have more clients’. This clearly needs further measures
evaluation process, but you must also ensure that prescribed
added to enable monitoring of relevant improvements -
improvements, eg those required by a site authorisation or
measures related to the actual improvements achieved
perhaps by corporate or your own Policy, are reflected.
for the clients as well as how many clients were serviced.
SIGNIFICANT ASPECTS
OBJECTIVES AND TARGETS a19 OR ✘ COMMENT/PLAN
Setting Objectives and Targets should reflect the aspects which
Is there a process for selecting and
were rated as ‘significant’. documenting the Objectives and Targets?
This does not mean that every significant aspect must have
Why were these particular Objectives
and Targets chosen?
a consequent Objective. But at the very least, significant
aspects should be taken into account in the process for
Are there records to show how the
Objectives and Targets were selected?
setting Objectives.
Are there links to:
FINANCIAL, TECHNICAL, OPERATIONAL AND
a73 significant aspects
a73 policy
BUSINESS ISSUES
a73 legal and other requirements
Means that objectives and targets should be realistic and
a73 the views of interested parties?
appropriate to your business. Are they:
a73 specific?
VIEWS OF INTERESTED PARTIES
a73 measurable
a73 achievable?
May already be a part of the significance evaluation process, but a73 realistic?
could also be corporate Policy, industry codes, or international
a73 timed?
concerns like global warming. Are they subject to review and
document control disciplines?
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