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ISO 14001
In brief
ISO 14001 is the international standard for environmental management systems. It defines how an organization systematically records its environmental impacts, sets objectives, complies with legal obligations and continually improves. An ISO 14001 certificate shows customers that a service provider does not leave environmental protection to chance – important, for example, when choosing an IT disposal company.
What does ISO 14001 regulate?
The standard follows the cycle "Plan, Do, Check, Act". A company identifies its environmental aspects, such as energy consumption, waste and emissions, assesses them and defines measures. This includes knowledge of all relevant environmental regulations, defined responsibilities, internal audits and a review by management. The life cycle perspective requires also considering upstream and downstream steps such as procurement and disposal.
A revised version, ISO 14001:2026, was published on April 15, 2026. Certificates under the previous 2015 version remain valid during a transition period of 36 months.
ISO 14001 compared
| Standard | Topic |
|---|---|
| ISO 9001 | Quality management |
| ISO 14001 | Environmental management |
| ISO 45001 | Occupational health and safety management |
| ISO/IEC 27001 | Information security management |
All four standards have a similar basic structure and can be combined into an integrated management system. How certificates are reviewed on an ongoing basis is explained in the entry Surveillance audit and recertification.
ISO 14001 at Second IT
Second IT is certified to ISO 14001, and also to ISO 9001, ISO 45001 and ISO/IEC 27001. For customers this means, among other things, documented, environmentally sound processes for disposal and recycling as well as proof for their own ESG reporting. More on IT disposal with proof.
Frequently asked questions about ISO 14001
Is ISO 14001 mandatory?
No, certification is voluntary. Many customers and public contracting authorities do require it from suppliers, however, especially in environmentally relevant areas such as disposal and recycling.
How long is an ISO 14001 certificate valid?
Usually three years. During this time annual surveillance audits take place, followed by a recertification.
What does ISO 14001 have to do with ESG reporting?
An environmental management system supplies structured data on waste, energy and emissions. This data feeds into sustainability reports, including the information on the supply chain.
What is the difference between ISO 14001 and ISO 9001?
ISO 14001 governs environmental management, ISO 9001 quality management. Both standards have a similar basic structure and can be combined with further standards such as ISO 45001 and ISO/IEC 27001 into an integrated management system.
Does an ISO 14001 certificate under the 2015 version remain valid?
Yes, for a transition period. The revised version ISO 14001:2026 was published on April 15, 2026. Certificates under the previous 2015 version remain valid for 36 months. During this time companies switch to the new version.
Certified processes for disposal, recycling and reuse.
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