Planning

The planning stages includes :

• Identifying and analisying the organisation's current performance and requirements needs (the Initial Environment Review)
• Formulating and refining goals (the Environmental Policy)
• Setting key performance indicators (Objective and Targets weighing costs againts benefits)
• Reviewing and determining appropriate methods and options for delivery (Action and Milestones)

Initial Environmental Review (IER)

ISO14004

4.1.4 Initial Environmental Review

An organization with no existing environmental management system should assess its current position with regard to the environmental aspects of the organization's activities, products and services as a basis for establishing its environmental management system.

Organizations with an existing environmental management system may not need to undertake such a review, although such a review could assist them in improving their environmental management system.

The review should cover the following four keys areas:

1. identification of environmental aspects, including those associated with normal operating conditions, abnormal conditions including start-up and shut-down, and emergency situations and accidents;
2. identification of applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organizational subscribes;
3. examination of existing environmental management practices and procedures, including those associated with procurement and contracting activities;
4. Evaluation of previous emergency situations and accidents.

The review can also include additional considerations, such as

• an evaluation of performance compared with applicable internal criteria, external standards, regulations, codes of practice and sets of principles and guidelines,
• opportunities for competitive advantage, including cost reduction opportunities,
• the views of interested parties, and
• other organizational systems that can enable or impede environmental performance.

The result of the review can be used to assist the organization in setting the scope of its environmental management system, developing or enhancing its environmental policy, setting of its environmental objectives and targets, and determining the effectiveness of its approach to maintaining compliance with applicable legal requirements and other requirements to which the organizational subscribes.

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