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Compare ISO 9001 to
ISO 14001

How does ISO 9001 compare to ISO 14001?

ISO 9001 is a Quality Management System (QMS) which gives organizations a systematic approach for meeting customer objectives and providing consistent quality.

ISO 14001 is an Environmental Management System (EMS) which gives organizations a systematic approach for measuring and improving their environmental impact.

ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 share a similar Plan-Do-Check-Act structure and have many similarities, but they do not directly align clause for clause. See below for a breakdown of similarities and differences.

We also have products available to take the guesswork out of combining standards, no matter which stage of QMS and/or EMS development your organization may be in:

  • Complete EMS-QMS Solution – for those who want to implement both at the same time
  • Add on an EMS – a specially configured EMS to add to their existing ISO 9001 based QMS (ISO 9001, ISO 13485, AS9100, etc.)
  • Complete EMS – a full and separate ISO 14001 EMS for those companies who do NOT want a combined EMS-QMS
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Learn More:  What is ISO 9001?
Learn More:  What is ISO 14001?
Learn More:  Plan-Do-Check-Act

Common Requirements of
ISO 9001 and ISO 14001

ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 similarities are highlighted in red in the comparison chart (below):

  • Documented Systems (manual and procedures) on how you plan to achieve improvement
  • Control Documents and Records, etc.
  • Training
  • Internal Auditing
  • Corrective/Preventive action
  • management review

ISO 9001 to ISO 14001 share several requirements and the goal of continual improvement, but also differ in their approach and degree of prescription. Review “Combine ISO 9001-14001” to view the common clauses.

Differences between ISO 9001 and ISO 14001

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ISO 9001 to 14001 Comparison

Compare ISO 9001 - ISO 14001 PDF

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  • Clause Structure (see 9001-14001 comparison chart below)
  • Environmental planning is more entailed than quality planning
  • Compliance with local/state/provincial/federal requirements (EPA in the US)
  • Objectives & Targets as part of environmental management
  • Emergency preparedness and response.
  • Management‘s responsibilities are more extensive under ISO 14001
  • Environmental policy
  • Environmental aspects
  • Establishment of an external communication procedure

ISO 14001 is less prescriptive: There is no set “benchmark” to rate the performance of your organization against others.

  • Customers have specific requirements for your product or service, so ISO 9001 helps you improve results against their expectations.
  • However, every organization impacts the environment differently, so ISO 14001 does not have a “level” you must meet. You can only measure your environmental impact as a snapshot on a given day, then improve it from there.

One important difference between ISO 14001 and other ISO standards is that an organization can self-declare their compliance. Learn More…

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Comparison Chart

ISO 9001:2015

ISO 14001:2015

0.1 General 0.1 Background
0.2 Quality management principles 0.2 Aim of an environmental management system
0.3 Process approach 0.3 Success factors
0.3.1 General 0.4 Plan-Do-Check-Act model
0.3.2 Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle 0.5 Contents of this international standard
0.3.3 Risk-based thinking
0.4 Relationship with other management standards
1 Scope 1 Scope
2 Normative references 2 Normative references
3 Terms and definitions 3 Terms and definitions
4 Context of the organization 4 Context of the organization
4.1 Understanding the organization and its context 4.1 Understanding the organization and its context
4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties 4.2 Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties
4.3 Determining the scope of the quality management system 4.3 Determining the scope of the environmental management system
4.4 Quality management system and its processes 4.4 Environmental management system
4.4.1 .. Establish, implement, maintain and continually improve ..
4.4.2 .. Maintain documented information ..
5 Leadership 5 Leadership
5.1 Leadership and commitment 5.1 Leadership and commitment
5.1.1 General
5.1.2 Customer focus
5.2 Policy 5.2 Environmental policy
5.2.1 Establishing the quality policy
5.2.2 Communicating the quality policy
5.3 Organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities 5.3 Organizational roles, responsibilities and authorities
6 Planning 6 Planning
6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities 6.1 Actions to address risks and opportunities
6.1.1 .. Consider issues of 4.1 and requirements of 4.2 .. 6.1.1 General
6.1.2 .. Actions to address risks and opportunities 6.1.2 Environmental aspects
6.1.3 Compliance obligations
6.1.4 Planning action
6.2 Quality objectives and planning to achieve them 6.2 Environmental objectives and planning to achieve them
6.2.1 .. Quality objectives at relevant functions .. 6.2.1 Environmental objectives
6.2.2 .. Determine what, who, when, how .. 6.2.2 Planning actions to achieve environmental objectives
6.3 Planning of changes
7 Support 7 Support
7.1 Resources 7.1 Resources
7.1.1 General
7.1.2 People
7.1.3 Infrastructure
7.1.4 Environment for the operation of processes
7.1.5 Monitoring and measuring resources * 9.1.1 Operational control – Monitoring, measuring equipment
7.1.5.1 General
7.1.5.2 Measurement traceability
7.1.6 Organizational knowledge
7.2 Competence 7.2 Competence
7.3 Awareness 7.3 Awareness
7.4 Communication 7.4 Communication
7.4.1 General
7.4.2 Internal communication
7.4.3 External communication
7.5 Documented information 7.5 Documented information
7.5.1 General 7.5.1 General
7.5.2 Creating and updating 7.5.2 Creating and updating
7.5.3 Control of documented information 7.5.3 Control of documented information
7.5.3.1 .. Documented information controlled ..
7.5.3.2 .. Activities for control of information ..
8 Operation 8 Operation
8.1 Operational planning and control 8.1 Operational planning and control
8.2 Requirements for products and services 8.2 Emergency preparedness and response
8.2.1 Customer communication
8.2.2 Determining the requirements for products and services
8.2.3 Review of the requirements for products and services
8.2.3.1 .. Ensure ability to meet requirements ..
8.2.3.2 .. Retain documented information ..
8.2.4 Changes to requirements for products and services
8.3 Design and development of products and services *8.1 Operational control – Design and development
8.3.1 General
8.3.2 Design and development planning
8.3.3 Design and development inputs
8.3.4 Design and development controls
8.3.5 Design and development outputs
8.3.6 Design and development changes
8.4 Control of externally provided processes, products and services *8.1 Operational control- External providers
8.4.1 General
8.4.2 Type and extent of control
8.4.3 Information for external providers
8.5 Production and service provision
8.5.1 Control of production and service provision *8.1 Operational control-Provision of production and service
8.5.2 Identification and traceability
8.5.3 Property belonging to customers or external providers
8.5.4 Preservation
8.5.5 Post-delivery activities *8.1 Operational control – Delivery and post delivery
8.5.6 Control of changes
8.6 Release of products and services
8.7 Control of nonconforming outputs
9 Performance evaluation 9 Performance evaluation
9.1 Monitoring measurement, analysis and evaluation 9.1 Monitoring measurement, analysis and evaluation
9.1.1 General 9.1.1 General
9.1.2 Customer satisfaction
9.1.3 Analysis and evaluation 9.1.2 Evaluation of compliance
9.2 Internal audit 9.2 Internal audit
9.2.1 .. Conduct internal audits at planned intervals .. 9.2.1 General
9.2.2 .. Plan, establish, implement and maintain audit program .. 9.2.2 Internal audit program
9.3 Management review 9.3 Management review
9.3.1 General
9.3.2 Management review inputs
9.3.3 Management review outputs
10 Improvement 10 Improvement
10.1 General 10.1 General
10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action 10.2 Nonconformity and corrective action
10.2.1 .. When a nonconformity occurs ..
10.2.2 .. Retain documented information ..
10.3 Continual improvement 10.3 Continual improvement