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
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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- Clause Structure (see 9001-14001 comparison chart below)
- ISO 9001: Sections 1-10 (see complete ISO 9001 requirements)
- ISO 14001: Sections 1-10 (see complete ISO 14001 requirements)
- 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 |