ISO14001 Registration - Should we register
How to select a registrar
What to expect
How to prepare
Suzanne W. Sessoms, PE
Excel Partnership
(910) 686-1475
Registration Process• Decide to Register• Select Registrar• Agree on Scope of Registration• Select Audit Team/Leader• Schedule Pre-assessment/Phase 1/ Phase 2 activities• Pre-assessment (optional)• Phase I - Document Review• Phase II - Interviews/Documentation-Records Review• Registration Decision• Follow-up• Surveillance• Re-registration
Decision to Register
• Internal Motivators– Better Compliance
Assurance
– Reduced Costs/Liabilities
– Pollution Prevention
• External Motivators– Customers
– Competitors
– Regulatory Flexibility
– Environmental Activist Groups
– Community
– Insurance/Banking
Criteria for Registrar Selection
• Accreditation Status/Industry Experience• Auditor Selection/Training Protocol• EMS/Registration Approach• Potential Conflicts of Interest/Integration Potential• Total Cost
Accreditation Status/Industry Experience
• Accreditation Status– US
– International
– Quality/Environmental
• Industry Experience– Customers
– Competitors
– Credibility
– Understand
Auditor Selection/Training Protocol
• Quality or Environmental Background• Formal Training• OJT• Audit Team Make-up• Audit Team Leader Selection
EMS/Registration Approach
• EMS Approach Consideration– Interpretation of
standard
– Non-prescriptive
– Focus on business needs
• Registration Approach Considerations– Well-defined system
– Customer/supplier relationship with registrar
– Total value
– Process to grant or withdraw registration
Potential Conflicts of Interest/Integration Potential
• Potential Conflicts of Interest– Training
– Consulting
– Competitors
– Customers
– Suppliers
• Integration Opportunities– Integrated audits
Total Cost
• Application fee• Preparation fees• Initial visit• Manual or document review• Pre-assessment audit• Registration assessment• Partial or full re-assessment• Surveillance audits
Prepare to be audited
• Agree on scope/timing
• Complete pre-audit questionnaire
• Phase I - Documentation Review/Site Tour– Prepare site/location/organization statistics
– Share EMS Description
– Summarize significant aspects
– Summarize regulatory requirements
• Phase II - Interviews/Document-Records Review– Prepare management team
– Ensure personnel are available
– Ensure documentation and records are readily available
Registration Decision/Options for Follow-up
• Recommend registration (after correcting minor non-conformances)
• Partial re-audit required (within 3 mos.)• Full re-audit required
Registration Maintenance
• Surveillance audits• Sampling plan for multiple sites• Use of internal auditors as part of
registration/surveillance audit team• Re-registration