How does certification according to ISO 14001 work?
In certification, an independent expert — the certification body — assesses whether the management system complies with a clearly defined standard. If that is indeed the case, a certificate is issued. The assessment is carried out on the basis of rules laid down in the ISO 14001 certification scheme. These have been approved by the Central Board of Experts (CCvD), in which all interested parties are represented.
Certification audit
A certification body (CB) issues a certificate when it has confidence that an organization complies with all requirements of the standard and can continue to do so. At least once a year, the CB checks whether the organization still complies with the standard. If not, the certificate may be withdrawn. A certificate is issued for three years. In the third year, a full reassessment takes place.
During the certification audit, the CB assesses whether all elements of the environmental management system have actually been implemented in accordance with the standard. It then checks whether the system also works in practice. During the certification audit, the auditor pays attention, among other things, to the assessment of the measurement and registration system, checking any exceedances, compliance with laws and regulations, and the operation of the process for taking corrective action.
Reassessment
If the certification audit has a positive outcome, a certificate is issued for a period of three years. During the following two years, there is a surveillance audit. In the third year, there is a reassessment in which the entire system is assessed again. This is further detailed in the certification scheme.