The Victorian Wine Industry Association (VWIA) Environmental Management Kit is not designed to be fully compliant with the international standard for environmental management, ISO 14001.
If your winery wishes to seek certification to ISO 14001, then the information below may be helpful. It lists and briefly describes the 16 elements of an ISO 14001 compliant EMS. If implementing an EMS to the ISO 14001 standard, some advice from an environmental management consultant is recommended.
The following diagram shows the elements of the ISO 14001 standard. Below the diagram is a brief description of each of the elements and an indication of the extent to which this kit meets the requirements.
Environment Policy
The environment policy is a statement of the organisation's intentions and principles for environmental performance. The
Set Environment Policy stage of the EMS module includes some of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Environmental Aspects and Impacts
This element involves the identification of an organisation's environmental aspects and environmental impacts, and determination of their relative significance. The Identify Environmental Effects stage of the EMS module includes most of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Legal Obligations
ISO 14001 requires that an organisation know its environmental legal obligations and be complying (or working towards compliance) with these obligations. The purpose of this element is to maintain an up-to-date list of the organisation's environmental legal and other obligations. The Register of Environmental Effects (see Identify Environmental Effects stage of the EMS module) contains links to legal obligations (as of January 2006) which affect wineries. ISO 14001 requires that these obligations be regularly updated.
Objectives and Targets
Environmental objectives and targets are specific performance standards which the organisation sets to achieve now and in the future. The EMS module and the Cleaner Production module include some of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Environmental Improvement Programs
Environmental improvement programs are developed to achieve the improvement objectives and targets set by the organisation. Both modules include some of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Roles and Responsibilities
Definition of roles, and the responsibilities, authorities and competences required for each role, needs to be formally defined in an ISO 14001 compliant system. This is done informally in this kit.
Training and Competence
To fulfill their responsibilities within the EMS, each staff member must be competent in their role. ISO 14001 requires this be achieved by formally identifying training needs, carrying out training or coaching, (where appropriate) testing competence after training and generating auditable records of all these activities. The Train Staff stage of the EMS module includes some of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Communication
Communication between those in environmental management roles, other staff, and external interested parties is important in the EMS, and also encourages participation and environmental awareness. This is done informally in this kit (ISO 14001 requires formal a procedure defining how such communications are to be carried out).
Operational Control
Environmental operational control is the control of environmental aspects that may have a significant environmental impact. Operational controls (for example containment measures, work instructions and/or training) should reduce the risk of environmental impacts and the risk of noncompliance with legal obligations. The Control Environmental Effects stage of the EMS module includes many of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Monitoring
Monitoring, measurement and recording of operations that have (or could have) a significant environmental impact is essential for sound environmental management. The Check Environmental Performance stage of the EMS module includes some of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
Emergency Response
This element assists in identification of potential incidents and emergency situations, and addresses prevention or mitigation of any environmental impacts associated with them. The EMS module does not include consideration of emergency response.
Document Control
Documentation, mainly in the form of procedures and work instructions, is essential for achieving consistently good environmental performance. Document control is necessary to ensure only current authorised documents are used, and that these documents are readily available to all staff who need to use them. Document control is done informally in this kit.
Records
All effective systems rely on the creation, retention and ready availability of records. They are essential in auditing and demonstrating compliance with legal obligations and due diligence, and help to avoid duplication of work in development projects and facilitate management reporting. Management of records is done informally in this kit.
Audit
Audits are used to measure, for example, the extent to which the EMS is operating properly, or whether the organisation is meeting its environmental legal obligations. Auditing is not formally addressed in the kit.
Nonconformance and Corrective Action
A formal process for capturing nonconformances, devising corrective actions and ensuring they are implemented is required by ISO 14001. This is done informally in the kit via the
Review stage.
Management Review
Senior management must periodically review the EMS to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. Management reviews are an essential link in the due diligence process. The Review stage of the EMS module includes many of the ISO 14001 requirements for this element.
