{"id":2021,"date":"2014-10-01T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2014-10-01T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/multiacademstg.wpengine.com\/14001academy\/blog\/2014\/10\/01\/demystification-legal-requirements-iso-14001\/\/"},"modified":"2026-07-30T09:30:08","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T09:30:08","slug":"demystification-legal-requirements-iso-14001","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/advisera.com\/14001academy\/blog\/2014\/10\/01\/demystification-legal-requirements-iso-14001\/","title":{"rendered":"Demystification of legal requirements in ISO 14001"},"content":{"rendered":"

Updated on July 30, 2026, to reflect the 2026 revision of ISO 14001.<\/em><\/p>\n

Almost all organizations implementing ISO 14001<\/a> are<\/p>\n

aware that legal requirements are the foundation and basic requirements of ISO 14001. But, if you ask somebody to explain precisely what legal requirements compliance<\/em> means in the context of ISO 14001, you will receive very few answers.<\/p>\n

ISO 14001 is not very helpful, either \u2014 its clause 3 \u201cTerms and definitions\u201d has no definition for legal requirement compliance, and the requirements include these along with other requirements under the term \u201ccompliance obligations.\u201d Principles of Environmental Enforcement (Implementation and Enforcement of Environmental Law (IMPEL), 1992) have defined legal compliance as: \u201cFull implementation of applicable environmental legislation. Compliance occurs when requirements are met and desired changes are achieved.\u201d<\/p>\n

On the other hand, ISO 14001 does state that an organization is required to identify and have access to all applicable legal requirements related to its environmental aspects. These requirements must be taken into account when the organization establishes and maintains its Environmental Management System (EMS).<\/p>\n

Steps for compliance with legal requirements<\/h2>\n

So, let\u2019s see what legal requirement compliance<\/em> in ISO 14001 is all about.<\/p>\n

1. Environmental policy<\/strong><\/h3>\n

As mentioned above, compliance obligations are defined as legal and other requirements, which would have been identified in clause 4.2, Understanding the needs and expectations of interested parties. The Environmental Policy<\/a> should reflect the commitment of top management to comply with applicable legal requirements and other requirements, supported by adequate resources. This commitment is usually in the form of a simple statement, whereas the identification of those requirements is explained in the next section.<\/p>\n

Other requirements<\/em> are voluntary initiatives the organization chooses to comply with (e.g., UN Global Compact, a strategic policy initiative for businesses).<\/p>\n

2. Compliance obligations <\/strong>(6.1.3)<\/h3>\n

Clause 6.1.3 of ISO 14001 states that the organization should know applicable compliance obligations related to their activities and services.<\/p>\n

The organization may find environmental regulations on the websites of government agencies in charge of environmental protection, or on other specialized services. In a wide list of regulations, you should choose only those that are applicable to your business. (E.g., if you manage heating boiler power above 100kW, then you are subject to the measurement of emissions from stationary sources. Or here\u2019s another example related to water use: If you use water only for sanitary purposes, you don\u2019t need to have a water license.) Sometimes an organization will outsource these activities to external service providers.<\/p>\n

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