FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 2005-05-12

Countdown to the ISO 14001:2004 Transition Deadline

OTTAWA – The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) would like to remind all organizations currently holding accredited certificates to the 1996 version of ISO 14001 that they have until May 15, 2006 to upgrade their registrations to the latest version of the standard.  After this date, only those certificates that state conformity to ISO 14001:2004 will be considered valid.

ISO 14001:2004 was published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) on November 15, 2004.  To coincide with the release of the updated Environmental Management Systems (EMS) standard, ISO and the International Accreditation Forum (IAF) introduced an 18-month transition period.  The plan was divided into two phases, the first of which was intended to allow for preparation time.  During this stage, assessments could be carried out to either the old or the new versions of the standard.  May 15, 2005, marks the beginning of the second phase of the transition period, whereby organizations seeking accreditation or re-accreditation must be assessed to the revised version.

"We encourage organizations to commence the transition at the earliest opportunity," said Stephen Cross, Manager, Certification and Management Systems. "An earlier start will facilitate the scheduling of resources and allow enough time for any non-conformances to be corrected."

ISO 14001, which specifies the requirements for an environmental management system, is intended to apply to all types and sizes of organizations. The newest edition of the standard, ISO 14001:2004, is designed to be less complex than its predecessor and is written in an easy-to-understand manner. The document is also more compatible with the Quality Management System standard, ISO 9001:2000. This increased compatibility makes it easier for organizations wishing to incorporate both the Quality and Environmental Management System standards.

The Standards Council of Canada is a Crown corporation with the mandate to promote efficient and effective use of voluntary standardization and is Canada's representative to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). The SCC's accreditation program for EMS ensures registrars have demonstrated their competence to evaluate environmental management systems, and that they have the capabilities, resources and organizational structure required to offer high-quality service to their clients. For more information on the Standards Council's accreditation programs visit www.scc.ca, or contact the Standards Council's Conformity Assessment Branch via e-mail at [email protected].

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