Comparing ISO 14001 and ISO 9001: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses

Comparing ISO 14001 and ISO 9001: A Comprehensive Guide for Businesses
4 min read

The International Standard Organization (ISO) has always created standards that have produced common expectations across industries, organizations, and governments. These entities seek ISO certifications because they want international recognition and a significant boost to their credibility. The most popular standard is ISO 9001, closely followed by ISO 14001. As two of the most notable standards from ISO, it makes sense to compare these standards and see how they match up against each other. We'll start by defining them.

ISO 9001

This international standard specifies the requirements for a Quality Management System. The International Standard Organization introduced it in 1987 and, over the years, revised it multiple times. ISO 9001 is currently in its fourth version. It's a prevalent tool among companies who want to enhance their customer appeal and improve their day-to-day operations. To earn this ISO 9001 certification in Australia, the organization needs to execute this standard and set up an ISO quality management system.

Since it’s a different area of specialization, the company may need ISO consulting services to make the process easier. You may wonder what the big deal about ISO 9001 is. To answer that this standard helps increase customer satisfaction and operational efficiency. This generally improves the organization and its bottom line.

ISO 14001

On the other hand, this is an international standard that outlines the criteria for an Environment Management System. So when a company has ISO 14001 Certification, they have efficiently managed their environmental responsibilities or enhanced their environmental performance. The framework for this standard is Plan-Do-Check-Act. Similar to ISO 9001, the execution of the ISO 14001 standard yields many benefits for the company.

The Key Similarities Between ISO 14001 and ISO 9001

Naturally, these international standards share common grounds. Let’s find out what they are:

  • ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 use similar terms and follow an identical structure. For that reason, it's accessible for companies that are seeking certifications for both standards to implement them simultaneously.
  • They require documented information for procedures, policies, objectives, etc.
  • They outline the approach that companies should adopt to identify and address threats and opportunities.
  • They specify what companies should track and report on. This improves the organization's performance evaluation.
  • They emphasize and enable continual improvement of the management systems
  • These standards involve third-party auditing and certification.

How are ISO 14001 and ISO 9001 Different?

  • Scope: ISO 14001 targets environmental management, while ISO 9001 focuses on quality management.
  • Policy: When it comes to ISO 14001, the company’s management must define the environmental policy. On the flip side, the quality policy is more integrated in ISO 9001.
  • Approach: ISO 14001 is all about proactively preventing environmental issues, while ISO 9001 entails the quality requirements of your customers.
  • Performance Evaluation: While both standards have this as a similarity, they go about it differently. ISO 14001 emphasizes the need to supervise operational controls and evaluate compliance obligations. On the other hand, ISO 9001 approaches performance evaluation via customer feedback, quality objectives, and process performance.
  • Requirements: ISO 14001 outlines requirements for an organization's environmental aspects, lifestyle perspectives, risks, etc. However, ISO 9001 targets the design and development of the company's products.

As we mentioned earlier, these requirements can be a handful, especially if you're not well-versed in it. Whether your goal is to acquire ISO 14001 Certification Australia or get the best ISO consulting services, ISO R US is the go-to destination for you. We’re a full-suite ISO consultancy company in Australia.

With our personalized approach, expertise, and transparent communication, your business will get an easy path to ISO certification. What are you waiting for? Book an appointment with us today, and let's discuss how we can improve your business's environment or quality management systems.

In case you have found a mistake in the text, please send a message to the author by selecting the mistake and pressing Ctrl-Enter.
ISO R US 2
ISO R US is a trusted ISO 9001 consultant. We provide expert guidance & support to help your business to achieve ISO 9001 certification in Australia.
Comments (0)

    No comments yet

You must be logged in to comment.

Sign In / Sign Up