EPS 6.1-02 Compliance Obligations Determination

Know, Apply and Evaluate Your Environmental Compliance Obligations

ISO 14001:2026 requires you to determine and have access to the compliance obligations related to your environmental aspects, to determine how they apply to your organization, to take them into account across the EMS, and to evaluate whether you are fulfilling them. Certification auditors almost always check the legal register and look for evidence that it is up to date and used. EPS 6.1-02 turns these requirements into one defined process with clear owners:

• Identification: the Legal Department tracks laws and regulations (legal collections, government publications, official websites, legislation databases). The Environmental Manager, with the environmental protection specialists, determines which ones apply to the organization's environmental aspects.
• Registration: the Environmental Manager prepares the Compliance Obligations Register and the Chief Executive Officer approves it. The register is reviewed every year by December 20, issued for the following year by December 25, and updated within two weeks of any regulatory change.
• Application: Deputy Process Owners make sure employees know the obligations for their jobs, workplaces, products and services, record their acknowledgement, and arrange training. Process specifications are updated for air emissions, water use and discharges, and solid waste, including the required permits.
• Evaluation: compliance is checked during annual internal EMS audits, during inspections at least twice a month, and continuously by Deputy Process Owners. The checks apply the "polluter pays" principle, and waste contractors must be auditable, not just licensed.

The procedure also sets process criteria (effectiveness scored by Top Management on a 10-point scale, taking account of penalties and audit nonconformities) and lists the key process risks. It works alongside EPS 6.1-01 Environmental Aspects Determination and Evaluation and QPS 6.1-01 Actions to Address Risks.

Who Needs This Procedure

Any organization implementing, maintaining or transitioning an environmental management system to ISO 14001:2026, especially those with emission, water-use or waste permits to manage. It also suits organizations moving from ISO 14001:2015 that need a legal register with clear ownership, review dates and evidence of compliance evaluation. It is useful for environmental and HSE managers, legal and compliance staff, management system consultants and internal auditors. It complements the ISO 14001:2026 EMS Manual Template.

Included in the Package

• Editable Microsoft Word — no special software
• 7 pages, including 1 ESF form (Compliance Obligations Register)
• Instant download after purchase
• Free PDF sample available above
• Written for the ISO 14001:2026 edition
• Single-organization use license

FAQ

What does ISO 14001:2026 require, and what does this procedure add?

ISO 14001:2026 requirements: determine and have access to the compliance obligations related to your environmental aspects, determine how they apply to your organization, take them into account in your environmental management system, and evaluate whether you fulfil them. The procedure is written for ISO 14001:2026 and the new Environmental Procedure Specification (EPS) format, and it reflects the close link the 2026 edition draws between environmental aspects, compliance obligations and risks.

What we added to this template (good practice, not ISO requirements):

• a Compliance Obligations Register with named owners, grouped into general, air, water, solid waste, and permits and limits sections
• fixed annual review dates and an unscheduled update within two weeks of any regulatory change
• recorded employee acknowledgement of the register
• three levels of compliance checks: annual internal EMS audits, inspections at least twice a month, and day-to-day process control
• process criteria that take account of penalties and audit findings

What's included in the package?

One editable 7-page Word document that includes the full procedure and the Compliance Obligations Register form (ESF 6.1-02-01).

Does it include a list of laws for my country?

No. Legal requirements differ by country, region and industry, so the register is a structured template. The procedure tells you how to find, select, approve and maintain the requirements that apply to you, and the register is grouped into general, air, water, solid waste, and permits and limits sections ready for your entries.

How does this procedure relate to environmental aspects and risk management?

EPS 6.1-02 determines the obligations that apply to your environmental aspects. EPS 6.1-01 Environmental Aspects Determination and Evaluation uses them to score the risk of not meeting mandatory obligations. QPS 6.1-01 Actions to Address Risks covers the actions on risks.

Can I customize it?

Yes. The document is fully editable in MS Word. Replace "Your Company Name", adjust job titles (e.g., Environmental Manager, Legal Department, Deputy Process Owner), review dates, inspection frequency and register sections to fit your organization.

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