EPS 6.1-01 Environmental Aspects Determination and Evaluation

Determine, Evaluate and Reduce Your Significant Environmental Aspects

Clause 6.1.2 of ISO 14001:2026 requires you to determine the environmental aspects of your activities, products and services that you can control and those that you can influence, and their associated environmental impacts, and to identify which of them are significant. Auditors expect to see a consistent method behind your aspects register, not just a list. EPS 6.1-01 gives you that method as a repeatable cycle run by a permanent Environmental Aspects Working Group:

• Determination: list every aspect of each EMS process in the Environmental Aspects Register. Cover direct and indirect aspects, positive and negative impacts, and start-up, shutdown, maintenance and emergency conditions.
• Evaluation: score each aspect's risk level (Ra) from two components: the risk of environmental impact (Re = Se × O) and the risk of not meeting mandatory obligations (Ro = So × O). Example 5-point scales and probability values are provided.
• Significance: aspects above the acceptable risk level (Ram) become significant environmental aspects (SEAs). They are highlighted in the register and approved by the Environmental Manager.
• Treatment: plan measures through environmental objectives or a Plan of Environmental Impact Minimization, and take account of project risks for large investments. Measure effectiveness as the average reduction in the risk level of the significant aspects.

The procedure also defines responsibilities for Top Management, the Environmental Manager, Process Owners and the Working Group. It covers communication of significant aspects to employees, contractors and stakeholders, unscheduled reviews (new equipment, legal changes, incidents, organizational change), annual reporting to Top Management, and process criteria and key risks. Risks of the process itself are addressed through 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: manufacturers, construction and engineering firms, logistics and service providers, and offices with indirect aspects. It also suits organizations moving from ISO 14001:2015 that want an aspects method that is easy to defend to auditors. It is useful for environmental and HSE managers, management system consultants, and internal auditors who need a ready-made aspects register and evaluation method instead of starting from a blank page. It complements the ISO 14001:2026 EMS Manual Template.

Included in the Package

• Editable Microsoft Word — no special software
• 14 pages, including 2 ESF forms (Environmental Aspects Register + Plan of Environmental Impact Minimization)
• Instant download after purchase
• Free PDF sample available above
• Updated for the ISO 14001:2026 edition
• Single-organization use license

FAQ

What's new in the ISO 14001:2026 version of this procedure?

Changes in ISO 14001:2026: the procedure is rewritten for ISO 14001:2026 and the new Environmental Procedure Specification (EPS) format. It reflects the points the 2026 edition makes more explicit: a life cycle perspective when determining aspects, abnormal conditions and emergency situations as a required consideration, a clear link between environmental aspects, compliance obligations and risks, and climate change.

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

• a risk-level model (Ra = Re + Ro) that scores the risk of not meeting mandatory obligations alongside the environmental impact, with example scales
• a permanent Environmental Aspects Working Group for each EMS process
• a Plan of Environmental Impact Minimization for process-level measures
• a report to Top Management on the organization's impact on the environment and climate change, for decision-making
• an effectiveness measure: the average reduction in the risk level of significant aspects

What's included in the package?

One editable 14-page Word document that includes the full procedure and two annex forms: the Environmental Aspects Register (ESF 6.1-01-01) and the Plan of Environmental Impact Minimization (ESF 6.1-01-02).

How do you decide which aspects are significant?

Each aspect gets a risk level Ra = Re + Ro. Re is the risk of environmental impact (scale and severity × probability). Ro is the risk of not meeting compliance obligations (level of liability × probability). Aspects above the acceptable risk level (Ram), set by the Coordinating Council or the head of the organization, are significant. Example scales (1–5 for consequences, 0–1.00 for probability) are included.

How does this procedure relate to compliance obligations and risk management?

EPS 6.1-01 identifies and ranks aspects. The legal side of each aspect is captured through the "references to relevant laws and regulations" field of the register and the Ro component of the risk level. Risks of the process itself are addressed under QPS 6.1-01 Actions to Address 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, Deputy Process Owner), scoring scales and the acceptable risk level to fit your organization, and add your own examples to the register.

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