Life Cycle Perspective in relation to ISO 14001 : 2015 and associated impacts of Design For Environment (DFE) and Sustainable development

Abstract: ISO 14001:2015 is a certifiable environmental management standard applicable to any enterprise, large or small, in all fields of manufacturing or trades and services. It is the updated version of the previous ISO 14001:2004 standard. The updated standard contains a new High Level Framework which is expected to be used in the future by all ISO management system standards. ISO 14001:2015 sets out to implement methodologies such as the environmental management system and prescribes certification criteria including environmental policy and goals, important environmental issues, pollution reduction and continuous improvement of environmental efficiency. This report starts by looking into the documentation regarding life cycle perspective in the context of the ISO 14001:2015 standard. The revised model adopts a holistic approach across the value chain and encourages companies to accept a "life cycle perspective" with regard to the product and service design and development process. The methodology of life-cycle assessment (LCA) is also explored. The report goes on to examine another important aspect in environmental management which is the concept of Design For Environment (DFE). More specifically it is examined whether adhering to DFE principles can also help companies to adapt to the ISO 14001:2015 requirements. The concept of sustainable development in the context of ISO 14001 was given due precedence and it was found that ISO certified organizations will have an implicit awareness of sustainability because of the way ISO 14001 is structured. Corporate sustainability strategies were also discussed and this shed more light into how companies can