ISO 14001 is often seen as the corner stone standard of the ISO 14000 series. However, it is not only the most well known, but is the only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified by an external certification authority. Having stated this, it does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria.

This standard is applicable to any organization that wishes to:

	implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system
	assure itself of its conformance with its own stated environmental policy (those policy commitments of course must be made)
	demonstrate conformance
	ensure compliance with environmental laws and regulations
	seek certification of its environmental management system by an external third party organization
	make a self-determination of conformance