ISO 14002-2:2023

Overview

ISO 14002-2:2023 - part of the ISO 14002 series - provides practical guidelines for integrating water-related environmental aspects into an ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS). It helps organizations address water quantity and quality issues (withdrawal, efficient use, discharge), prepare for water-related events (flooding, drought), and manage interconnections between water, ecosystems and other environmental media. The guidance is applicable to organizations of any size, sector or location and promotes a life cycle perspective and a holistic approach to water management.

Key topics and requirements

ISO 14002-2 follows the ISO 14001 structure and emphasizes practical steps an organization should take:

• Planning actions (Clause 4)
  • Conduct a water-related review and baseline assessment
  • Identify water-related environmental aspects, impacts, conditions, dependencies, risks and opportunities
  • Consider context factors (climate, geography, infrastructure, socio-economic) and manage change
• Taking action (Clause 5)
  • Set and implement environmental objectives related to water (availability, quality, ecosystem protection)
  • Establish support actions and operational controls, including life cycle considerations
  • Prepare for emergency situations (floods, droughts, contamination) and address unintended consequences
• Performance evaluation (Clause 6)
  • Monitor, measure and analyse water-related performance using appropriate indicators
  • Evaluate effectiveness of actions and compliance obligations
• Improvement (Clause 7)
  • Continual improvement of water management measures and outcomes

The standard includes illustrative case studies (paper mill in body; water utility, dairy cooperative, chemical facility in annexes) and clarifications on terminology.

Practical applications and users

ISO 14002-2 is designed for organizations that want to integrate water stewardship into their EMS and can be used to:

• Reduce water consumption and improve water efficiency
• Protect and restore aquatic ecosystems and ecosystem services
• Improve water quality management and wastewater controls
• Increase resilience to flooding, drought and changing water availability
• Meet legal permits, compliance obligations and corporate sustainability commitments (e.g., SDG 6 and SDG 14)

Typical users:

• EMS implementers and ISO 14001 auditors
• EHS, sustainability and water resource managers
• Utilities, manufacturing, agriculture, chemical and food sectors
• Procurement and supply‑chain teams applying a life cycle perspective

Related standards

• ISO 14001 - Environmental management systems (framework for EMS)
• ISO 14002-1 - General guidance for using ISO 14001 on environmental topic areas
• Other parts of the ISO 14002 series for topic‑specific guidance

Keywords: ISO 14002-2, ISO 14001, environmental management systems, water management, water-related risks, water quality, water quantity, life cycle perspective, aquatic ecosystems, water stewardship.