, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
Question 1
1. This section consists of 15 multiple-choice questions worth 2 marks each. Take time to read
the statements carefully and choose the correct answer.
1.1 D) Assess whether the organisation has considered risks and opportunities in a way that
integrates with its context and interested parties.
I chose D because Clause 6.1 of ISO 14001:2015 requires an organisation to determine risks and
opportunities related to its environmental aspects, compliance obligations, and other issues identified
in Clauses 4.1 and 4.2. An auditor should therefore evaluate whether the organisation's process for
identifying these risks and opportunities is integrated with its understanding of its context and the
needs of interested parties, rather than focusing solely on past audits, ignoring opportunities, or
limiting the scope to financial risks (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.2 A) Auditors verify that controls consider environmental aspects across the value chain,
from raw materials to end-of-life.
I chose A because Clause 8.1 of ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to establish operational
controls that take a life cycle perspective. This means auditors must verify that the organisation's
controls consider environmental aspects from raw material acquisition through to end-of-life disposal,
not just during manufacturing. A full LCA is not always required, the perspective is not optional, and
it applies to service organisations as well (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.3 H) B and E above.
I chose H because the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (South Africa, DEAT,
2004) lists types of environmental audits such as Environmental Management Audits, Waste Audits,
and Supplier Audits. Remote Audits (B) and ISO 9001 systems audits (E) are not listed as types of
environmental audits by DEAT, as ISO 9001 is a quality management standard and remote auditing
is a methodology rather than a type of environmental audit (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.4 C) Ensure all applicable legal, regulatory, and other requirements are determined,
including how they apply to environmental aspects.
I chose C because Clauses 4.2 and 6.1.3 of ISO 14001:2015 require an organisation to identify its
compliance obligations, which include legal requirements and other requirements to which it
subscribes. Auditors must verify that all applicable legal, regulatory, and other requirements are
determined and understood in relation to the organisation's environmental aspects. Voluntary
commitments cannot be overlooked, local regulations must be included, and self-declaration alone is
insufficient without evidence (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.5 C) The organisation identifies aspects under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions,
evaluating their significance using defined criteria.
I chose C because Clause 6.1.2 of ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to identify environmental
aspects and impacts under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions. The auditor must verify that
this identification process is comprehensive and that significance is evaluated using defined criteria.
Aspects cannot be limited to normal conditions only, significance evaluation is not optional, and
historical data should not be ignored (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
, 1.6 F) A, B and D above.
I chose F because continual improvement in ISO 14001:2015 refers to the improvement of the
environmental management system (EMS) to enhance environmental performance. This includes
improvements in monitoring, auditing, and environmental management performance. While the EMS
system (C) is improved, the standard specifically defines continual improvement as improving
performance, not just the system itself. Therefore, options A, B, and D are correct (Zoe-00000000,
2026).
1.7 B) Only relevant communication[s] from interested parties are considered during the
management review.
I chose B because a non-conformance may be issued when the organisation fails to meet a
requirement of ISO 14001:2015. Clause 9.3 requires management review to consider relevant
communications from interested parties. If only relevant communications are considered while
others are ignored, this could be a non-conformance. Options A and C are incorrect because the
emergency plan and scope must be available to relevant interested parties as appropriate, and option
D is incorrect because the environmental policy must be available to interested parties, not just
communicated internally (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.8 D) A planned program that considers environmental importance, changes, and previous
audit results, with objective and impartial auditors.
I chose D because Clause 9.2.2 of ISO 14001:2015 requires that the internal audit program be
planned, considering the environmental importance of processes, changes affecting the organisation,
and the results of previous audits. Auditors must be objective and impartial. Audits are not required
to be conducted by external consultants, are not limited to interviews, and results are not required to
be reported to government authorities (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.9 A) ISO 14001
I chose A because ISO 14001 is the only standard in the ISO 14000 family that contains
requirements against which an organisation can be certified by a third party. ISO 14004 provides
guidance, and ISO 14010 and ISO 14011 are guidance documents on auditing, not certification
standards (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.10 C) Changes in context, compliance status, audit results, risks/opportunities, and
performance against objectives.
I chose C because Clause 9.3 of ISO 14001:2015 specifies the inputs for management review, which
include changes in the organisation's context, compliance status, audit results, risks and opportunities,
and performance against environmental objectives. Financial performance, employee satisfaction
surveys, and legal registers alone are not the primary inputs required by the standard (Zoe-00000000,
2026).
Question 1
1. This section consists of 15 multiple-choice questions worth 2 marks each. Take time to read
the statements carefully and choose the correct answer.
1.1 D) Assess whether the organisation has considered risks and opportunities in a way that
integrates with its context and interested parties.
I chose D because Clause 6.1 of ISO 14001:2015 requires an organisation to determine risks and
opportunities related to its environmental aspects, compliance obligations, and other issues identified
in Clauses 4.1 and 4.2. An auditor should therefore evaluate whether the organisation's process for
identifying these risks and opportunities is integrated with its understanding of its context and the
needs of interested parties, rather than focusing solely on past audits, ignoring opportunities, or
limiting the scope to financial risks (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.2 A) Auditors verify that controls consider environmental aspects across the value chain,
from raw materials to end-of-life.
I chose A because Clause 8.1 of ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to establish operational
controls that take a life cycle perspective. This means auditors must verify that the organisation's
controls consider environmental aspects from raw material acquisition through to end-of-life disposal,
not just during manufacturing. A full LCA is not always required, the perspective is not optional, and
it applies to service organisations as well (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.3 H) B and E above.
I chose H because the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism (South Africa, DEAT,
2004) lists types of environmental audits such as Environmental Management Audits, Waste Audits,
and Supplier Audits. Remote Audits (B) and ISO 9001 systems audits (E) are not listed as types of
environmental audits by DEAT, as ISO 9001 is a quality management standard and remote auditing
is a methodology rather than a type of environmental audit (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.4 C) Ensure all applicable legal, regulatory, and other requirements are determined,
including how they apply to environmental aspects.
I chose C because Clauses 4.2 and 6.1.3 of ISO 14001:2015 require an organisation to identify its
compliance obligations, which include legal requirements and other requirements to which it
subscribes. Auditors must verify that all applicable legal, regulatory, and other requirements are
determined and understood in relation to the organisation's environmental aspects. Voluntary
commitments cannot be overlooked, local regulations must be included, and self-declaration alone is
insufficient without evidence (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.5 C) The organisation identifies aspects under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions,
evaluating their significance using defined criteria.
I chose C because Clause 6.1.2 of ISO 14001:2015 requires organisations to identify environmental
aspects and impacts under normal, abnormal, and emergency conditions. The auditor must verify that
this identification process is comprehensive and that significance is evaluated using defined criteria.
Aspects cannot be limited to normal conditions only, significance evaluation is not optional, and
historical data should not be ignored (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
, 1.6 F) A, B and D above.
I chose F because continual improvement in ISO 14001:2015 refers to the improvement of the
environmental management system (EMS) to enhance environmental performance. This includes
improvements in monitoring, auditing, and environmental management performance. While the EMS
system (C) is improved, the standard specifically defines continual improvement as improving
performance, not just the system itself. Therefore, options A, B, and D are correct (Zoe-00000000,
2026).
1.7 B) Only relevant communication[s] from interested parties are considered during the
management review.
I chose B because a non-conformance may be issued when the organisation fails to meet a
requirement of ISO 14001:2015. Clause 9.3 requires management review to consider relevant
communications from interested parties. If only relevant communications are considered while
others are ignored, this could be a non-conformance. Options A and C are incorrect because the
emergency plan and scope must be available to relevant interested parties as appropriate, and option
D is incorrect because the environmental policy must be available to interested parties, not just
communicated internally (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.8 D) A planned program that considers environmental importance, changes, and previous
audit results, with objective and impartial auditors.
I chose D because Clause 9.2.2 of ISO 14001:2015 requires that the internal audit program be
planned, considering the environmental importance of processes, changes affecting the organisation,
and the results of previous audits. Auditors must be objective and impartial. Audits are not required
to be conducted by external consultants, are not limited to interviews, and results are not required to
be reported to government authorities (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.9 A) ISO 14001
I chose A because ISO 14001 is the only standard in the ISO 14000 family that contains
requirements against which an organisation can be certified by a third party. ISO 14004 provides
guidance, and ISO 14010 and ISO 14011 are guidance documents on auditing, not certification
standards (Zoe-00000000, 2026).
1.10 C) Changes in context, compliance status, audit results, risks/opportunities, and
performance against objectives.
I chose C because Clause 9.3 of ISO 14001:2015 specifies the inputs for management review, which
include changes in the organisation's context, compliance status, audit results, risks and opportunities,
and performance against environmental objectives. Financial performance, employee satisfaction
surveys, and legal registers alone are not the primary inputs required by the standard (Zoe-00000000,
2026).
