Targets and Objectives - How to Measure Targets and Objectives

I am pretty new to ISO 14001 and am going over the targets and objectives.
Where the standard asks if they are measureable, what exactly does that mean? My company has been using internal audits and management reviews as the answer.

Re: Targets and Objectives - How to Measure Them

kpage said:

I am pretty new to ISO 14001 and am going over the targets and objectives.
Where the standard asks if they are measureable, what exactly does that mean? My company has been using internal audits and management reviews as the answer.

Click to expand...

kpage - I have moved your post into its own thread as it has it little to do with the subject in the thread where you originally posted it.

Welcome to the world of ISO 14001...is your Organization planning on providing you training on this very subject? Hopefully so...this way, you'll be able to gain answers to many of your questions.

Have you also tried using the Search function (upper right) here in the Cove? We've had many discussions on this matter before, I'm certain. As well, scroll to the bottom of this thread - there are some related threads listed there.

At the end of the day however, measurable objectives and targets means that you must have some means of determining whether or not you actually achieved what you set out to do.

Think of the Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle...

Plan - Set Objectives and Targets and the necessary resources (5W1H) to achieve them.

Do - Carry out the 5W1H - who, what, when, where, why, how in case you were wondering.

Check - Enter in results. Are you meeting the objectives and targets?

Act - If you meeting planned results, carry on. If you are not, replan your strategy, resources, direction, etc.

That was a very simple answer. Hopefully, when you go on a course to learn more about ISO 14001, your question will be answered in better detail...although, I'm certain the Cove members will add more responses here.

kpage said:

I am pretty new to ISO 14001 and am going over the targets and objectives.
Where the standard asks if they are measureable, what exactly does that mean? My company has been using internal audits and management reviews as the answer.

Click to expand...

How do you measure the success of anything you do? If your company measures success by dollars saved per unit produced, then that is one way you measure against your target.

The way I have always done targets is by selecting ones I can accurately measure, and basing what I want my target to be off of what I can measure. If I can't accurately measure an objective, then I can't manage it as a target.

kpage said:

I am pretty new to ISO 14001 and am going over the targets and objectives.
Where the standard asks if they are measureable, what exactly does that mean? My company has been using internal audits and management reviews as the answer.

Click to expand...

The standard doesn't ask if they're measurable, it says they must be measured when it is practicle to do so and for procedures on how this will be accomplished must be established when they are measured (4.3.3 & 4.5.1)

One way of setting quantifiable targets and objectives is to:

1. Decide what to measure (this isn't necessarily easy, and I'll leave that to other discussions - I have a few presentations on the topic myself).

2. Put the measurements on a control chart (Statistical Process Control).

3. Determine if the past performance is stable and predictable, or if there are signals of special cause variation (trends).

4a. If there is a trend in the improving direction, the target / objective is to keep the trend going as long as practical, until the chart stabilizes on a new baseline.

4b. If there is a trend in the adverse direction, the target / objective is to correct for the trend, end the trend, and gain stability.

5. If there were no recent trends and the chart is stable and predictable (likely 90+ percent of your measurements will be of this type), then determine if the current performance level is acceptable (look at the average line, and the control limits).

5a. If the current performance is acceptable, the target / objective is to maintain current performance without developing any adverse trends. This is quantifiable, since you should state what the rules are for detecting a trend.

5b. If the current performance is not acceptable, the target / objective is to generate a statistically significant improving trend. Once the improvement ends and stabilizes, then go back and determine a new baseline and ask question 5 again.

This fits in well with a TQM or Deming based quality system.

Very good Steve, now how could you measure the objective "We want our neighbors to be confident of our ability to protect the environment at all times"?

You'll see this type of objective/target occasionally.