Environmental Management System (EMS) refers to the management of an organisation's environmental programmes in a comprehensive, systematic, planned and documented manner. It includes the organisational structure, planning and resources for developing, implementing and maintaining policy for environmental protection.
An Environmental Management System (EMS):
- Serves as a tool to improve environmental performance
- Provides a systematic way of managing an organisation’s environmental affairs
- Is the aspect of the organisation’s overall management structure that addresses immediate and long-term impacts of its products, services and processes on the environment
- Gives order and consistency for organisations to address environmental concerns through the allocation of resources, assignment of responsibility and ongoing evaluation of practices, procedures and processes
- Focuses on continual improvement of the system
The systems popularly used inUKandNorthern Irelandare EMAS, ISO 14001 and BS 8555 (a stepped approach), and involve processes to provide:
1. Commitment to continual environmental improvement and establishing the baseline
2. Identifying and ensuring compliance with environmental legislation and other requirements
3. The prevention of pollution
4. Controlling environmental impacts
5. Developing objectives and targets
6. Implementation and operation of theEMS
7. Checking, auditing and review
We have developed an easy to follow workbook to help businesses develop an EMS. For more details please fill in the enquiry box or
e-mail enquiries@futuredirections.org.uk
phone +44 (0)1874 638 979