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Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

What is an EMS?

Basically, it is a company system that is concerned with the management of environmental aspects and impacts in a similar way that quality is maintained in ISO9001. ISO14001 relates to such a system and itself defines an EMS as:

"the part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy"

There are various methods but standardised methodologies include ISO14001, EMAS and BS8555 (Acorn)

SMEs - hit here

Why should I implement an EMS?

More usually, this question is "Won't it cost me a fortune?". Actually, no. Whilst it is easy to imagine that the costs will have no benefit, the converse is true and significant savings have been reported by some organisations having put in an EMS.

The activities concerned with identifying your environmental performance leads to a greater understanding of your plant and process and is highly likely to have the backing of your workforce and neighbours. What is important is that you, the senior management, should thoroughly endorse the EMS - not just by words but by actions, too.

There are various grants and subsidies available for an organisation to implement less environmentally harmful processes and plenty of technical help and benchmark material available, too.

What is Involved?

Like elsewhere, there is some planning to be done to identify the general position now, your baseline standard.

Compliance with legislation is the mandatory minimum but it seems pointless to just do the minimum.

Once you know point 1 and have decided point 2, with it's associated timetable, you have everything there for activity 3 - getting where you want to be at the times you want to be there.

An EMS will involve the following activities, hit link for detail:

EIA	Environmental Impact Assessment	LCA	Life Cycle Assessment
EA	Environmental Auditing	CT	Clean Technology
ERM	Environmental Risk Management	EnM	Energy Management
ECBA	Environmental Cost Benefit Analysis

EIA	This is where you will look at your plant activities and decide which ones have an environmental aspect, and which of those is significant. Having so decided, you must decide what you are going to do to manage the risk. Return
ERM	All environmental aspects carry a risk and this activity links in with the EIA, taking into account a number of variables to identify what the actual impact risk is. Return
ECBA	A variation of capital expenditure calculations, this activity provides a method of analysing situations and is a decision tool for which options you may choose to go ahead with. Return
LCA	This can be quite wide ranging, and is where you look holistically at your product and/or service to fully account for it's environmental impact. Return
CT	It is probable that, since your plant was built, technology has moved on a bit. You may be able to help the environment and save a barrow load of money by looking at certain technologies. This site covers some of these elsewhere. Return
EnM	The chances are that you are not only using too much energy but that you do not have sufficient knowledge of how you use it. Reductions almost certainly can help. If you are covered by IPPC, or are about to become so, you cannot afford to ignore this. This site covers some of these elsewhere. Return
EA	How well are you doing against your plans? The audit, an activity that you should already be familiar with, provides this information. Your shareholders will love it! Return

To discuss a visit from us, drop us a request. All aspects of your EMS can be advised upon.

How do I Start?

There are many ways to start, from reading up on all the legislation and standards yourself through getting some up-front advice through to heavy consultancy involvement throughout, depending on your requirements. You could even start by contacting us!

Remember, the sooner you start, the sooner you start saving money and increasing profits.

We're only an SME. It doesn't apply to us, does it?

Environmental legislation applies to ALL COMPANIES, without exception. Whilst a full-blown EMS may not be appropriate in all cases, everyone can do something to both protect their environment AND THEMSELVES. Consider - if someone sued you for some release or contamination, have you the system in place to disprove or, if true, learn and correct from? Return

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