Set up an environmental management system

An environmental management system (EMS) is similar to other management systems, such as those that manage quality or safety. An EMS lets you:

• assesses your business' strengths and weaknesses
• identify and manage significant environmental impacts
• save money by increasing efficiency
• ensure you comply with environmental legislation
• provide benchmarks for environmental improvements

An EMS can also help you manage your resources, and improves the reliability and credibility of your environmental policy.

Basic steps of an environmental management system

The basic process of setting up an EMS is:

• identify the need and make the case for environmental improvements
• carry out an initial environmental review
• decide which environmental aspects are significant
• update or create your environmental policy
• set targets and objectives for environmental improvements
• report on your performance and review your EMS system

Getting your environmental management system certified

You can prove to customers that you are committed to meeting your environmental responsibilities by getting your EMS certified by a body approved by the United Kingdom Accreditation Services (UKAS).

There are a number of standards for environmental management to which your business can get certified:

• BS 8555 - a British standard that provides guidance for implementing an EMS on a phase-by-phase basis which can be a good way of working towards either ISO 14001
• ISO 14001 - the internationally recognised standard for environmental management systems