What is an Environmental Management System (EMS)?

What is an Environmental Management System or EMS?

An EMS is an organization’s set of management tools, principles and procedures aimed at protecting human health and the environment from the potential impacts of its activities, products and services. A successful EMS implementation may lead to ISO 14001 certification.

ISO 14000 is a series of voluntary standards and guidelines on systems published by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), a Swiss-based, worldwide organization of national standards bodies from over 140 countries. The intention is to provide all industries, whether in manufacturing or services, with a structure for an EMS that will help ensure all operational processes are consistent, effective, and will achieve the stated environmental objectives of a given organization.

Who needs an EMS?

An EMS may be needed by an organization that:

• Is looking for strategies to improve its environmental performance;
• Wants to achieve sustained compliance in existing and forthcoming regulations;
• Recognizes its environmental problems to be of significant liability;
• Lacks the time and resources and is thus prevented from effectively managing its environmental obligations;
• Has no established effective environmental policy; and
• Is seeking a competitive edge.

What is needed to undertake an EMS?

Implementing an EMS requires:

• A strong commitment from the management;
• Allocation of appropriate resources;
• Development of a strategy to be implemented within a specified period of time; and
• Implementation using a combination of internal and external resources.

What are the steps in the implementation of an EMS?

Orientation and Commitment
• Chief Executive Management Training
• Performing and reporting the initial environmental review

Structure and Training
• Appointment of an Environmental Management Representative
• Setting up of Management and Implementation Committees

Environmental Policy and Documentation
• Development of an environmental policy statement
• Description of the procedures

Progressive Implementation
• Environmental Management Program (Objectives and Targets, Operational Controls of
Activities with Significant Impacts)
• Progressive implementation of procedures
• Checking, internal auditing and corrective actions

Certification and Registration
• Stage 1 certification (pre-assessment) and corrective action
• Final certification audit

What can EMS do for you?

Undertaking an EMS will:
• Help reduce waste at source
• Improve environmental performance
• Enable an organization to comply with present and future stringent environmental regulations
• Enhance overall productivity
• Save money and increase profits
• Improve image

www.emb.gov.ph