Advantages Of An Environmental Management System

By Frank Lorens


Businesses are acknowledging that one of the ingredients for good business practice is good environmental practice. One of the reasons is that this kind of practice ensures that several positive things happen in a business. There are different ways through which good environmental practice can help save money. First of all, it helps in the reduction of waste production and its subsequent disposal cost, by efficiently using resources. A business is also regarded as legal as it ensures no negative environmental impact is caused by the business. Good environmental practice is a sign that businesses are complying with the environmental permits. Risks and liabilities are controlled. Customers tend to trust businesses with good environmental practice. This is why businesses will work hard to build confidence in their customers, by providing a chain of products that are environmental friendly. Lastly, good environmental practice helps fight climate change, minimise waste production and prevent water and air pollution.

You only need a simple review so as to know the environmental impact that your business has. This is actually the first step in developing an Environmental Management System (EMS). This is an important tool for evaluating, managing and improving the environmental performance in a certifiable way.

EMS helps companies cut down on emission rates, adhere to environmental legislations, reduce costs and improve efficiency of resources. Before implementing one, you should ensure that the EMS is fit for your company's nature, complexity, risks and size.

Several things have to be considered when implementing the EMS. First of all, you should consider using a recognised standard. There are several such standards such as the EU Eco Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS), ISO 14001 and British standard BS 8555. When this is done, you should ensure that you get the independent recognition of performance by auditors. These should certified by the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS).

EMAS is a charitable environmental registration scheme that serves the whole of EU. It needs organisations to show a public statement about their performance. This is against objectives and targets. It then integrates the international standard, ISO 14001.

Components needed by organisations to help identify, examine manage and make environmental impacts better are specified by ISO 14001. This is an international standard for EMS.

Published in 2003, a British standard, BS 8555, is used to break down the implementation process for the EMAS or ISO 14001 into 6 stages. This standard makes the implementation process easier, specifically for small companies. Companies can gain the UKAS accredited recognition for their accomplishments at each stage as they strive to attain the ISO14001, thanks to the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment (IEMA).

This great environmental management practice has quite a number of advantages. Having an effective EMS is a way of ensuring that staff members are aware of their environmental responsibilities. A business is able to know its type and severity of environmental impacts and come up with policies on how to make the situation better. This practice also ensures that the business complies with the environmental legislation. It therefore avoids prosecution due to bad environmental habits. Your business is able to perform sustainable management, identify major interested parties and talk about the environmental performance for a better future.




About the Author: