Environmental Management Systems – BS8555, ISO 14001, EMAS.
An effective environmental management system is not something that can be bought off the shelf from a consultant. A successful system will involve all staff in the development and management of the system and its integration within existing management practices.
Environmental management systems such as BS8555, ISO14001 & EMAS provide a structure for managing all of the significant environmental impacts (both positive and negative) of an organisation. Environmental management systems can be applied to a whole organisation, an operational unit or a particular activity.
Like other types of management systems (e.g. quality and health & safety management systems), environmental management systems follow the basic principle of the Deming cycle, a process of continual improvement:
Act: Identify exactly what operations take place and what the problems are.
Plan: Decide a plan of action through a Policy commitment.
Do: Put in procedures which will result in the required changes.
Check: Periodically audit the procedures and policy to ensure it is appropriate and effective and make any necessary changes as identified via the audit.
Three environmental management system standards have been published which provide models of environmental management systems that enable companies to continually improve their environmental performance.
1. BS 8555:2003 (Environmental Management Systems – Guide to the phased implementation of an environmental management system including the use of environmental performance evaluation). BS 8555 consists of 6 separate phases that lead to the implementation of ISO14001 (phase 5) and EMAS (phase 6). Each phase can be independently verified by an UKAS approved inspection body.
2. ISO 14001: 2004 (Environmental Management Systems – Specification with guidance for Use) was published in 2004, and is an international standard, applicable to all types and sizes of organisations.
3. EC Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is closely linked to ISO 14001, but has an additional requirement for participating businesses to make an environmental statement (report) publicly available.
If an environmental management system meets the requirements of the standards, businesses can obtain third party certification. Certification enables businesses to promote their environmental management system to interested parties and demonstrates continual environmental improvement that meets a national and in the case of ISO14001 and EMAS international benchmarking standards.
