Environmental Management System
The Environmental Management System (EMS) cycle can be seen as a plan, perform, check, and action process of continuous improvement, aimed at improving business and environmental performance.
What is an EMS?
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is an organized system and management tool that allows an organization of any type to control and estimate the impact of its activities, products, or services on the natural environment. Once actualized, it helps an organization to recognize the environmental impacts resulting from the organization's operations and to continually evolve its environmental and social performance.
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The core function of an EMS is to support sustainability while determining which aspects of the organization provoke environmental and social impacts. Once identified these elements should be consistently managed to achieve better control and performance.
EMS Framework
Source: Environmental Management Systems Association Inc
Benefits of an EMS
Introducing an EMS will carry various direct and indirect benefits that depend on the expected level of environmental performance desired by an organization, as well as the purpose for its implementation in the first place.
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Improved environmental performance
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Sustained long-term business productivity
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Improved corporate reputation
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Reduced regulatory licence fees
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Reduced prosecution risk, insurance risk and premiums
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Improved public environmental reporting and disclosure
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Improved stakeholder relationships, staff morale and confidence
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Improved competitive advantage
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Enhanced communication within and outside the organisation
Steps to start & implement an EMS
1.
Step 1
Have the top management commit to a sustainability program or journey.
2.
Step 2
Define roles and responsibilities, including the Environmental or Sustainability Coordinator. Create as well a Green Team or department for coordination.
3.
Step 3
Develop an implementation plan and undertake initial training on the EMS.
4.
Step 4
Identify any legal requirements and environmental aspects that determine significant attention.
5.
Step 5
Finalize the Environmental & Social Responsibility policy, environmental objectives and targets
6.
Step 6
Develop documentation and processes for all specific operations and implementation.
7.
Step 7
Develop processes for monitoring, measurement, corrective & preventive action.
8.
Step 8
Develop and deliver the EMS training system within the organization.
9.
Step 9
Establish an internal audit program and conduct initial internal audit to evaluate adherence and conformity.
10.
Step 10
Follow up internal audit with improvements to the system and plan.
11.
Step 11
Conduct an initial management review of EMS with relevant stakeholders.
12.
Step 12
Implement any improvements from management review that were determined.
Determine environmental risks, product & service interaction, and objectives
An organization must first recognize how it interacts with the environment prior to managing environmental concerns or issues. The organization also needs to identify the boundaries of its practice that it can control and influence. Aspects that should be recognized are the elements of an organization’s activities, products, or services that can have a link to the environment. Using this systemic design can capture actual and potential impacts. The system involves:
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Structured identification of all activities performed by the organization, including all products and services provided (activities or services provided by contractors must be included as well).
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Determine the ways and possibilities of how activities, products, and services can interact with the environment.
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Identify the environmental impacts associated with the activities, products, or services.
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Analyze the level the risks pose.
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Evaluation of the risks to the environment and/or the organization.
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The results of this process aim to identify, analyze, and evaluate possible organizational impacts to establish environmental objectives and targets. The remainder of the EMS is designed to monitor the organizational impacts and achieve the objectives and targets set. The possible organizational impacts are to be documented and kept up to date.
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Resources, Roles & Responsibilities
The EMS requires a sufficient amount of resources from management to be efficient and effective. Resources include a team or individual that will head a special role identified in the company standard as the Environmental Coordinator. Their skills should include knowledge in organizational infrastructure, technology, and finances.
The Environmental Coordinator shall have the ultimate responsibility and authority for compliance with the company standard and report on the performance of the organization to top management and key stakeholders. Other internal environmental positions, responsibilities, and authorities can be held, but are to be documented and communicated.
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Monitoring & Measuring
In order to grow and adapt to change, organizations will be required to monitor and measure their performance against their policy, commitments, benchmarks, targets, and governance.
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In the systematic approach of an EMS, environmental performance is the measurable result of an organization’s impact. An organization is required to have SOP's for monitoring and measuring key characteristics of its operations that can have a significant environmental impact. The procedure must include the recording of information to monitor the environmental performance, operational controls, and progress on achieving the organization’s environmental objectives and targets.