An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and practices that enable an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operating efficiency. This Web site provides information and resources related to EMS for businesses, associations, the public, and state and federal agencies.
What is an EMS?
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a framework that helps a company achieve its environmental goals through consistent control of its operations. The assumption is that this increased control will improve the environmental performance of the company. The EMS itself does not dictate a level of environmental performance that must be achieved; each company's EMS is tailored to the company's business and goals.- Basic EMS
- EMS under ISO 14001
An EMS helps a company address its regulatory demands in a systematic and cost-effective manner. This proactive approach can help reduce the risk of non-compliance and improve health and safety practices for employees and the public.
An EMS can also help address non-regulated issues, such as energy conservation, and can promote stronger operational control and employee stewardship.
Basic Elements of an EMS:
- Reviewing the company's environmental goals
- Analyzing its environmental impacts and legal requirements
- Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and comply with legal requirements
- Establishing programs to meet these objectives and targets
- Monitoring and measuring progress in achieving the objectives
- Ensuring employees' environmental awareness and competence
- Reviewing progress of the EMS and making improvements
Costs and Benefits of an EMS
| Potential Costs | Potential Benefits |
|---|---|
Internal
(Note: Internal labor costs represent the bulk of the EMS resources expended by most organizations)
External
|
|
Resources
Additional Information on the benefits and costs of developing EMSs can be found in the following documents:
- Environmental Management Systems: An Implementation Guide for Small and Medium Sized Organizations (PDF) (201pp, 1.4MB, About PDF). 2001.
This revision replaces the original Guide, published in 1996. Like its predecessor, the revised Guide is intended to offer a plain English, common sense guide to organizations interested in implementing an EMS, using the basic Plan-Do-Check-Act model. The revised guide includes a number of updated examples and can be used by organizations of all sizes. - Standardizing Excellence: Working with Smaller Businesses to Implement Environmental Management Systems (PDF)
(55 pp, 468K). October 2001.
This document was developed by the National Environmental Education & Training Foundation (NEETF) through a grant from EPA.
EMS Under ISO 14001
An EMS encourages a company to continuously improve its environmental performance. The system follows a repeating cycle (see figure). The company first commits to an environmental policy, then uses its policy as a basis for establishing a plan, which sets objectives and targets for improving environmental performance. The next step is implementation. After that, the company evaluates its environmental performance to see whether the objectives and targets are being met. If targets are not being met, corrective action is taken. The results of this evaluation are then reviewed by top management to see if the EMS is working. Management revisits the environmental policy and sets new targets in a revised plan. The company then implements the revised plan. The cycle repeats, and continuous improvement occurs.
Figure 1: The continuous improvement cycle
The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO 14001 standard. Established in 1996, this framework is the official international standard for an EMS.
The five main stages of an EMS, as defined by the ISO 14001 standard, are described below:
1. Commitment and Policy
Top management commits to environmental improvement and establishes a company environmental policy. The policy is the foundation of the EMS.
2. Planning
A company first identifies environmental aspects of its operations. Environmental aspects are those items, such as air pollutants or hazardous waste, that can have negative impacts on people and/or the environment. A company then determines which aspects are significant by choosing criteria considered most important by the company. For example, a company may choose worker health and safety, environmental compliance, and cost as its criteria. Once significant environmental aspects are determined, a company sets objectives and targets. An objective is an overall environmental goal (e.g., minimize use of chemical X). A target is a detailed, quantified requirement that arises from the objectives (e.g., reduce use of chemical X by 25% by September 1998). The final part of the planning stage is devising an action plan for meeting the targets. This includes designating responsibilities, establishing a schedule, and outlining clearly defined steps to meet the targets.
3. Implementation
A company follows through with the action plan using the necessary resources (human, financial, etc.). An important component is employee training and awareness for all employees. Other steps in the implementation stage include documentation, following operating procedures, and setting up internal and external communication lines.
4. Evaluation
A company monitors its operations to evaluate whether targets are being met. If not, the company takes corrective action.
5. Review
Top management reviews the results of the evaluation to see if the EMS is working. Management determines whether the original environmental policy is consistent with company values. The plan is then revised to optimize the effectiveness of the EMS. The review stage creates a loop of continuous improvement for a company.
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