ISO14001 & other environmental schemes

Implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) will help you identify major impacts your processes have on the environment and enable you to set goals and objectives to lessen their effect.

Environmental Management Systems

The successful management of processes within your organisation that have the potential to affect the environment has become a key business driver; ensuring all legislation that applies to your company is identified and fully adhered to, making sure the risk of pollution is reduced as far as possible and empowering your staff with knowledge of how their actions at work could affect the local and greater environment.

There are several benefits to implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) the following are just a few of them:

• Reduced costs through good waste management
• Reduced risk of pollution and prosecution
• Ability to demonstrate a commitment to the environment
• Reduced costs through better energy usage
• A framework for continuous improvement in environmental performance
• A forum for product and process development

With regards to their impact on the environment there are several environmental schemes in existence, but as rough guide the following areas are considered:

• Environmental base line review, including identification of the main aspects of your business that have an effect on the environment
• Legal compliance check
• Formulating a companywide environmental policy with appropriate responsibilities
• Setting objectives and targets
• Controlling operations to ensure environmental performance is sustained
• Staff training and awareness
• Top level management reviews

This may all sound elaborate but there are several schemes to ensure good environmental management, these are summarised below:

ISO14001:2004
International recognised standard in line with ISO9001, a fully certified system with the option of combining existing quality systems with the requirements applicable to the environment and/or health and safety.

Acorn scheme
IEMA 6-part phased scheme in line with BS855, see below.

EMAS
EU Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, European recognised legislative scheme harmonised to the requirements of ISO14001:2004.

Green Dragon
Welsh environmental 5-part phased scheme, similar to the Acorn scheme. Stage 5 Green Dragon meets the requirements of ISO14001.

BSI STEMS (BS8555)
6-part phased implementation scheme, auditable at each stage as with Acorn and Green Dragon

So which EMS is best for you?

In our experience, if an organisation wants to implement a full system the ISO scheme is widely recognised, and therefore preferable (unless a customer demands EMAS). If a company wants a phased scheme (with a certificate at each stage) then the Acorn or STEMS scheme are better, unless your company operates solely in Wales, then consideration should be made to the Green Dragon scheme.

Good luck with your EMS