LECTURE 4

ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (EMS)

 Introduction
• Environmental management system (EMS) is a formal, structured and consistent
approach to identification and management of an organization’s environmental
issues.
• It is a long term systematic way to manage any aspect of a company’s business that
impacts the environment
• An EMS is designed to promote and sustain pollution prevention and continual
environmental improvement.
• It integrates environmental management into the business' daily operations, long
term planning and other quality management systems.
 Introduction
• ISO 14001 Definition of EMS - “The overall management system that
includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities,
practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing,
achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy.”
• ISO 14001 standard is the dominant EMS in the world. It is a documented
operational plan that addresses any impact or potential impact a business
creates in the environment.
 Introduction contd.
• The success of an EMS comes from being committed to continual
improvement for the long term.
• Implementing an EMS that conforms to the ISO 14001 standard may help
businesses integrate environmental values into their operations.
• An EMS can be a powerful voluntary tool for organizations to both improve
their environmental performance, and enhance their business efficiency.
• For maximum effectiveness, an EMS should not be set up as a stand alone
system, but built into the existing management structure.
 Why an EMS?
• Increasingly businesses have realized that environmental problems would be better
managed in a systematic way, they realize that EMSs developed and integrated into
the organizational structure will reduce risks from pollution and will help provide
an opportunity to be more efficient and organized.
• An effective EMS could help save money.
• In addition, the EMS could help organizations identify opportunities to prevent
pollution, mitigate occupational hazards, and better control those operations that
pose the most risk.
• A properly implemented and audited EMS will aid a facility in maintaining
compliance.
 Key EMS Concepts
• An EMS provides a process through which organisations can engage with
employees, customers, clients and other stakeholders.
• Most EMS models e.g. ISO 14001 Standard are built on the “Plan, Do,
Check, Act” model introduced by Shewart and Deming.
• Through this cycle, all EMSs set a framework through which the
organisation can build on-going ‘continuous improvement' of environmental
performance.
 Key EMS Concepts
• An effective EMS is built on TQM concepts. To improve environmental
management, your organization needs to focus not only on what things
happen but also on why they happen.
• Putting TQM principles into practice in the environmental area is the job of
top management.
• Over time, this systematic identification and correction of system
deficiencies leads to better environmental (and overall business)
performance.
 Key EMS Concepts
• Environmental Policy - The environmental policy describes the organization’s
overall approach and intentions.
• It is the keystone upon which the entire EMS is constructed.
• The policy statement provides a framework for setting environmental
objectives.
• Every action, requirement, procedure, etc. contained within the EMS must
have its roots in the Environmental Policy Statement.
 Key EMS Concepts
• ISO 14001 Environmental management programs - The organization shall
establish and maintain programs for achieving its objectives and targets,
including:
(a) designation of responsibility for achieving objectives and targets at each level and
function of the organization
(b) the means and time-frame by which they are to be achieved
• An EMP is therefore an action plan that specifies all the aspects of the EMS.
 Key EMS Concepts
• To develop an EMS, an organization has to assess its environmental impacts,
set targets to reduce these impacts, and plan how to achieve the targets.
• The most important component of an EMS is organizational commitment.
• For an effective EMS to be developed and implemented, you need
commitment from the very top of the organization, as well as all staff.
• An effective EMS must also be dynamic to allow your organization to
adapt to a quickly changing business environment.
 Key benefits of adopting an EMS
• Minimize environmental liabilities by complying with environmental laws and regulations
• Maximize the efficient use of resources
• Reduce waste
• Demonstrate a good corporate image
• Enhanced customer trust
• Build awareness of environmental concern among employees
• Gain a better understanding of the environmental impacts of business activities
• Increase profit, improving environmental performance, through more efficient operations.
 Common Aspects of Quality and
Environmental Management Systems
Quality Management Systems Environmental Management Systems
Quality policy Environmental policy
Adequate resources Adequate resources
Responsibilities and authorities Responsibilities and authorities
Training Training
System documentation System documentation
Process controls Operational controls
Document control Document control
System audits System audits
Management review Management review
 EMS certification/registration
• Organisations may decide to have a non-biased external body confirm that their
EMS meets the requirements of standards such as ISO 14001. This process is
known as certification or registration.
• The third-party organization that performs the registration services is called a
‘registrar,’ and is selected by the organization that desires registration services.
• The type of registration services that will be offered for ISO 14001 will be similar
to those offered for the ISO 9000 series of quality management system standards.
 EMS certification/registration
• A registrar can be accredited by a third-party accreditation body that is
independent of the registrar.
• Accreditation is the process in which a registrar s competence is evaluated
by a third-party accreditation body with national or governmental
recognition.
• Accreditation greatly enhances a registrar s credibility.
 EMS certification/registration
• Examples :
• ISO 14000 series
• ECO Warranty
• BS 7750
• Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)
 ISO 14000 series
• A series of international standards on environmental management that
provide a framework for the development of an environmental management
system and the supporting audit programme.
• ISO 14001 specifies a blueprint for an Environmental Management System
against which an organization can be certified by a third party.
• Other standards in the series are actually guidelines, many to help achieve
registration to ISO 14001 although they can be used as ‘stand alones’.
 Standards in ISO 14000 series
• ISO 14004 provides guidance on the development and implementation of environmental
management systems
• ISO 14013/5 provides audit program review and assessment material.
• ISO 14020+ labelling issues
• ISO 14030+ provides guidance on performance targets and monitoring within an Environmental
Management System
• ISO 14040+ covers life cycle issues
• ISO 14063 Environmental Communication
• ISO 14064,14065 and 14067 on greenhouse gas emissions measurement, monitoring, reporting,
verifying etc.
 ISO 14000 series
• Of all these standards, ISO14001 is not only the most well known, but is the
only ISO 14000 standard against which it is currently possible to be certified
by an external certification authority.
• Smaller and Medium sized businesses have also been increasingly active in
adopting EMS
 Elements of ISO 14001
• Environmental policy
• Environmental aspects
• Legal and other requirements
• Environmental management program
• Training, awareness and competence
• EMS documentation
• Emergency preparedness and response
• EMS audit
• Management review
 Requirements of ISO 14001
• Develop an environmental policy with a commitment to compliance
• Have a procedure for identifying and having access to environmental laws
and regulations
• Set objectives and targets that are in line with its environmental policy
• Establish operational control procedures
• Establish procedures for emergency preparedness and response
• Establish a procedure for periodically evaluating compliance
 Step-by-Step Action plan
• Obtain management commitment
• Choose a champion
• Prepare budget and schedule
• Build project team
• Involve employees
• Conduct preliminary review
• Modify plan
• Prepare procedures and documents
• Plan for change
• Train employees
• Assess EMS performance
 EMS Audit vs Environmental Performance
Evaluation
Audits EPE
Periodic Ongoing
Sample of data Frequent
Independent Line function
Verifies conformance Assesses performance
 EMS Audit

• A systematic and documented verification process of objectively obtaining

and evaluating evidence to determine whether an organization’s
environmental management system conforms to the environmental
management system audit criteria set by the organization, and for
communication of the results of this process to management.
• Periodic EMS audits will establish whether or not all of the requirements of
the EMS are being carried out in the specified manner.
 EMS Audits cont.
• The results of EMS audits should be linked to the corrective action system.
• While they can be time-consuming, EMS audits are critical to EMS
effectiveness.
• Systematic identification and reporting of EMS deficiencies to management
provides a great opportunity to:
• Maintain management focus on the environment,
• Improve the EMS, and
• Ensure its cost-effectiveness.
 Examples of EMS Performance Indicators
• Quantity of VOCs emitted per unit of production
• Quantity of hazardous waste generated per year
• Percentage of employees completing environmental training
• Average time for resolving nonconformities
• Energy use per unit of production
• Percentage of solid waste recycled / reused