790 Environmental Management Systems (EMS)

Basics of an EMS

Today it's more important than ever to the success of organization that they help maintain a balance between socio-economic needs and the environment. The challenge in meeting this goal can best be met by establishing an effective Environmental Management System or "EMS".

What is the "Environment?"

The environment is the surroundings in which the organization operates - the air, water, land, natural resources, flora, fauna, and people and their inter-relationships.

Basics of an EMS

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of processes and activities created to help an organization reduce its environmental impact and improve how efficiently it operates. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) supports the use of EMSs to manage environmental responsibilities in a structured way. The following three intended outcomes are emphasized in the EMS:

1. Enhancement of environmental performance
2. Fulfillment of compliance obligations
3. Achievement of environmental objectives

The EMS uses a structured system, known as a "framework," to guide how it is built and managed. The most widely used framework is based on the ISO 14001 standard, developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) .

This framework includes environmental responsibilities in daily operations. It also supports ongoing improvement in protecting the environment and public health. Using an EMS can lower the risk of breaking environmental laws and improve safety for both employees and the community. It can also help manage issues not covered by regulations, such as saving energy, improving control over operations, and encouraging employees to take part in environmental efforts.

The basic elements of an EMS include the following:

• Reviewing the organization's environmental goals
• Analyzing its environmental impacts and compliance obligations (or legal and other requirements)
• Setting environmental objectives and targets to reduce environmental impacts and conform with compliance obligations
• 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 achieving improvements

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