Step 3: Establish an Environmental Policy
With leadership in place, an organization can successfully establish an environmental policy that is consistent with its goals and values. The policy, which should be established by the highest levels of management, will become the organization’s formal commitment to reducing environmental impacts and achieving continual improvement. It should be available to the organization’s interested parties.
What is an EMS Policy?
Think of the organization's policy as its "environmental mission statement." It must contain and clearly communicate the organization's vision, mission and core values with respect to the environment. It can be developed by the EMS team or by top management but it must have the support of top management.
The environmental policy should also meet the following criteria:
- Promote a continuous improvement approach
- Focus on the prevention of pollution
- Be appropriate in scope, considering the environmental impacts of the company
- Commit to environmental compliance, continual improvement, and reduction or control of pollution
- Be documented, clearly communicated, and maintained
- Be publicly available
The organization should formulate environmental policy by considering all potential environmental impacts and aspects of the company over their entire lifetime. The policy should be appropriate for your company size and the impact it has on the environment. Realize that your objectives and targets (which is part of what you’ll be measured against) are a direct outgrowth of your environmental policy.
The policy must be clear so that others can understand it. You must communicate the policy to employees and the public. They need to be able to share in your environmental vision. It is the guidance for making decisions. It should be carefully crafted.
The organization’s senior manager must sign the EMS policy statement. A robust, clear environmental policy statement is a documented reminder of what is expected by senior leadership.
Environmental Policy Statement
It is a core value of this company to preserve and protect the environment while supporting sustainable growth. We are committed to environmental stewardship across our operations and will demonstrate this commitment through responsible practices, continual improvement, and compliance with all applicable requirements.
To fulfill this policy, the company will:
- Continually improve environmental performance through measurable goals and targets.
- Comply with all applicable environmental, health, and safety laws, regulations, and other requirements.
- Implement pollution prevention and waste minimization programs to reduce, reuse, and recycle materials.
- Use energy, water, and natural resources responsibly and efficiently.
- Provide employees with the knowledge and tools needed to meet environmental goals and actively prevent negative impacts.
- Source materials responsibly and work with suppliers who meet environmental standards.
- Measure and report progress toward environmental objectives.
This policy provides the framework for setting and reviewing environmental goals and objectives. An Environmental Management System (EMS) will guide implementation and support ongoing evaluation. The company will review this policy on a regular basis to ensure it remains effective and aligned with environmental responsibilities.
Guiding Principles
- Compliance: Meet or exceed all applicable environmental requirements.
- Sustainable Operations: Design, build, and maintain facilities with resource conservation and environmental responsibility in mind. Use sustainable materials, work with suppliers who reduce waste, and offer recycling options for old products.
- Manufacturing: Update environmental policy to commit to reducing emissions and evaluate supplier risk from climate-related disruptions.
- Pollution Prevention: Reduce waste and emissions through source reduction, reuse, recycling, and safe disposal practices.
- Hazardous Materials: Minimize use and ensure safe management of hazardous and toxic substances.
- Responsible Purchasing: Consider lifecycle environmental impacts, cost, and performance when selecting products and services.
- Resource Conservation: Eliminate wasteful practices and promote efficient use of energy, water, and materials.
- Green Technology: Promote sustainable use of technology and reduce environmental impacts from operations.
- Education and Awareness: Provide ongoing training for employees and share information on environmental performance with stakeholders.
EMS Programs
Environmental management programs support the company’s Environmental Policy and the goal of reducing negative environmental impacts. These programs are designed to ensure compliance with federal, state, and local regulations. Each program includes specific requirements, supported by written plans, procedures, or instructions.
- Air Emissions – Establishes performance standards for boilers, generators, and other equipment. Also promotes alternative transportation options such as carpooling, public transit, and telework.
- Energy Management – Focuses on reducing electricity use in offices, production areas, and facilities, while supporting renewable energy and energy-efficient systems.
- Green Purchasing – Encourages buying recycled-content materials, energy-efficient equipment, bio-based products, and environmentally preferable supplies.
- Hazardous Materials Management – Provides safe procedures for storing, handling, transporting, and disposing of hazardous materials used in company operations.
- Hazardous Waste Management – Ensures hazardous wastes are properly identified, stored, transported, treated, recycled, or disposed of in compliance with regulations.
- Pesticides – Follows integrated pest management (IPM) principles to control pests with minimal pesticide use, protecting people and the environment.
- Solid Waste Management – Promotes safe disposal and recycling of solid waste, with an emphasis on reducing landfill use through reuse, recycling, and waste reduction.
- Stormwater Management – Reduces risks of spills and minimizes construction impacts on stormwater systems.
- Wastewater – Prevents pollutants from entering sanitary sewer systems through source reduction, proper disposal, and wastewater treatment practices.
- Water Consumption – Reduces water use in facilities, operations, and office activities through conservation practices and efficient equipment.
- Climate-Related Risks – Improve worker safety by understanding mitigating the risks associated with extreme weather, heat exposure, or climate-driven operational shifts.
- Mental Health and Psychosocial Hazards – Reduce the risks related to mental health, stress, burnout, and harassment.
- Diversity, Inclusion & Workforce Engagement – Involve diverse employee voices in decision-making and ensure that safety policies are equitable.
ISO 14001 Environmental Policy Statement Requirements
The environmental policy serves as the foundation of an organization's Environmental Management System (EMS) and must be established, implemented, and maintained. Key requirements include:
Short Overview of ISO
- Appropriateness: Tailored to the organization's purpose, context, operations, and environmental impacts.
- Framework for Objectives: Provides a basis for setting and reviewing environmental objectives and targets.
- Core Commitments:
- Protection of the environment (e.g., sustainable resource use, climate change mitigation).
- Prevention of pollution and other adverse environmental effects.
- Fulfillment of compliance obligations.
- Continual improvement of the EMS.
- Documentation: Formally documented as a statement (or equivalent).
- Communication: Internally communicated and understood by workers at all levels; externally available to relevant interested parties (e.g., public, stakeholders).
- Maintenance: Kept up-to-date through periodic review, especially during management reviews (Clause 9.3).
The policy must be concise, signed by top management to demonstrate leadership commitment, and integrated into EMS planning and operations. Nonconformance with ISO requirements can lead to certification audit failures. For full details, refer to the ISO 14001 standard.
Knowledge Check Choose the best answer for the question.
2-4. What must the organization's Environmental Policy contain and clearly communicate?
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