ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT SYSTEM

DEFINITION

             An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a framework that helps an organization achieve its environmental goals through consistent review, evaluation, and improvement of its environmental performance. That will identify opportunities for improving and implementing the environmental performance of the organization.

An EMS encourages an organization to continuously improve its environmental performance. The system follows a repeating cycle (see figure 1). The organization 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 organization 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. The most commonly used framework for an EMS is the one developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for the ISO 14001 standard Exit. Established in 1996, this framework is the official international standard for an EMS which is based on the Plan-Do-Check-Act methodology;

Plan

1.       Step 1: Define Organization's Goals for EMS

       The first step in EMS planning is to decide why you are pursuing the development of an EMS.

2.       Step 2: Secure Top Management Commitment

explain the strengths and limitations of your current approach and how those limitations can affect the organization's financial and environmental performances

3.       Step 3: Select An EMS Champion

The champion should be a "systems thinker" (ISO 9000 or ISO 14001 experience can be a plus, but is not necessary), should have the time to commit to the EMS-building process, and must have top management support.

4.       Step 4: Build An Implementation Team

A team with representatives from key management functions (such as engineering, finance, human resources, production and/or service) can identify and assess issues, opportunities, and existing processes

5.       Step 5: Hold Kick-Off Meeting

Once the team has been selected, hold a kick-off meeting to discuss the organization's objectives in implementing an EMS, the initial steps that need to be taken and the roles of team members

6.       Step 6: Conduct Preliminary Review

      The next step is for the team to conduct a preliminary review of your current compliance and other environmental programs/systems, and to compare these against the criteria for your EMS (such as ISO 14001:2015)

7.       Step 7: Prepare Budget and Schedule

Based on the results of the preliminary review, prepare a project plan and budget. Look for potential "early successes" that can help to build momentum and reinforce the benefits of the EMS.

8.       Step 8: Secure Resources, Assistance

       In some cases, there may be outside funding or other types of assistance that you can use (from a trade association, a state technical assistance office, etc.).

9.       Step 9: Involve Employees

     Employees are a great source of knowledge on environmental, and health and safety issues related to their work areas as well as on the effectiveness of current processes and procedures

10.   Step 10: Monitor and Communicate Progress

      As you build the EMS, be sure to regularly monitor your progress against the goals and project plan, and communicate this progress within the organization

Do

1.       Step 1: Identify Legal and Other Requirements

      A first step in the EMS-building process is understanding the legal and other requirements that apply to your products, activities and services.

2.       Step 2: Identify Environmental Aspects and Related Products, Operations, and Activities

      you should assess how your organization interacts with the environment. Identify environmental aspects and impacts, and determine which are significant

3.       Step 3: Define Views of Interested Parties

     Gather information on the views of your "stakeholders" or interested parties. Gathering this information allows you to consider stakeholder input in the development of your environmental policy

4.       Step 4: Prepare Environmental Policy

Using the information developed in the previous three steps allows your organization to prepare a policy that is relevant to the organization and the key issues that it faces.

5.       Step 5: Define Key Roles and Responsibilities

Once the key roles and responsibilities have been defined, obtain the input of these individuals in the next step of the process - establishing objectives and targets.

6.       Step 6: Establish Objectives and Targets

You have identified the operations and activities related to environmental aspects and impacts, and key roles and responsibilities. This information will help you to determine the relevant functions within the organization for achieving objectives and targets.

7.       Step 7: Develop Environmental Management Programs, Identify Operational Controls, and Identify Monitoring and Measurement Needs

You are ready to tackle several EMS elements simultaneously. These elements include the design of environmental management programs (EMPs), the initial identification of necessary operational controls, and the initial identification of monitoring and measurement needs.

8.       Step 8: Establish Corrective Action, Document Control, and Records Management Processes

You need an effective way to manage the records that your EMS generates. Establish procedures for corrective/preventive action, document control, and records management.

9.       Step 9: Establish Operational Controls & Monitoring Processes

Use a template for the development of work instructions or standard operating procedures. Employees that work in relevant operations or activities can provide support here.

10.   Step 10: Define Job-Specific Roles and Responsibilities

Roles and responsibilities should address the specific operational controls and monitoring processes discussed above

11.   Step 11: Plan and Conduct Initial Employee Awareness

Initial employee awareness training should be conducted to promote understanding of the organization's EMS efforts and the progress made to date

12.   Step 12: Establish Other System-Level Procedures

At this point, you can establish any other procedures required for the EMS. These other system-level procedures might include, for example:

a.      employee training and awareness,

b.      internal and external communication,

c.      emergency preparedness and response,

d.      EMS auditing, and

e.      management review.

13.   Step 13: Prepare EMS Documentation

describe the processes developed, define the roles and responsibilities, as well as other EMS elements. It is important to describe the links among system elements and provide direction to other system documents.

14.   Step 14: Plan and Conduct Specific Employee Training

you are ready to conduct specific employee EMS training. At this point, you should have sufficient EMS processes in place to begin to "Check" your EMS

CHECK: Checking, including monitoring and corrective action

1.       Conduct Internal EMS Audits

The process of auditing involves reviewing the outputs of a process and comparing them with the plans for the process to see if what is occurring is what was planned. In order to do this you need to look at a process, so understanding the process approach is an inherent part of the audit process.

ACT: Reviewing, including progress reviews and acting to make needed changes to the EMS

1.       Conduct Management Reviews

Use the results of your internal audits (along with other information on the EMS) to conduct management reviews. The management of your organization should consider the need for any changes to the EMS based on your review, and make assignments for any revisions needed. Such assignments should be consistent with the roles and responsibilities previously established. After acting on the results of the management review, tasks performed in the "Plan" stage should be revisited, thus continuing the "full circle" process.

ABOUT ISO

ISO is an independent, non-governmental international organization with a membership of 162 national standards bodies. Through its members, it brings together experts to share knowledge and develop voluntary, consensus-based, market relevant International Standards that support innovation and provide solutions to global challenges. ISO 14001:2004 specifies requirements for an environmental management system to enable an organization to develop and implement a policy and objectives which take into account legal requirements and other requirements to which the organization subscribes, and information about significant environmental aspects. It applies to those environmental aspects that the organization identifies as those which it can control and those which it can influence. It does not itself state specific environmental performance criteria.

ISO 14001:2004 is applicable to any organization that wishes to establish, implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system, to assure itself of conformity with its stated environmental policy, and to demonstrate conformity with ISO 14001:2004 by

a) making a self-determination and self-declaration, or

b) seeking confirmation of its conformance by parties having an interest in the organization, such as customers, or

c) seeking confirmation of its self-declaration by a party external to the organization, or

d) seeking certification/registration of its environmental management system by an external organization.

All the requirements in ISO 14001:2004 are intended to be incorporated into any environmental management system. The extent of the application will depend on factors such as the environmental policy of the organization, the nature of its activities, products and services and the location where and the conditions in which it functions. Here is following standards are relevant for EMS.

·         ISO-14004: 2004 – environmental management systems- general guidelines on principles. Systems and support techniques

·         ISO-19011: 2011 – guidelines for auditing management systems

·         ISO-14031: 1999 – environmental management, environmental performance evaluation. Guidelines and ISO/TR 14032, environmental management

·         ISO/TR 10013- guidelines for quality management system documentation

·         ISO 14020 series- Environmental labels and declarations (ISO 14020, ISO 14021, ISO 14024 and ISO/TR 14025)

·         ISO 14040 series, environmental management- integrating environmental aspects into product design and development

BENEFIT OF EMS

Companies that are proactive in implementing an effective EMS seek multiple benefits:

·         Improved regulatory compliance requirements

·         Open markets and reduced trade barriers

·         Reduction in liability and risks

·         Enhanced credibility among customers and peers

·         Reduction of harmful impacts to the environment