Un environmental management system is a set of processes and practices that allow an organization to reduce its environmental impacts and increase its operational efficiency. Each business should continually strive to develop and maintain an environmental management system in each of its offices and laboratories, focusing on reducing the facility's environmental footprint.
An environmental management system is a framework that helps an organization to achieve its environmental objectives through review, evaluation and improvement consistent with their environmental performance. The assumption is that this review and evaluation is consistent will identify opportunities to improve and implement the organisation's environmental performance. It does not impose an environmental performance level that must be achieved; the environmental management system of each company is adapted to its individual objectives and goals.
A good environmental management plan helps every business owner meet regulatory needs in a systematic and cost-effective way. This proactive approach can help reduce the risk of non-compliance and improve health and safety practices for employees and the public. It can also help address unregulated issues, such as energy conservation, and can promote stronger operational control and employee management. The basic elements of a good plan are aimed at:
- Review the company's environmental objectives;
- Analyze its environmental impacts and legal requirements (or compliance obligations);
- Establish environmental goals and targets to reduce environmental impacts and comply with legal requirements (or compliance obligations);
- Establish programs to achieve these goals and milestones;
- Monitoring and measurement of progress in achieving objectives;
- Guarantee the environmental awareness and competence of employees;
- Review the progress of the EMS and make improvements.
An environmental management system encourages an organization to continuously improve its environmental performance. The system follows a repetitive cycle in which the company first commits to an environmental policy, then uses its policy as a basis to establish a plan and sets objectives and goals for improving environmental performance. The next step is implementation. Next, managers evaluate environmental performance to see if goals and objectives are being met, if goals are not met, corrective action is taken. The results of this evaluation are then reviewed by top management to see if the plan is working. Management reviews the environmental policy and sets new objectives 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 standard ISO 14001 of 2015.
What is ISO 14001:2015 certification?
Il ISO 14001 environmental management system (EMS) is a systematic framework for managing the immediate and long-term environmental impacts of an organization's products, services and processes. By completing ISO 14001 certification, any company or organization can assure stakeholders that its environmental management system meets industry-specific international environmental standards.
ISO 14001 environmental certification provides a framework for environmental management best practices to help organizations:
- Minimize their environmental impact;
- Reduce the risk of pollution accidents;
- Provide operational improvements;
- Ensure compliance with relevant environmental legislation and;
- Develop your business in a sustainable way.
Benefits of ISO 14001: 2015
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In particular, thanks to his support and obtaining the ISO 14001: 2015 certification the following benefits can be found:• Identify cost savings with greater emphasis on resource, waste and energy management;
- Develop corporate image and credibility;
- Quantify, monitor and control the impact of operations on the environment, now and in the future;
- Ensure legislative awareness and compliance;
- Improve the environmental performance of the supply chain;
- Protect the company, assets, shareholders and directors;
- Potentially reduce liability insurance costs for your organization;
- Increase access to business partners and potential customers.
