Environmental Management System (EMS)

Many organisations have the intention to improve their environmental performance but do not know where to start and how to proceed. Implementing an Environmental Management System (EMS) will be a good move as it is an integrated approach to manage and monitor a company's environmental impact and also enable the compliance to environmental regulations.

There are a few establlished Environmental Management System Standards like ISO14001, BS7750 and EMAS that provide guidelines for the organisation to manage and control its environmental impacts. These standards are often based on the plan-do-check-act cycle that allows a systematic approach in analysing, planning, executing, checking and reviewing an organisation's internal processes for continuous improvement.

Adapting an EMS will benefit the organisation by ensuring compliance to regulations, providing a proactive control to environmental impacts, and preventing the organisation from being trapped in a 'fire-fighting' situation.


The PDCA Cycle

Getting accreditations in an EMS Standard also benefits the organisation in terms of new business opportunity, marketing and public image.

Some enterprises might not want to go for the accreditation due to budget or manpower limitations, but this should not stop an enterprise from practising the concepts and methodologies used in the environmental management systems.