Environmental Management: Nice Idea or Requirement?
Environmental management (EM) is the process of managing the issues associated with all the activities and technologies pertaining to an organisations environmental performance.
Environmental management is based on the continuous improvement of an organisation’s environmental performance over time. An Environmental Management Systems (EMS) should therefore continuously change in line with the organisation’s activities and external influencing factors such as environmental legislation and changes in technology.
- The structure of an EMS is defined in the standard ISO 14001 or by the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS).
- Any site in possession of an Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) License or a Waste Management License is required to develop an EMS for the management of all environmental issues.
- There is currently no requirement within the licensing systems to achieve certification to the ISO 14001 standard or to EMAS.