What an Environmental Management System Is
The purpose of an environmental management system and what it looks like in a real organisation.
8 min
Activities: 0 of 2
An environmental management system (EMS) is the part of an organisation's management system used to manage its environmental aspects, fulfil its compliance obligations, and address risks and opportunities. In simple words: it is the organised way a company controls how its work affects the air, water, land and resources around it.
The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) publishes ISO 14001, the standard that sets out the requirements for an EMS. In this course you will learn what those requirements mean in practice.
What an EMS does in practice
It knows what the organisation does that can affect the environment, and which laws and permits apply.
Example: a concrete batching plant
The plant creates dust, uses a lot of water and produces wash water with high alkalinity. Its EMS lists these issues, sets controls (water sprays on stockpiles, a settlement pit, recycling of wash water), monitors the pit outlet each week, and reviews complaints from neighbours. When a complaint about dust arrives, the system already has a place to record it and a person to act.
Example: a regional office
An office has smaller issues: electricity, paper, waste and staff travel. Its EMS is short. It sets an objective to reduce electricity use, separates waste for recycling, and checks the waste contractor's licence. The size of the system fits the size of the issues.
Complete the definition
An environmental management system is used to manage environmental , fulfil compliance , and address risks and .
Which statement about ISO 14001 is correct?