Environmental Management Systems

Environmental Management System

An Environmental Management System (EMS) can help demonstrate an organisations commitment to minimising their impact on the environment. It provides a framework under which an organisation can control and improve performance and continue to be environmentally responsible.

Why Have An Environmental Management System?

Protect the environment by preventing or mitigating adverse environmental impacts
Mitigate potential adverse effects on an organisation from environmental conditions- Resilience, ensuring business continuality
Fulfil compliance obligations
Enhance environmental performance- Reducing energy consumption, less waste.
Control or influence- Reputation, demonstrating commitment
Achieve financial and operational benefits- Using resources efficiently
Communicate environmental information- A clear tool for Internal and external benefit

How can an EMS benefit your organisation?

Identify opportunities for improvement and innovation
Identify and manage risks- Aspect and risk registers
Consistent approach across the organisation- Large organisations have consistent management across all sites
Provide a framework to enable an organisation to achieve objectives- Compliance
Ensure optimisation of organisational resources- help reduce business overhead costs
Enhance reputation and relationships with stakeholders, including regulators- provide confidence and assurance

How can WPSCC help?

WPSCC has experience of providing Environmental Management Systems at all levels from a simple Environmental Policy which may be required for inclusion in a tender submission, a written environmental management system for an environmental permit, a BS 8555 standard for an EMS to accrue BREEAM credits for a Construction project or assisting an organisation to achieve and maintain the ISO 14001 standard for their EMS.

EMS Model Types:

Own Management System

WPSCC can assist in developing and maintaining organisations own bespoke environmental management system, an EMS that works for the business. An EMS does not necessarily need to be accredited to an agreed standard but there is the option for this.

BS 8555

British Standard 8555 (BS 8555) helps organisations use a five-stage approach, with an option to stop at any stage and choose the pace of the EMS. Stage six gives the option of attaining a ISO14001 certification.

ISO14001

The mostly widely recognised standard for environmental management systems is the ISO 14001 standard, which is recognised globally. ISO 14001 sets out the criteria for establishing, implementing, maintaining, and improving an EMS.

WPSCC provides support on all following standards PDCA model, an EMS tailored to the organisation, remaining effective and aligned to the organisations goal.

Plan, Do, Check, Act:

Case Study:

In May 2023, a recycling and aggregates company required WPSCC expert knowledge to submit an EMS for a landfill site and a Leachate and Gas Plant based in Lancashire after the Environment Agency requested further information for all the operations at the landfill site. WPSCC consultancy services ensured the EMS was updated to reflect the additional activities, a requirement for the environmental permit.

Environmental Management Systems