Brief Notes on Environmental Management System (EMS) and ISO 14001

According to ISO 14050 Terms and Definitions, Environmental Management System or commonly known as EMS refers to the part of the overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy. 

Besides, the author of the book chapter, ?ISO 14001 EMS Standard – A Quality Management System Standard for the Environment? defined EMS as a quality management system that applies to the management of the environment. In other words, EMS refers to a comprehensive, systematic, planned and documented management of an organization?s environmental programs. It involves the organizational structure, planning and resources for developing, implementing and maintaining policy for environmental protection.

EMS acts as a tool to improve environmental performance of a certain company that helps to address the short-term and long-term impacts of its products, services and processes on the environment. There are five principles governing the whole EMS concept, which covered the (1) Commitment and Policy, (2) Planning, (3) Implementation, (4) Measurement and Evaluation, as well as the (5) Review and Improvement together with 17 elements under all these five principles.

And the 17 elements of the EMS principles are as follow:

(a)    Environmental Policy

(b)   Environmental Aspects

(c)    Legal and Other Requirements

(d)   objectives and Targets

(e)    Environmental Management Programs

(f)    Structure and Responsibility

(g)   Training, Awareness and Competence

(h)   Communication

(i)     EMS Documentation

(j)     Document Control

(k)   Operational Control

(l)     Emergency Preparedness and Response

(m)   Monitoring and Measurement

(n)   Non-conformance, Corrective and Preventive Action

(o)   Records

(p)   EMS Audits

(q)   Management Reviews

EMS or better known as ISO 14000 is a series that addresses environmental management. It refers to what an organization can do to minimize harmful effects on the environment caused by its activities and to achieve continual improvement of its environmental performance. 

ISO 14001 is a standard within the ISO 14000 series that deals with EMS. It provides a framework for a holistic and strategic approach to an organization?s environmental policy, plans and actions. It also gives the generic requirements for an EMS, where the requirements depend a lot on the organization?s activities. This enables an effective communication about environmental issues between an organization with its customers, regulators, the public as well as other stakeholders. ISO 14001 can be implemented by a wide variety of organizations no matter what is their current level of environmental maturity. However, the commitment to comply with related environmental legislation and regulations is required, along with a commitment to continual improvement, which is one of the main functions of EMS.

Quick facts about EMS:

1)    1)  EMS = ISO14001 = ISO1400 series (also apply to other local standard abbreviation names)

2)     2) A voluntary commitment to the environment (non-mandatory by laws and regulations)

3)     3) A globally recognized environmental standard/certification (certified by professional and authorized bodies)

4)     4) Commonly practice by corporate and governmental agencies, organizations, companies and/or institutions

5)     5) Renewal of EMS certification is required upon expiry

 5)    6) Plan-Do-Check-Act (PDCA) is the fundamental key for EMS

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