What is Environmental Management?

Environmental management isn’t as you may assume the management of the environment as such, it is actually the management of the interaction and/or impact of human activities on the environment. Good Environmental management helps to ensure that ecosystems are protected and that the environment is protected for future generations by indentifying any factors that may conflict between the needs of the population and the need to protect natural resources and suggesting ways around these conflicts that will minimise the impacts made.

Does my business need an Environmental Management system?

Having a structured Environmental Management System (EMS) will help you to control and reduce the impact of your business on the environment no matter what sector you are in. Having an effective EMS will mean that you can meet any legal obligations you have, be more efficient with your resources, help you to obtain cost savings and will also allow you to show your customers, stakeholders or suppliers that you care about the environment.

Setting up an effective Environmental Management Service

Setting up an effective Environmental Management Service.

  1. Indentify any significant environmental aspects of your business (IE Waste management, Energy usage, haulage, etc)
  2. Indentify any legal obligations that you as a business are expected to meet and how well you comply with those, and what if anything you need to do to ensure you comply.
  3. Writing out and communicating your policy to your staff
  4. Set and track objectives and targets (ie reducing the waste output by recycling X%, Saving X% electricity by switching off un-needed lights and appliances, etc)
  5. Monitor and measure your progress by keeping clear concise records
  6. Controlling your operations and being able to demonstrate emergency preparedness and responses incase needed.
  7. Performing audits to check progress.
  8. Carry out management reviews on a regular basis.

If however you are unsure where to start, or simply don’t have the time to set up and implement your own Environmental Management System, then you can approach an outside company to do it for you. Companies can provide Environmental Management Services to help all sorts of businesses meet their environmental and legal responsibilities as well as providing other useful business services.