The European Environment Management and Auditing Scheme

What is EMAS?

EMAS is an acronym for the Eco-Management and Audit Scheme and is a voluntary initiative designed to improve the environmental performance of organisations.

EMAS is concerned with the EMAS statement and performance in terms of environmental policies, aspects and improvements.

EMAS is completely compatible with the international standard for environmental management systems, ISO 14001, but is perceived to go further in its requirements for performance improvement, employee involvement, legal compliance and communication with stakeholders.

The Benefits of implementing EMAS

The aim of EMAS is to recognise and reward those organisations that continuously improve their environmental performance and go beyond their minimum legal compliance.

Specifically:

EMAS provides organisations with a quality label for voluntary environmental management, internal efficiency, environmental communication and transparency.
EMAS is a symbol of environmental excellence
EMAS is a clear and verifiable way of showing commitment to improving environmental performance.
EMAS provides a systematic framework for setting targets, and measuring, monitoring and reporting on performance.
EMAS helps to obtain a more sustainable use of resources
EMAS assists with the communication of information on environmental performance and can add considerable value and improve market reputation.

Why seek certification to EMAS?

Once you have an environmental management system in place, you may choose to have it externally audited. Following a successful audit by an accredited certification body, you will be issued with an EMAS statement of applicability. This demonstrates that your organisation:

Is committed to environmental issues
Is prepared to work towards improving the environment
Has an Environmental Management System meeting the requirements of EMAS

It also gives a competitive edge to the company's marketing and enhances its image in the eyes of customers, employees and shareholders. A certificate is not normally issued but one can be issued if requested.

How do you start to implement EMAS? What is involved?

EMAS is mainly concerned with performance improvement which should be linked to the policy and aspects and impacts. An organisation must have ISO 14001 but this may not necessarily be certified. There are four stages to EMAS:

Environmental review (evaluation of the effect an organisation has on the environment)
Implementation of the environmental management system and procedures
Carrying out an environmental audit assessing in particular the management system in place
Publishing of the environmental statement and its application for EMAS

Once developed, internal audits are needed to ensure the system carries on working. To ensure that the system is maintained it is important to set targets and measure them continually against the EMAS statement.

Assessment to EMAS

Having chosen a third party accredited certification body for your assessment; it will review your documentation and carry out an initial audit of your site. This will look at the company's environmental management system and provide guidance and preparation for the full audit and EMAS statement.

This is followed at a later date by a full audit to ensure that records and working practices demonstrate that the company following its procedures according to the EMAS statement of applicability. Your auditor will authorise and sign this document at the end of the EMAS audit.

Performance will then be monitored continuously via regular surveillance visits to ensure that your company continues to operate according to the EMAS statement.

Why choose ISOQAR for your audit?

ISOQAR has an enviable record for customer satisfaction with its certification services. It's environmental audits focus on environmental issues, rather than written documentation. Customers are given support and guidance between the two stages of the audit.

ISOQAR's annual registration fees are amongst the lowest in the industry. In addition, you will be provided with a fixed quotation, free from any additional expenses or disguised costs.

ISOQAR only employ auditors that possess a friendly and down-to-earth style to audits. This approachable image has led to ISOQAR's continual growth through referrals from contented clients and management consultants. Auditors are also carefully allocated by their experience in the industry they are assessing. This results in a practical, meaningful audit, carried out in an air of mutual understanding.

What is the cost of an audit to EMAS?

There are many variables such as the type and size of organisation, and the possible resultant effect these will have on the environment. Consequently, we ask you to complete a short questionnaire to help us learn about your organisation. From this, we can provide you with a fixed, written quotation of the fees involved. Click here to go to the questionnaire

EMAS and ISO 14001?

If you have ISO 14001 in place, many of the requirements of EMAS will already be covered, or can be easily incorporated.
Organisations that are ISO 14001 registered with ISOQAR may benefit from reduced annual registration fees for EMAS certification. This is because there are some common elements to the auditing process including the environmental review and implementation of the system.

If you do not currently hold certification against ISO 14001 it will be necessary to carry out an audit as part of the EMAS verification and validation process to establish that the system is effectively implemented across all locations. This would entail visiting each main office to assess the effectiveness of the system and level of commitment and awareness of staff

Where to obtain further information or help

Further information about EMAS can be found online as follows:

http://ec.europa.eu/environment/emas/index_en.htm - European commission and UKAS

www.netregs.gov.uk - useful site; helps businesses understand their environmental obligations
www.envirowise.gov.uk - offers UK businesses free, independent, confidential advice and support on practical ways to increase profits, minimise waste and reduce environmental impact

General information can also be found on:

www.iso.org - International Standards Organisation
www.environment-agency.gov.uk - UK Environment Agency
www.iema.net - Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment
www.defra.gov.uk - Department for Environment Food and Regional Affairs
www.incpen.org - The Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment

Industry Specific:

Customer
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