Integrated Environmental Management Systems Partnership

Findings & Accomplishments | Publications | Partners

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a set of management tools and principles that allows companies to systematically manage their environmental and health safety matters. It is a framework for continual planning, implementing, reviewing, and improving a business' operations to integrate environmental concerns into daily business practices. En Español - Sociedades de Sitemas Integrados de Administración Ambiental.

DfE's Integrated Environmental Management System (IEMS) takes the ISO 14001 framework - the international standard for EMSs - several steps further by incorporating process redesign, chemical risk management, use of cleaner technologies, and pollution prevention.

DfE's IEMS can help companies, associations, federal agencies, and other organizations continue to meet environmental goals while becoming more competitive in the marketplace. Specifically, implementing an IEMS can help your organization:

• Consider and select cleaner technologies.
  
  
• Better manage the risk associated with using hazardous chemicals, both regulated and unregulated.
  
  
• Evaluate process and materials flows.
  
  
• Reduce cross-media environmental impacts.
  
  
• Use energy and other resources more efficiently.
  
  
• Practice extended product and process responsibility.
  
  
• Integrate environment and worker safety and health requirements.
  
  
• Conduct substitutes assessments that include full cost accounting.

DfE provides a variety of self-directed IEMS publications and tools to help organizations conduct their own IEMSs. In addition, DfE encourages industry associations and other groups to become lead organizations and work with their members to develop industry- or sector-specific IEMSs.

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