Basic Information
See Also
An EMS allows an organization to systematically manage its environmental and health safety matters. This page provides an overview of how to develop an EMS and why organizations should develop and EMS.
How to Develop an EMS
An EMS is a continual cycle of planning, implementing, reviewing and improving the processes and actions that an organization undertakes to meet its business and environmental goals.
Plan, Do, Check, Act
Most EMS are built on the "Plan, Do, Check, Act" model. This model leads to continual improvement based upon:
Plan
Planning, including identifying environmental aspects and establishing goals
Do
Implementing, including training and operational controls
Check
Checking, including monitoring and corrective action
Act
Reviewing, including progress reviews and acting to make needed changes to the EMS.
Why Develop an EMS?
Benefits
EMS can result in both business and environmental benefits. For example, an EMS may help you:
- Improve environmental performance
- Enhance compliance
- Prevent pollution and conserve resources
- Reduce/mitigate risks
- Attract new customers and markets (or at least retain access to customers and markets with EMS requirements)
- Increase efficiency
- Reduce costs
- Enhance employee morale and possibly enhance recruitment of new employees
- Enhance image with public, regulators, lenders, investors
- Achieve/improve employee awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities
- Qualify for recognition/incentive programs such as the EPA Performance Track Program.
Costs
Developing and implementing an EMS may also have some associated costs, including:
- An investment of internal resources, including staff/employee time
- Costs for training of personnel
- Costs associated with hiring consulting assistance, if needed
- Costs for technical resources to analyze environmental impacts and improvement options, if needed.
Learn more about the costs and benefits of developing an EMS.
For more information about EMS, see the Frequently Asked Questions About EMS.