Environmental management systems (EMS)

An environmental management system (EMS) really can help your business, as many companies now actively seek suppliers with a strong environmental performance record. An EMS can provide your business with a practical tool to help you to:

• understand and describe the impacts on the environment from your business activities;
• comply with legislation;
• continually improve environmental performance in a systematic way;
• save money by reducing waste or saving energy; and
• improve and raise the profile of your corporate image.

The City Council has worked with businesses in Manchester to help them understand and improve their environmental performance and assist them with implementing Phase 1 of the British Standard BS 8555:2003 - 'Environmental management systems - Guide to the phased implementation of an environmental management system including the use of environmental performance evaluation'.

BS 8555 is based on the ISO 14001 EMS standard, but uses a more flexible, phased approach to implementation. There are six phases in the standard with accreditation for each phase, so it provides a staged approach tailored to the needs and size of the business. Further information can be found from the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment Acorn Scheme.

What you can do - first steps

Organisations considering implementing an EMS should first ensure that the senior management are fully signed up to the process. You then need to work out which of your business activities have an impact on the environment and prioritise them, by conducting an initial environmental review or baseline assessment.  The review will include such activities as energy use, transportation costs and waste materials. The review also needs to consider the environmental history of your site. Further information about implementing an EMS can be found from Business Link.

What we can do

The City Council can offer introductory advice for getting started on an EMS and help you understand the process. We can help you understand and prioritise the environmental impacts of your businesses activities. The environmental history of your site can also be established through interpretation of historical maps and records that the council hold, though there may be a charge for this environmental information. We have also developed tools that are useful for implementing an EMS , which we can make available on request to your organisation.

Further information on improving your environmental performance is also available through the City Council's Environmental Business Pledge initiative.