It is easy to get caught up in buzz-words and ecological nomenclature and not fully understand what it is that is actually being said, and why it has been brought up in the first place. With rapid changes taking place along most British markets, the business sector has never had to be greener. Environmental Policies and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) are commonly being set and established at the heart of business activity. And this is happening for a reason, therefore it may be of particular use to have these two argotic business terms broken down, to help reveal what it is they exist for.

Environmental Policies

An environmental policy is a written statement briefing an organisation’s mission in relation to the environmental effects and the methods they take in managing these aspects of its operations. It is a fact that all organisations have an effect on the environment. By having an environmental policy the business is able to demonstrate its green credentials to shareholders, clients, customers and employees. It is becoming common practise that a regular customer will demand a business associate to prove their ecological and environmental credentials; this is a regular occurrence in the public sector where top-down requirements are implemented by the Government to ensure that all business procurement activities meet specified green standards.

It is free of charge to set up an Environmental policy for your business. It can help to not only make sure you are operating within the law but can also help set about improving your cost controls and help you to conserve raw materials and energy.

If you do not have an Environmental policy in place then you will not be eligible to receive an Environmental Standard (such as ISO 14001 or registration under EMAS), which is a technical document that describes and pays as evidence of an agreed and recognised way of operating.

Environmental Management System

An Environmental Management System (EMS) is an aphoristic framework to help businesses manage their impact on the environment and observe Government legislation. Implementing an EMS can not only help reduce your businesses environmental impact but it can also help to achieve a considerable saving on costs related to waste. It will also serve to demonstrate the business’ commitment to improving performance in and for your local community – which is very attractive to potential clients.

An EMS can be set up as an integral management tool, or alternatively, there are many recognised national and international standards that provide accredation and external recognition of the standards achieved and awarded. EMS standards that are recommended by Defra are as follows: ISO 14001, EMAS, BS 8555. For more information on Defra recommendations please visit their website.

To use an effective EMS that will improve an environmental performance it should: be designed to deliver and manage compliance with environmental laws and regulations; identify the organisation’s impact on the environment and set clear, achievable objectives and targets to improve performance; incorporate assured performance metrics; and be implemented at a strategic level and integrated into corporate activity and policy.

There is a substantial amount of government legislation in place to ensure that UK businesses meet the minimum requisites to reduce their impact on the environment. How these regulations affect your business will depend on the size and sector you operate in, as well as the processes you have in place already. In order to understand how these regulations might affect your business, visit the NetRegs website: www.netregs.gov.uk

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