• Introduction
• ISO 14001
• Five Steps
• Initial Environmental Review
• Benefits
• Costs

According to the EPA, "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.” By incorporating a standard of environmental management into its business goals, an organization cannot only lessen its impact on the environment, but potentially reap economic benefits and improve public relations.

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ISO 14001, the suggested voluntary international environmental management standard, set the following principles:

• Rank environmental management among corporate priorities
• Emphasize pollution prevention
• Establish communication within the organization and constituents
• Enhance management and employee commitment to environmental protection
• Encourage environmental planning throughout the life cycle of the product and/or process
• Improve EMS by proper auditing and review procedures

1. Policy: involves establishing the organization's own environmental standard as well as identifying environmental requirements set by the government, including mandates, regulations, and standards.
2. Planning: involves communication, collaboration, and commitment within the organization, which should maximize efficiency
3. Implementation & Operation: putting the sytem to work upon completion of the necessary preliminary work
4. Checking & Corrective Action: a system of quality checking and response allows continual improvement of the system
5. Management Review

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According to the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Division of Pollution Prevention and Environmental Assistance, DPPEA, an organization should complete an "Initial Environmental Review (IER)," an overview of its operations, processes, and the applicable regulations, before implementing an EMS. The IER should include:

• Compliance and conformance- past, present, and future
• Operations- raw material through final product
• Current environmental management procedures
• Immediate and relevant environmental issues (general & case-specific)
• Environmental impacts and liabilities
• Env’tl Performance: waste/emissions
• Raw material usage
• Energy usage
• Procurement, contractor, and transporter requirements
• Current organizational environmental policy
• Emergency response system
• Feedback
• Identification of performance obstacles

The Benefits of an EMS include:

• Improvements in environmental performance and compliance, which demonstrate a commitment to environmental goals, boosting public/community relations due to new environmentally friendly image
• Pollution prevention and natural resource conservation
• Reduced environmental risks and liabilities
• Gain customers and markets with EMS requirements
• Increased operational efficiency
• Enhanced employment commitment and morale
• Enhance employmee awareness of environmental issues and responsibilities
• Qualify for recognition and incentive programs
  

The Costs of an EMS include:

• Labor costs including training or hiring new personnel
• Investing in technological improvements in processes, operations, or management systems
• Consulting assistance, if needed

However, the costs of an EMS could be offset by improved efficiency, which could reduce costs overall. For instance, incorporating energy and water efficiency could result in annual utility savings.

State EMS and Reward/Incentive Programs
Lists provided by the EPA.

List of EMSs