EMS - EMAS

EMAS is the short term for Eco-Management and Audit Scheme, also known as EU-Eco-Audit-Scheme or Eco-Audit.
EMAS was designed by the European Union and is a union of the EMS obeying ISO14001 and the Eco-Audit for organisations, who want to improve their environmental performance. This EMAS-edict (Eco-Audit-Edict) has its focus on the direct responsibilities of business and management and is also measuring its direct and indirect impacts on the environment. An EMAS certificate is possible for companies, service providers, but also any type of public agencies or federal organisations.

EMAS is one of the so called „New environmental policy instruments“ (NEPI).

This EMAS edict doses not only focus on the process of continuous improvement as the tool to gain the aims of the environmental policy, but EMAS also includes all impacts on the environment and improves the environmental performance.

The process of continuous improvement is based like ISO 14001 on the method PLAN-DO-CHECK-ACT (PDCA)

o PLAN (regulation of aims and processes to realise the environmental policy of the organisation)
o DO (realisation of the processes)
o CHECK (check of all processes regarding to all relevant legislative requirements and the aims of the environmental policy of the organisation; if applicable the publication of the environmental performance (success of the organisation related to the tasks for the protection of the environment)
o ACT (if necessary the organisation has to correct or adapt the processes to gain the environmental policy)

If you are interested in the similarities and differences of ISO 14001/EMAS have a look to our tablet.