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Environmental Management

For more than a century now, the business world has come to recognize environmental management as a valuable tool. An environmental management system helps to improve operational environmental protection continuously and responsibly. It creates competitive advantages and aids in safeguarding your company’s future.

It all started in the year 1993 with the publication of the EC Regulation (EMAS). In 1996 already, it was followed by the internationally recognized ISO 14001 standard. More than 130,000 organizations all over the world have been certified since then.

A DQS certificate according to ISO 14001 is a document recognized all over the world as evidence of functional and successful operational environmental protection, with a focus on continuous improvement, avoidance of environmental impacts and legal conformity.


Benefits of environmental management systems

Benefits of environmental management systems

  • Improved organization of operational environmental protection
  • Legal certainty by way of systematic identification and evaluation of laws and constraints Cost savings as a result of systematic and pro-active thought and action
  • Improved environmental performance of the organization, to include the environmental quality of products and services
  • Increased confidence of customers, authorities, banks, insurance companies and the public in the organization’s environmental performance
  • Employee identification and motivation
  • Enhanced image and competitive ability

The process-oriented management system
It is recommended to merge the requirements placed upon quality and environmental systems into one integrated management system. Other requirements, such as occupational health and safety issues, can be added easily.

Due to the standards’ level of compatibility, similar requirements may be implemented across standards. Organizations may, for example:

  • Formulate one corporate policy
  • Agree on objectives and plan measures jointly
  • Prepare one comprehensive documentation
  • Plan and perform internal audits jointly
  • Develop a comprehensive training concept
  • Promote cooperation among management representatives
  • Evaluate the integrated management system during one management review
Process orientation is the key element of an integrated management system. Along the processes, organizations may
  • Control environmentally relevant operational workflows
  • Identify environmental aspects
  • Implement legal and other requirements
  • Plan emergency preparedness and measures
  • Document procedures
  • Define responsibilities and authorizations
  • Monitor and measure


How does DQS assess integrated management systems?
In order to achieve the maximum benefit for each customer, subject to the individual situation on site, each assessment is planned and conducted individually. During the simultaneous assessment of multiple management systems or one integrated management sys¬tem, the joint auditing of requirements from multiple standards creates synergies.

Assessment

All of it …
During the assessment, the environmental management system’s effectiveness will be evaluated. That includes a review of op¬erational processes in order to ensure legal certainty and prevention of environmental impacts. During the preparatory stage the auditor will coordinate with the organization regarding the priorities of the assessment. Focus should be placed wherever there is potential for optimization of operational workflows and the management system.

In addition to their expertise in environmental management, DQS auditors have comprehensive knowledge and experience in their business sectors and national legislation.

… or parts of it
Organizations take advantage of DQS expertise for their step-by-step goals, letting DQS assess individual aspects. Some examples:

  • Intermediate results, presented during the implementation phase, provide early indications for improvement
  • An evaluation of the identification of and adherence to legal and other requirements increases legal certainty
  • Emergency preparedness and response can be reviewed for suitability

EMAS – Eco-Management and Audit Scheme
The requirements placed upon an environmental management system according to ISO 14001 are an integral part of EMAS (Regulation (EC) No 761/2001). Additionally EMAS, inter alia, requires an environmental audit as well as an environmental declaration, which needs to be validated annually. EMAS assessors assigned by DQS are also authorized for ISO 14001, which is why following the successful close of an EMAS validation, an accredited, internationally recognized certificate according to ISO 14001 can be issued.

July 2006
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