Environmental Management Systems
Environmental
management systems (EMS) aim to ensure that a company or
organisation is compliant with its Environmental Policy and, as a
minimum, complies with relevant national and international
legislation. Whether a company has a formal EMS or not, any
organisation that is serious about its environmental performance
should have an environmental policy which defines their intentions
and sets out a framework for achieving them.
The most common formal EM systems
are given below and linked to more information about each type.
Each business in the recreational
boating sector will differ and whilst some aspects are generic to
all organisations some will be relevant only to a particular
activity. There are however identifiable steps that can be taken in
the development of an environmental management system. These are
PLAN, DO, CHECK, REVIEW. The BMF’s Environmental Code of Practice recommends that
companies:
- Identify the effects that the business has on the
environment
- Identify which aspects of the business's
activities are affected by legislation
- Develop an environmental policy
- Identify ways in which improved environmental
management and good practice can improve environmental performance
(and make good business sense) and develop objectives and
targets to meet these
- Monitor and measure performance
- Review performance against targets and take
corrective action if necessary
The Green Blue’s Marine Toolkit can help identify the effects
that your business has on the environment, and which aspects of
your business activities are affected by legislation.
Any BMF members which have
completed The Marine Toolkit, can also benefit from the BMF’s
dedicated
EMS service. In May 2008, the BMF gained certification to phase
5 of the BS8555 Environment Management System standard for
their activities as a trade association and are well placed to
offer their members advice on obtaining the British Standard.
Find out more
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