Improving the effectiveness of project assessment - Introduction to Environmental Impact Assessment - page 352

The International Organization for Standardization's ISO 14000 series was first
discussed in 1991, and a comprehensive set of EMS standards was published in
September 1996. These include ISO 14001 on EMS specifications (IOS 1996a), ISO
14004 on general EMS guidance (IOS 1996b) and ISO 14010-14014 which give
guidance on environmental auditing and review. EMAS and ISO 14001 are compatible,
but have some differences. These are shown in Table 11.1.
Table 11.1 Differences between EMAS and
ISO14001

EMAS ISO 14001

Preliminary
environmental
review

Verified initial review No review

External
communication and
verification

Environmental policy, objectives,
EMS and details of organization's
performance made public

Environmental policy made public

Audits Frequency and methodology of

audits of the EMS and of
environmental performance

Audits of the EMS (frequency of
methodology not specified)

Contractors and
suppliers

Required influence over contractors
and suppliers

Relevant procedures are
communicated to contractors and
suppliers

Commitments and
requirements

Employee involvement, continuous
improvement of environmental
performance and compliance with
environmental legislation

Commitment of continual
improvement of the EMS rather than a
demonstration of continual
improvement of environmental
performance

( Source: EC 2001b.)

11.4.2 Implementation of EMS and environmental auditing
By 1998, over 600 UK sites had received ISO 14001 certification, and 57 UK sites—
including 19 local authority sites—were EMAS registered (INEM 1998). Organizations
perceive EMS as a way to reduce their costs through good management practices such as
waste reduction and energy efficiency. They also see EMS as good publicity and, less
directly, as a way of boosting employees' morale. However, private companies still have
problems implementing EMS due to commercial confidentiality, legal liability, cost and
lack of commitment. Smaller companies are especially affected by the cost implications
of establishing EMS systems, and have been slower than the larger companies in
applying it to their operations. 2 The use of EMS by local authorities has been limited by
cutbacks in central government funding, government reorganization and growing public
concerns about economic rather than environmental issues.