Optimize your operational environmental protection

Environmental management systems are an important instrument for improving corporate environmental protection. An environmental management system (EMS) can be set up and certified in accordance with ISO 14001 and/or the EMAS Regulation. It is important that the EMS is adapted to the individual needs of the company and that the system is put into practice and delivers a positive cost/benefit ratio and pays for itself in monetary terms. An environmental management system can be certified by an accredited certifier. Annual external audits must be carried out for this purpose.

Advantages of a certified environmental management system

Improving employee motivation through commitment to environmental and climate protection
Raising employee awareness of environmental protection issues
Minimization of liability risk through ensured compliance with legal regulations and avoidance of incidents
Gaining the trust of employees, customers, authorities, neighbors and the public
Cost savings on waste, raw materials, water, energy and material flows
Use of certification in marketing and advertising
Regular external input to improve the EMS
Administrative simplifications, e.g. in Austria in accordance with the Environmental Management Act (see below)
Increase in insurance and creditworthiness

Our offer

We are happy to support you in setting up or optimizing your environmental management system.

Our more than 20 years of experience with the introduction and auditing of environmental management systems and as a state-approved environmental verifier enable us to recognize your requirements and needs and adapt the EMS precisely to these.

Introduction of an environmental management system

The implementation of an environmental management system incl. Ideally, certification takes about 6-12 months and essentially consists of the following steps:

As-is analysis of operational environmental protection
Definition of the basic structure and requirements for the EMS
Environmental assessment and identification and evaluation of environmental aspects
Survey of the legal compliance status and preparation of a legal register
Development of environmental goals and programs
Definition of tasks and responsibilities

Identification and definition of environmentally relevant processes
Definition of the required written regulations
Preparation of EMS documentation (e.g. manual, procedural instructions and work instructions)
Conducting workshops and training courses to implement the newly defined regulations
Implementation of an internal audit
Selection of the certification organization and performance of the certification audit

Standards for environmental management systems

Standards for EMS

An environmental management system can be introduced in accordance with ISO 14001 or the EMAS Regulation.

Introduction according to ISO 14001

ISO 14001 is an international standard that applies worldwide and can be applied by any organization. It is currently available in the 2015 version. According to ISO 14001, organizations must essentially meet the following requirements:

Definition of the scope of application of the EMS
Definition of an environmental policy
Determining the requirements and expectations of stakeholders
Identification of risks and opportunities in connection with environmental aspects, legal and other (binding) obligations and other requirements of interested parties
Identification and regular assessment of significant environmental aspects, taking into account the life cycle
Determining the relevant environmental regulations and ensuring compliance with them
Regular definition and tracking of environmental targets
Definition of the environmentally relevant organizational and operational structure
Promoting employee awareness
Take precautions in emergencies and take appropriate measures
Identification, measurement and monitoring of the relevant environmental impacts
Initiation of corrective and preventive measures
Regular performance of internal audits and management reviews

Introduction in accordance with the EMAS Regulation

The EMAS regulation is an environmental management standard of the European Union. It is currently available in the 2009 version (“EMAS III”) and has been supplemented by amended annexes in recent years.

Since the issue of EMAS III, not only organizations from the EU, but also those from outside the EU can be certified.

The EMAS Regulation contains the same wording as the requirements of ISO 14001, but goes beyond ISO 14001 in terms of specific requirements:

All ISO 14001 requirements plus:
Mandatory implementation of an initial environmental assessment in accordance with specific requirements
100% compliance with environmental legislation
Greater consideration of indirect environmental aspects
Greater involvement of employees
Preparation and publication of an environmental statement

Advantages for EMAS-certified companies

In accordance with the Environmental Management Act (UMG) there are the following administrative simplifications for EMAS-certified companies in Austria:

Simplified approval procedure if the investment leads to a reduction in the environmental impact per production unit (§21 UMG)
Right to an oral hearing by the authority within 6 weeks in the event of changes to the installation (§21 UMG)
Issuance of a consolidated notice (§22 UMG) (At the request of an EMAS organization, the authority must combine all approval notices in a consolidated approval notice)
Waiver of administrative penalties for negligent violations if the violation is reported immediately (§23 UMG)
Elimination of the appointment and notification of a waste officer and deputy (§24 UMG)
Elimination of the appointment and notification of a wastewater officer (§24 UMG)
Restriction of official inspection obligations (max. 5-year intervals) (§25 UMG)
Restriction of official control obligations for EPER data (§25 UMG)
Cancellation of the public disclosure of emission data in accordance with UIG (§26 UMG)
Notifications pursuant to §17 AWG and §20 AWG (§26 UMG) are no longer required.
Waiver of other reporting obligations upon request (§26 UMG)
Waiver of the obligation to self-audit in accordance with §82b GewO (§27 UMG)
Elimination of self-monitoring according to §134(4) WRG (§27 UMG)

According to the Waste Management Act (AWG) there are the following administrative simplifications for EMAS-certified companies in Austria:

Elimination of the obligation to prepare a waste management concept (§10 AWG)
Prior approval pursuant to § 71a AWG for waste treatment plants for the treatment of waste from abroad (§ 71a AWG)

Simplifications due to the Energy Efficiency Act:
According to the interpretation of the Ministry of Economic Affairs or the monitoring body, EMAS-certified organizations do not have to prepare an internal energy audit report if the necessary requirements of the law are fulfilled and documented as part of the EMAS system and a corresponding audit certificate is issued by the certifier.

Questions?

We are happy to support you in setting up or optimizing your environmental management system.

Certification according to ISO 14001 / EMAS regulation

Certification to ISO 14001 can be carried out by accredited certification bodies. In Austria, these include Quality Austria, TÜV Süd, TÜV Austria, LRQA, BV, SGS and Dekra.

Certification (or, more precisely, validation) in accordance with the EMAS Regulation can only be carried out by an environmental verifier organization accredited in Austria or an individual environmental verifier. Environmental verifier organizations approved in Austria include Quality Austria, TÜV Süd, TÜV Austria and LRQA. Environmental verifiers licensed in other EU countries can also work in Austria if they notify the Ministry of the Environment in advance.

In addition, all accredited environmental verifiers must pass an examination at the Ministry of the Environment, which means that EMAS environmental verifiers are subject to more stringent requirements than ISO 14001 auditors.