What is an Environmental Management System?
An Environmental Management System (EMS) is a simple framework that helps you manage your environmental impact.
It covers areas like energy use, waste, pollution, and legal compliance. An EMS helps you reduce risks, improve efficiency, and show that you take your responsibilities seriously.
A good EMS usually includes:
An environmental policy
Clear objectives and targets
Identification of environmental risks and impacts
Legal compliance checks
Roles and responsibilities
Monitoring and measuring performance
You don’t need to be ISO 14001 certified to have an effective EMS. Many SMEs run great systems without formal accreditation — it’s about what works for your business. And if you are looking to be ISO 14001 certified, we can help with that too!
At Applaud, we make EMSs easy to understand, simple to run, and tailored to the way you work.
Why do you need an EMS?
An Environmental Management System (EMS) helps your business take control of its environmental impact — and turn it into something positive.
Here’s why it matters:
✅ Cut waste and save money – small changes can lead to big savings
✅ Stay compliant – keep on top of environmental laws and avoid penalties
✅ Win more work – clients increasingly expect good environmental practices
✅ Improve your reputation – show that you’re a responsible, forward-thinking business
✅ Get staff involved – an EMS gives your team clear goals and a shared sense of purpose
Whether you're aiming for ISO 14001 or just want to do things better, an EMS is a smart step forward. We’re here to make it simple.
How can ApplaudBC help?
Building an Environmental Management System doesn’t have to be complicated. At ApplaudBC we pride ourselves in tailoring management sytems to suit the way you work. We won’t overwhelm you with paperwork or jargon, instead we break it down into manageable steps that make sense for your business.
How we work:
1. Understand your starting point
We begin with a simple review of what you’re already doing
2. Identify your environmental impacts
We look at how your activities affect the environment — energy use, waste, water, materials, transport, etc.
3. Set clear objectives
Together, we set achievable goals that make a real difference to your business and the environment.
4. Create your documentation
We help you write an environmental policy, set up procedures, and put practical tools in place to manage it all.
5. Train and engage your team
We support you in raising awareness and making sure everyone knows their part.
6. Monitor and review
We help you track your progress, make improvements, and keep everything up to date.
Need help getting it right?