Phase 1 - Commitment & Establishing the Baseline

Phase One aims to secure commitment to environmental management and performance improvement, identify the main environmental issues and opportunities, and initiate the participation of people within the organisation in developing and implementing environmental improvement initiatives.

Main Requirements

• Ensure an explicit top management commitment to the EMS implementation project and to environmental performance improvement
• Plan the development and implementation of your EMS
• Conduct a baseline assessment in order to develop an understanding of the environmental impacts and issues facing the organisation. This is done by reference to your existing management programmes and practices, stakeholders, and by identifying the environmental aspects and impacts of the organisation’s activities, processes, products and services. This assessment will also help to identify opportunities for cost savings and achieving competitive advantage
• Formulate a draft environmental policy, and establish initiatives for environmental improvement, based on the findings of the baseline assessment
• Develop and implement some initial environmental performance indicators that address key environmental issues
• Develop initial approaches to employee involvement in continual improvement, environmental training and awareness raising

There are many sources of help to get you started on Acorn.

Download a copy of the free Phase 1 Handbook, which sets out in detail how to begin.
  Acorn Phase1hb.pdf (1.83 MB)

Need help in identifying your key environmental issues and seeking opportunities for saving money through good environmental management, then why not book a free site visit from Envirowise? Visit the Envirowise web site at www.envirowise.gov.uk

The BS 8555 standard ‘BS 8555:2003: Environmental Management System. Guide to the phased implementation of an environmental management system including the use of environmental performance evaluation’ is available through our online shop.

IEMA members receive a 15% discount on the normal selling price, non members a 5% discount. Click on the link below for further details:

BS 8555 Publication