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EMS Policy Manual

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Environmental Policy Manual

Whittington & Associates of 19 Revision 0.0

EMS Policy Manual

Contents1. Company Name.......................................................................................................................................4

1.1 Company Overview............................................................................................................................4

1.2 Organization Chart.............................................................................................................................4

1.3 Management Responsibilities............................................................................................................4

2. Environmental Management System......................................................................................................4

2.1 Scope Statement...............................................................................................................................4

2.2 Scope Map.........................................................................................................................................4

3. Policy and Objectives...............................................................................................................................4

3.1 Environmental Policy.........................................................................................................................4

3.2 Environmental Objectives..................................................................................................................4

4. Context of the Organization....................................................................................................................5

4.1 Understanding the Organization and its Context...............................................................................5

4.2 Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested Parties....................................................5

4.3 Determining the Scope of the Environmental Management System.................................................5

4.4 Environmental Management System................................................................................................6

5. Leadership...............................................................................................................................................6

5.1 Leadership and Commitment............................................................................................................6

5.2 Environmental Policy.........................................................................................................................7

5.3 Organizational Roles, Responsibilities, and Authorities.....................................................................7

6. Planning...................................................................................................................................................7

6.1 Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities......................................................................................7

6.1.1 General.......................................................................................................................................7

6.1.2 Environmental Aspects...............................................................................................................8

6.1.3 Compliance Obligations..............................................................................................................9

6.1.4 Planning Action...........................................................................................................................9

6.2 Environmental Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them................................................................9

6.2.1 Environmental Objectives...........................................................................................................9

6.2.2 Planning Actions to Achieve Environmental Objectives............................................................10

7. Support..................................................................................................................................................10


EMS Policy Manual

7.1 Resources........................................................................................................................................10

7.1.1 General.....................................................................................................................................10

7.2 Competence....................................................................................................................................10

7.3 Awareness.......................................................................................................................................11

7.4 Communication...............................................................................................................................11

7.4.1 General.....................................................................................................................................11

7.4.2 Internal Communication...........................................................................................................12

7.4.3 External Communication..........................................................................................................12

7.5 Documented Information................................................................................................................12

7.5.1 General.....................................................................................................................................12

7.5.2 Creating and Updating..............................................................................................................12

7.5.3 Control of Documented Information........................................................................................12

8. Operation..............................................................................................................................................13

8.1 Operational Planning and Control...................................................................................................13

8.2 Emergency Preparedness and Response.........................................................................................14

9. Performance Evaluation........................................................................................................................14

9.1 Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis, and Evaluation......................................................................14

9.1.1 General.....................................................................................................................................14

9.1.2 Evaluation of Compliance.........................................................................................................15

9.2 Internal Audit...................................................................................................................................15

9.2.1 General.....................................................................................................................................15

9.2.2 Internal Audit Program.............................................................................................................15

9.3 Management Review.......................................................................................................................16

10. Improvement.......................................................................................................................................17

10.1 General..........................................................................................................................................17

10.2 Nonconformity and Corrective Action...........................................................................................17

10.3 Continual Improvement.................................................................................................................18

Change History..........................................................................................................................................19


EMS Policy Manual

1. Company Name

1.1 Company Overview (add description from website or marketing brochure)

1.2 Organization Chart (add chart with functional areas, but without manager names)

1.3 Management Responsibilities(add high-level summary of top management responsibilities)

2. Environmental Management System

2.1 Scope Statement(Use this guidance to create your scope statement)

Define your environmental scope to include business units, functional areas, and physical boundaries, as well as, your activities, products, and services. Consider issues, compliance obligations, and your authority and ability to exercise control and influence over the environmental life cycle.

2.2 Scope Map (add a diagram that illustrates the overall process sequence and interaction)

3. Policy and Objectives

3.1 Environmental Policy(Replace example below with your policy statement)

Our environmental policy is to:

protect the environment; prevent waste and pollution; meet compliance obligations; use natural resources sustainably; continually improve our environmental performance.

See section 5.2 for more information on our environmental policy.

3.2 Environmental Objectives (Replace with your environmental objectives)


EMS Policy Manual

Specific, measurable targets have been established for these environmental objectives and performance trends are analyzed at our management review meetings.

Reduce energy use Reduce water consumption Reduce wastewater discharge Reduce greenhouse gas emissions Reduce waste going to landfill Reduce environmental incidents Increase level of recycling Improve storage of hazardous materials Comply with all applicable regulations

See section 6.2 for more information on our environmental objectives.

4. Context of the Organization

4.1 Understanding the Organization and its ContextWe have determined the external and internal issues that are relevant to our purpose and strategic direction, and that may affect our ability to achieve the intended results of our Environmental Management System (EMS).

4.2 Understanding the Needs and Expectations of Interested PartiesWe have determined:

a) the interested parties that are relevant to our environmental management system;

b) the relevant needs and expectations (i.e., requirements) of these interested parties;

c) which of these needs and expectations become our compliance obligations.

4.3 Determining the Scope of the Environmental Management SystemWe have determined the boundaries and applicability of our environmental management system to establish its scope. When we determined this scope, we considered our:

a) external and internal issues referred to in section 4.1;

b) compliance obligations referred to in section 4.2;

c) organizational units, functions, and physical boundaries;

d) activities, products, and services;

e) authority and ability to exercise control and influence.


EMS Policy Manual

All our activities, products, and services within the defined scope are included in the environmental management system. See our scope statement in section 2.1.

The scope statement is maintained as documented information and available to interested parties.

4.4 Environmental Management SystemTo achieve the intended outcomes, including enhancing our environmental performance, we have established, implemented, maintain, and continually improve our environmental management system.

Our environmental management system includes the processes needed, and their interactions, in accordance with ISO 14001:2015. See section 2.2 for a diagram of our process sequence and flow.

We consider the knowledge gained in sections 4.1 and 4.2 when establishing and maintaining the environmental management system.

5. Leadership

5.1 Leadership and CommitmentOur top management demonstrates its leadership and commitment with respect to the environmental management system by:

a) taking accountability for the effectiveness of the environmental management system;

b) ensuring that the environmental policy and environmental objectives are established and compatible with our strategic direction and the context of our organization;

c) ensuring the integration of our EMS requirements into our business processes;

d) ensuring that the resources needed for our environmental management system are available;

e) communicating the importance of effective environmental management and of conforming to the environmental management system requirements;

f) ensuring that the environmental management system achieves its intended results;

g) directing and supporting persons to contribute to the effectiveness of the environmental management system;

h) promoting improvement;

i) supporting other relevant management roles to demonstrate their leadership as it applies to their areas of responsibility.


EMS Policy Manual

5.2 Environmental PolicyTop management has established, implemented, and maintains an environmental policy that (within the scope of our environmental management system):

a) is appropriate to the purpose and context of our organization, including the nature, scale, and environmental impacts of our activities, products, and services;

b) provides a framework for setting environmental objectives;

c) includes a commitment to the protection of the environment, including prevention of pollution and other specific commitments relevant to the context of our organization;

d) includes a commitment to meet our compliance obligations;

e) includes a commitment to continual improvement of the environmental management system to enhance environmental performance.

Our environmental policy (see section 3.1) is:

a) maintained as documented information;

b) communicated within our organization;

c) available to interested parties.

5.3 Organizational Roles, Responsibilities, and AuthoritiesTop management ensures that the responsibilities and authorities for relevant roles are assigned and communicated within our organization.

Top management has assigned the responsibility and authority for:

a) ensuring that the environmental management system conforms to ISO 14001:2015 requirements;

b) reporting on performance of the environmental management system, including environmental performance, to top management.

6. Planning

6.1 Actions to Address Risks and Opportunities6.1.1 GeneralWe have established, implemented, and maintain the processes needed to meet therequirements in sections 6.1.1 to 6.1.4.

When planning for our environmental management system, we consider the:

a) issues referred to in section 4.1;


EMS Policy Manual

b) requirements referred to in section 4.2;

c) scope of our environmental management system (see section 2.1);

and determine the risks and opportunities related to our environmental aspects (see section 6.1.2), compliance obligations (see section 6.1.3), and other issues and requirements identified in sections 4.1 and 4.2, that need to be addressed to:

- give assurance that our environmental management system can achieve its intended outcomes;

- prevent or reduce undesired effects, including the potential for external environmental conditionsto affect our organization;

- achieve continual improvement.

Within the scope of the environmental management system, we have determined potential emergency situations, including those that can have an environmental impact.

We maintain documented information for the:

- risks and opportunities that need to be addressed;

- processes needed in sections 6.1.1 to 6.1.4, to the extent necessary to have confidence they are carried out as planned.

6.1.2 Environmental Aspects Within the defined scope of our environmental management system, we have determined the environmental aspects of our activities, products, and services that we can control and those that we can influence, and their associated environmental impacts, considering a life cycle perspective.

When determining environmental aspects, we consider:

a) change, including planned or new developments, and new or modified activities, products, andservices;

b) abnormal conditions and reasonably foreseeable emergency situations.

We have determined those aspects that have or can have a significant environmental impact, i.e., significant environmental aspects, by using established criteria.

We communicate our significant environmental aspects among the various levels and functions of the organization, as appropriate.

We maintain documented information of our:

— environmental aspects and associated environmental impacts;


EMS Policy Manual

— criteria used to determine our significant environmental aspects;

— significant environmental aspects.

We recognize that significant environmental aspects can result in risks and opportunities associated with either adverse environmental impacts (threats) or beneficial environmental impacts (opportunities).

6.1.3 Compliance ObligationsWe have:

a) determined and have access to the compliance obligations related to our environmental aspects;

b) determined how these compliance obligations apply to our organization;

c) taken these compliance obligations into account when establishing, implementing, maintaining, and continually improving our environmental management system.

We maintain documented information of our compliance obligations. We recognize that compliance obligations can result in risks and opportunities to our organization.

6.1.4 Planning Action We have planned:

a) to take actions to address our:

1) significant environmental aspects;

2) compliance obligations;

3) risks and opportunities identified in section 6.1.1;

b) how to:

1) integrate and implement the actions into our environmental management system processes(see sections 6.2, 7, 8, and 9.1), or other business processes;

2) evaluate the effectiveness of these actions (see section 9.1).

When planning these actions, we consider our technological options and our financial, operational, and business requirements.

6.2 Environmental Objectives and Planning to Achieve Them

6.2.1 Environmental ObjectivesWe have established environmental objectives at relevant functions and levels, considering significant environmental aspects and associated compliance obligations, as well as, our risks and opportunities.


EMS Policy Manual

The environmental objectives are:

a) consistent with the environmental policy;

b) measurable (if practical);

c) monitored;

d) communicated;

e) updated as appropriate.

We maintain documented information on the environmental objectives.

6.2.2 Planning Actions to Achieve Environmental ObjectivesWhen planning how to achieve our environmental objectives, we determine:

a) what will be done;

b) what resources will be required;

c) who will be responsible;

d) when it will be completed;

e) how the results will be evaluated, including indicators for monitoring progress toward achievement of our measurable environmental objectives (see section 9.1.1).

We consider how actions to achieve our environmental objectives can be integrated into our business processes.

7. Support

7.1 Resources

7.1.1 GeneralWe have determined and provided the resources needed to establish, implement, maintain, and continual improve our environmental management system.

7.2 CompetenceOur organization has:

a) determined the necessary competence of persons doing work under our control that affects our environmental performance and our ability to fulfil our compliance obligations;


EMS Policy Manual

b) ensured that these persons are competent based on the appropriate education, training, or experience;

c) determined training needs associated with our environmental aspects and our environmentalmanagement system;

d) where applicable, acted to acquire the necessary competence, and evaluated the effectiveness of these actions.

These actions may include, for example, the provision of training to, the mentoring of, or the reassignment of currently employed persons; or the hiring or contracting of competent persons.

We retain the appropriate documented information (records) as evidence of competence.

7.3 AwarenessWe ensure that persons doing work under our control are aware of:

a) the environmental policy (see section 3.1);

b) the significant environmental aspects and related actual or potential environmental impactsassociated with their work;

c) their contribution to the effectiveness of our environmental management system, including thebenefits of enhanced environmental performance;

d) the implications of not conforming with the environmental management system requirements,including not fulfilling our compliance obligations.

7.4 Communication

7.4.1 GeneralWe have established, implemented, and maintain the processes needed for internal and external communications relevant to our environmental management system, including:

a) on what we will communicate;

b) when to communicate;

c) with whom to communicate;

d) how to communicate.

When establishing our communication processes, we have:

- considered our compliance obligations;


EMS Policy Manual

- ensured that the communicated environmental information is consistent with the information generated within our environmental management system, and is reliable.

We respond to relevant communications on our environmental management system. We retain documented information (records) as evidence of our communications, as appropriate.

7.4.2 Internal CommunicationAs an organization, we:

a) internally communicate information relevant to our environmental management system amongthe various levels and functions of our organization, including changes to the environmentalmanagement system, as appropriate;

b) ensure our communication processes enable persons doing work under our control to contribute to continual improvement.

7.4.3 External CommunicationWe externally communicate information relevant to the environmental management system, as established by our communication processes and as required by our compliance obligations.

7.5 Documented Information

7.5.1 GeneralOur environmental management system includes:

a) documented information required by ISO 14001:2015;

b) documented information determined to be necessary for the effectiveness of our environmental management system.

7.5.2 Creating and UpdatingWhen creating and updating documented information, we ensure appropriate:

a) identification and description (e.g., a title, date, author, or reference number);

b) format (e.g., language, software version, graphics) and media (e.g., paper, electronic);

c) review and approval for suitability and adequacy.

7.5.3 Control of Documented InformationThe documented information required by our environmental management system and ISO 14001:2015 is controlled to ensure it is:

a) available and suitable for use, where and when it is needed;

b) adequately protected (e.g., from loss of confidentiality, improper use, or loss of integrity).


EMS Policy Manual

For control of our documented information, we have addressed the following activities, as applicable:

- distribution, access, retrieval, and use;

- storage and preservation, including preservation of legibility;

- control of changes (e.g., version control);

- retention and disposition.

Documented information of external origin determined as necessary for the planning and operation of our environmental management system has been identified as appropriate, and controlled.

Use of the term “access” implies a decision regarding permission to view the documented information only, or the permission and authority to view and change the documented information.

8. Operation

8.1 Operational Planning and ControlWe have established, implemented, control, and maintain the processes needed to meet the environmental management system requirements, and to implement the actions identified in sections 6.1 and 6.2 by:

- establishing operating criteria for the processes;

- implementing control of the processes, in accordance with the operating criteria.

Controls may include engineering controls and procedures. Controls may be implemented following a hierarchy (e.g., elimination, substitution, administrative) and can be used individually or in combination.

We control planned changes and review the consequences of unintended changes, acting to mitigate any adverse effects, as necessary.

We ensure that outsourced processes are controlled or influenced. The type and extent of control or influence to be applied to these processes are defined within the environmental management system.

Consistent with a life cycle perspective, we:

a) establish controls, as appropriate, to ensure that our environmental requirements are addressedin the design and development process for the product or service, considering each life cycle stage;

b) determine our environmental requirements for the procurement of products and services, asappropriate;

c) communicate our relevant environmental requirements to external providers, including contractors;


EMS Policy Manual

d) consider the need to provide information about potential significant environmental impactsassociated with the transportation or delivery, use, end-of-life treatment, and final disposal of our products and services.

We maintain documented information to the extent necessary to have confidence that the processes have been carried out as planned.

8.2 Emergency Preparedness and ResponseWe have established, implemented, and maintain the processes needed to prepare for and respond to potential emergency situations identified in section 6.1.1, and we:

a) prepare to respond by planning actions to prevent or mitigate adverse environmental impacts from emergency situations;

b) respond to actual emergency situations;

c) act to prevent or mitigate the consequences of emergency situations, appropriate to the magnitude of the emergency and the potential environmental impact;

d) periodically test the planned response actions, where practicable;

e) periodically review and revise the processes and planned response actions, in particular after theoccurrence of emergency situations or tests;

f) provide relevant information and training related to emergency preparedness and response, asappropriate, to relevant interested parties, including persons working under our control.

We maintain documented information to the extent necessary to have confidence that the processes are carried out as planned.

9. Performance Evaluation

9.1 Monitoring, Measurement, Analysis, and Evaluation

9.1.1 GeneralWe monitor, measure, analyze, and evaluate our environmental performance, and determine:

a) what needs to be monitored and measured;

b) the methods for monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation, as applicable, to ensurevalid results;

c) the criteria against which we will evaluate our environmental performance, and appropriate indicators;


EMS Policy Manual

d) when the monitoring and measuring will be performed;

e) when the results from monitoring and measurement will be analyzed and evaluated.

We ensure that calibrated or verified monitoring and measurement equipment is used and maintained, as appropriate.

We evaluate our environmental performance and the effectiveness of the environmental management system.

We communicate relevant environmental performance information both internally and externally, as identified in our communication processes and as required by our compliance obligations.

We retain appropriate documented information (records) as evidence of the monitoring, measurement, analysis, and evaluation results.

9.1.2 Evaluation of ComplianceWe have established, implemented, and maintain the processes needed to evaluate fulfilment of our compliance obligations. As a result, we:

a) determine the frequency that compliance will be evaluated;

b) evaluate compliance and act if needed;

c) maintain knowledge and understanding of our compliance status.

We retain documented information (records) as evidence of the compliance evaluation results.

9.2 Internal Audit9.2.1 GeneralWe conduct internal audits at planned intervals to provide information on whether our environmental management system:

a) conforms to:

1) our requirements for the environmental management system;

2) the requirements of ISO 14001:2015;

b) is effectively implemented and maintained.

9.2.2 Internal Audit Program We have established, implemented, and maintain an internal audit program, including the frequency, methods, responsibilities, planning requirements, and reporting of our internal audits.


EMS Policy Manual

When establishing the internal audit program, we considered the environmental importance of the processes concerned, changes affecting the organization, and the results of previous audits.

In addition, we:

a) define the audit criteria and scope for each audit;

b) select auditors and conduct audits to ensure objectivity and the impartiality of the audit process;

c) ensure that the results of the audits are reported to relevant management.

We retain documented information (records) as evidence of the implementation of the audit program and the audit results.

9.3 Management ReviewTop management reviews our environmental management system, at planned intervals, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness.

The management review includes consideration of:

a) status of actions from previous management reviews;

b) changes in:

1) external and internal issues that are relevant to our environmental management system;

2) needs and expectations of interested parties, including compliance obligations;

3) our significant environmental aspects;

4) risks and opportunities;

c) extent to which environmental objectives have been achieved;

d) information on our environmental performance, including trends in:

1) nonconformities and corrective actions;

2) monitoring and measurement results;

3) meeting our compliance obligations;

4) audit results;

e) adequacy of resources;

f) relevant communications from interested parties, including complaints;


EMS Policy Manual

g) opportunities for continual improvement.

The outputs of the management review include:

- conclusions on the continuing suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of the EMS;

- decisions related to continual improvement opportunities;

- decisions on any need for changes to the environmental management system, including resources;

- actions, if needed, when environmental objectives have not been achieved;

- opportunities to improve integration of the environmental management system with other business processes, if needed;

- any implications for our strategic direction.

We retain documented information (records) as evidence of the results of management reviews.

10. Improvement

10.1 GeneralWe determine opportunities for improvement (see section 9) and implement necessary actions to achieve the intended outcomes of our environmental management system.

10.2 Nonconformity and Corrective ActionWhen a nonconformity occurs, we:

a) react to the nonconformity and, as applicable:

1) act to control and correct it;

2) deal with the consequences, including mitigating adverse environmental impacts;

b) evaluate the need for action to eliminate the causes of the nonconformity, in order that it does not recur or occur elsewhere, by:

1) reviewing and analyzing the nonconformity;

2) determining the causes of the nonconformity;

3) determining if similar nonconformities exist, or could potentially occur;

c) implement any action needed;


EMS Policy Manual

d) review the effectiveness of any corrective action taken;

e) make changes to our environment management system, if necessary.

Our corrective actions are appropriate to the effects of the nonconformities encountered, including the environmental impacts.

We retain documented information (records) as evidence of the:

a) nature of the nonconformities and any subsequent actions taken;

b) results of any corrective action.

10.3 Continual ImprovementWe continually improve the suitability, adequacy, and effectiveness of our environmental management system to enhance environmental performance.


EMS Policy Manual

Change History

Version Author Revision Date Revision Description0.0 (author name) xx/xx/17 Initial Release


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