This article discusses the recommended phases that an organizations may wish to adopt in establishing their Environmental Management System (EMS) whether standalone or to be integrated with existing management systems such as Quality Management System (QMS).

1. Policy – basically this is the Environmental Policy that the top management should establish, first and foremost, so as to set the direction for the whole organization to follow. As the ISO 14001:2004 puts it, “The environmental policy is the driver for implementing and improving an organization’s environmental management system so that it can maintain and potentially improve its environmental performance. This policy should therefore reflect the commitment of top management to comply with applicable legal requirements and other requirements, to prevent pollution and to continually improve. The environmental policy forms the basis upon which the organization sets its objectives and targets. The environmental policy should be sufficiently clear to be able to be understood by internal and external interested parties, and should be periodically reviewed and revised to reflect changing conditions and information.”
2. Organization and Personnel – as always, human resource is one of the most valuable resources for an effective implementation EMS. Organization may include a team or a committee composed by the Pollution Control Officer (PCO), Internal EMS Auditors and the Management Representative; an Emergency Response Team (ERT) which may include fire fighting team, medical team, spill response team and evacuation and response team.
3. Regulations, aspects and impacts – at the onset, organization must determine the applicable legal and other requirements to which the organizations subscribes related to its environmental aspects. Moreover, access to regulatory requirements and environmental laws is crucial. As practiced, this responsibility is given to the PCO to monitor updates on environmental regulations and how will it affect the organization’s environmental aspects. Aspect and Impacts Assessment is then performed as basis for establishing the EMS in terms of targets and objectives, programs, procedures and operational controls.
4. Objectives and targets – just like the QMS, specific measures for EMS effectiveness must be established which must be reviewed regularly (e.g. management reviews).
5. Management Programmes – to quote ISO 14001:2004, “Each programme should describe how the organization’s objectives and targets will be achieved, including timescales, necessary resources and personnel responsible for implementing the programme(s).” Programmes may include waste management, research and use of alternative non-toxic/hazardous raw materials, recall and recycling/treatment of salvaged products among others.
6. Management Procedures – as defined, a procedure is specified way to carry out an activity or a process which may be documented or not. For an organization who opts to document and with existing QMS, documenting a procedure is a little less cumbersome. The organization may just have to do business process review to determine  which procedures will have to be revised to integrate environmental requirements. Examples of which are maintenance procedures to include proper collection and staging of hazardous waste to be performed by the same personnel.
7. Operational Controls – these are the difference ways by which an organization can prevent pollution from its operations. These controls may include pollution control equipment, preventive maintenance activities, etc. To be able to determine the necessary operational controls, the organization must be able to determine those activities that are associated with significant environmental aspects (i.e. aspects that are with corresponding environmental regulations).
8. Records – the organization must have an effective records management to be able to provide evidence of its environmental compliance and improved environmental performance. This is another requirement that may be integrated with existing management systems.
9. EMS Audits – audits may be 1st party assessment, that is, performed by internal auditors or 2nd party assessments which is performed by other stakeholders such as customers and regulatory bodies. This is necessary to determine compliance to requirements and areas for improvement. 3rd party assessment, which is performed by certification bodies, may also form part of this phase but not without management review first.
10. Management Reviews – this is the venue for assessing the EMS to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness. Reviews must include assessing opportunities for
    improvement and the need for changes to the EMS, including the environmental policy and environmental objectives and targets.