Organisations of all kinds are increasingly concerned with achieving and demonstrating sound environmental performance by controlling the impacts of their activities, products and services on the environment, consistent with their environmental policy and objectives. They do so in the context of increasingly stringent legislation, the development of economic policies and other measures that foster environmental protection and increased concern expressed by interested parties about environmental matters and sustainable development.
Many organisations have undertaken environmental “reviews” or “audits” to assess their environmental performance. On their own, however, these “reviews” and “audits” may not be sufficient to provide an organisation with the assurance that its performances not only meets, but will continue to meet, its legal and policy requirements. To be effective, they need to be conducted within a structured management system that is integrated within the organisation.
International Standards covering environmental management are intended to provide organisations with the elements of an effective environmental management system (EMS) that can be integrated with other management requirements and help organisations achieve environmental and economic goals. These standards, like other International Standards, are not intended to be used to create non-tariff barriers or to increase or change an organisation’s legal obligations.