Much like ISO 14001, EMAS regulations require formulation and implementation of an environmental policy with commitment to continuous improvement; the setting up of an environmental management system and procedures for monitoring and verifying its compliance; and conduct environmental audits and site-based environmental statements. It requires third party verification of all statements, and public access to the information.
EMAS is site-specific and voluntary. EMAS-qualified sites must show evidence of a management system such as that contained in ISO 14001, as well as evidence of performance and auditing activities. It must issue a public statement of its objectives and targets, establish a register of significant environmental effects and pledge to use best available technologies, items not required in ISO 14001.
| ISO 14001 |
EMAS |
BS 7750 |
| Adopted internationally |
Across EU |
Across UK, but also elsewhere |
| Applied to whole organization or part |
Applied to site only |
Applied to whole organization |
| Covers whole organization activities, products and services |
Specific site and industrial activities |
Any sector or activity |
| Applicable to non-industrial activities, e.g. transport, local government etc. |
Can include non-industrial activities (experimental basis) |
Open to non-industrial activities |
| Auditing is not concerned with environmental performance |
Auditing is concerned only with environmental performance and compliance with relevant environmental legislation |
Auditing is not concerned with environmental performance |
| Frequency of audit is not specified and can be negotiated |
Maximum audit frequency at three years |
Frequency of audit is not specified |
| Only environmental policy needs to be publicly available |
Environmental policy programme and management system must be made publicly available. |
Only environmental policy needs to be publicly available |
