Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS)

Showing commitment to improving your company's environmental performance, by joining a voluntary EU scheme like EMAS, not only enhances your brand and reputation, it can also lead to better management of business activities, more efficient performance and reduction of costs. All environmental statements must be independently certified - CICS will work with you to ensure that the EMAS certification and validation process is complete, efficient and cost-effective.

The Standard

The Eco-Management and Audit Scheme (EMAS) is a voluntary scheme, available to all economic sectors, which is designed to improve your company's environmental performance. EMAS recognises and rewards proactive organisations that go beyond what environmental laws expect of them and are constantly improving the way they interact with the environment.

EMAS certification is available to all economic sectors, public or private, no matter what size.

The Benefits

Once an organisation demonstrates to an independent body that it is improving its environmental performance in line with the scheme requirements and set objectives, it is able to use the EMAS logo. The logo is a recognised sign that the company has set up a strict programme of environmental performance improvements, that it respects existing environmental legislation and that its employees have a key role in the process.

The benefits of EMAS implementation are:

• Reduced costs. Being able to identify activities that have an environmental impact, allows you to minimise the consumption of materials, energy and other business resources, in turn raising profit margins
• Reduced environmental risks. Potential financial benefits come from increased shareholder trust, investment companies, insurance companies and financial institutions.
• A competitive edge through an improved corporate image. You will be able to demonstrate to customers that your business is socially responsible and its activities are managed in respect of their environmental impact
• Confidence that you will be able to comply with environmental legislation.
• Greater credibility from the EMAS logo and verified environmental statement.
• Increased staff commitment through increased participation.

Our Role

As an independently accredited body we are able to provide professional auditors to work in partnership with you at every stage. Their expert judgment will assist you in satisfactory completion of the EMAS certification and validation process.

Once we have certified your environmental statement it can be registered with the EMAS National Competent Body. In the UK this is IEMA.

The environmental statement must be made public before an organisation is allowed to use the EMAS logo.